Innovation Contest 2025
Be inspired!
Do you have an innovative idea that could address a global or local challenge? Would you like support to develop your idea into a potential start-up?
Take the chance and take the floor to pitch on the “big screen”!
Present your idea at the “EU-CONEXUS Innovation Contest of Ideas” in front of an international jury. Gain helpful insights on starting a business and compete for prize money to push your idea forward.
The contest is open to staff and students of the EU-CONEXUS universities. Multinational teams with members from at least two different EU-CONEXUS universities can enter under in two categories: students or researchers and PhD students.
While we encourage entries with ideas related to SmUCS (Smart Urban Coastal Sustainability), topics from any innovative field are welcome.
Deadline extended – final proposal November 23
Explore the possibility of advancing your innovative idea into a start-up business with support and feedback from innovation experts:
- Gain pitching experience in front of a high-profile jury
- Join our innovation workshops* to build your expertise:
*topics may change depending on availability- Business model canvas
- The Persona
- Social Entrepreneurship
- How to pitch your idea
- How to write a business plan
- Market-competition USPs
- Introduction to different business models
- Press-coaching for founders
- Connect with other future entrepreneurs from the universities of the EU-CONEXUS Alliance by networking with fellow contest participants
- Win prize money to push your idea forward
Participants can enter in one of two categories.
Project Ideas While we encourage ideas related to SmUCS (Smart Urban Coastal Sustainability) topics, ideas from any innovative field can be submitted.
Two possibilities to participate:
1. Work on your own project idea.
2. Choose and address one of the challenges provided by companies from the Alliances regions.*
*Challenges from companies in the Alliances regions which the teams can work on will be provided on the EU-CONEXUS website.
Multinational teams
Teams can include members from two or more different EU-CONEXUS universities, but this is optional. We strongly encourage and support multinational collaboration, as it can enrich the project experience.
Teams may also include members from universities that are not part of the EU-CONEXUS Alliance.
The team leader must be enrolled or employed at an EU-CONEXUS partner university.
If you are interested in taking part and would like support with forming a multinational team or choosing an idea, please don’t hesitate to contact us — we’ll be happy to help.
For support with matching members to teams please contact:
sabine.brueser@uni-rostock.de
If you need help with creating your team, please also let us know if you are looking for specific skills or competencies in your team member.
Important:
Your participation is confidential. The members of the jury sign a letter of confidentiality. Your personal information as well as the project ideas will be kept confidential and not handed over to unauthorized third persons.
Key competition dates and deadlines
“Good news! The final proposal deadline has been extended. You can still join the competition even if you didn’t submit an initial idea! Plus: the multi-university team requirement has been dropped, so teams from a single EU-CONEXUS university can now take part!
Register your interest anytime @ sabine.brueser@uni-rostock.de
PHASE ONE
- Matching and registration until September 2025
Networking and creation of multinational teams. Teams are asked to submit a list of their team members and the proposed project field / title when they think of taking part in the Innovation Contest. This is not a final commitment. It will just provide an overview of the participating teams. Please register your interest via email to innovationcontest@eu-conexus.eu. - Idea development: up to 30 September, 2025
The team collaborates to develop their idea and their application.
PHASE TWO
- Application period up to 1 October, 2025
Submit your initial project idea. - Workshops: October – November 2025
- Closing deadline for final project proposal: November 23, 2025
Submit your final project proposal. This is the final, fixed deadline. - Online pitch event Mid-December 2025.
All applications must be sent to sabine.brueser@uni-rostock.de
There will be a two-step selection process. In the first step, the jury selects up to 10 ideas for each category. If more than 10 proposals meet the criteria, the jury will make a pre-selection referring to the persuasiveness of the idea following equated criteria.
Win prize money to push your idea forward!
Category: Students
1st place: 3000€;
2nd place: 1500€;
3rd place: 500€
Category: Researchers
1st: 4000€ place;
2nd place: 2000€;
3rd place: 1000€
This activity is organised under the EU-funded Project EU-CONEXUS Plus (Project number 101089709) titled : “A significant step forward for the European University for Smart Urban Coastal Sustainability” .
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
