The 2nd Annual INNOVA Europe Competition held its Grand Finale today at STATION F in Paris, where students and young entrepreneurs from Europe’s leading business schools gathered to showcase their innovative solutions for global challenges. This year saw heightened competition as nine of the continent’s top schools participated, pushing entrepreneurial boundaries to create impactful, sustainable business ideas.
Grand Finale Winners: Solar Optic and Reduco
The Rising Stars category crowned Solar Optic from KSE Graduate Business School as the grand prize winner. Solar Optic, a groundbreaking technology that channels sunlight into buildings without electricity, won €20K in prize money, alongside a year of free incubation at one of the participating business schools.
In the Young Hopes category, the winning project was Reduco, a proptech platform from ESMT Berlin, which focuses on reducing CO2 emissions in buildings. Reduco walked away with €5K to bring their green initiative closer to reality.
An honourable mention was awarded to Krishi Krate from Aalto University, recognising their innovative contributions to sustainable agriculture.
Driving Sustainable Innovation in Business
Founded in 2022 by EDHEC Business School, POLIMI Graduate School of Management, and ESMT Berlin, the INNOVA Europe competition aims to foster entrepreneurial talent among business students and alumni, with a focus on addressing pressing global issues related to environmental transition, empowerment, and health.
Generous support for this year’s competition came from BNP Paribas Company Engagement, BNP Paribas Wealth Management France, and BivwAk!, alongside backing from Ring Capital and STATION F. Antoine Sire, Senior Advisor for Impact Economy and Social Inclusion at BNP Paribas, praised the initiative’s ability to drive innovation:
Entrepreneurship plays a crucial role in reshaping both the economy and society for positive change. At BNP Paribas, we are committed to empowering those who are building a fairer, more sustainable world.”
Geoffroy Bragadir, Co-founder & Managing Partner of Ring Capital, echoed this sentiment:
“We are proud to support INNOVA Europe, aligning with our mission to back responsible business models that positively impact society and the environment.”
A Platform for Future Entrepreneurs
This year’s competition was hosted by EDHEC Business School, which won last year’s grand finale with Dooda, a student startup focused on insect-based animal feed. The event was held at STATION F, the world’s largest startup campus, where students participated in a variety of activities, including a Responsible Entrepreneurship by Design workshop and a pitch competition evaluated by experts.
Ludovic Cailluet, Associate Dean for Responsible Entrepreneurship at EDHEC Business School, highlighted the event’s importance:
“This competition brings together Europe’s brightest minds, giving them a platform to pitch sustainable business ideas and network with peers. We are committed to promoting responsible entrepreneurship through collaboration with leading business schools across the continent.”
Global Impact and Future Growth
INNOVA Europe aims to inspire students and entrepreneurs to tackle the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals, including clean energy, responsible consumption, gender equality, and poverty reduction. By encouraging the development of responsible business models, the competition seeks to make a meaningful contribution to a sustainable future.
Roland Siegers, Director of External Engagement at ESMT Berlin, celebrated the diverse range of participants:
INNOVA Europe unites students from diverse backgrounds, driving innovation with genuine global influence. The exchange of ideas between business schools is crucial in shaping solutions that address some of the world’s most pressing challenges.”
Tommaso Agasisti, Associate Dean for Internationalisation at POLIMI Graduate School of Management, noted the event’s expanding reach: Innova Europe has expanded further this year with the addition of six new schools. It’s truly inspiring to witness the passion and dedication of students working to solve sustainability challenges.
This year’s competition offered two categories: Young Hopes for startups in the ideation stage and Rising Stars for more established startups. Participants were judged on their vision, ability to address sustainability challenges, and overall business viability.
