Green Alley Award 2015:

June 17th, 2015

Connecting Green Ideas from London to Berlin

We're supporting Europe’s only circular economy start-up competition. Apply until Sept. 15.

ERP UK is supporting the Green Alley Award, Europe’s only start-up competition focused on the circular economy! We are proud to partner with Green Alley Investment GmbH, a Berlin based green economy investor who launched the start-up award in 2014. Together with London’s social business accelerator Bethnal Green Ventures and Germany’s leading crowdfunding platform Seedmatch we are looking for great green business ideas that can contribute to improving the waste and recycling industry as we know it. Start-ups and entrepreneurs from across Europe with a business idea related to turning waste into a resource are invited to apply until 15th September.

Start-ups, business ideas or projects eligible for the contest should contribute to the circular economy by:

  • reducing, reusing or recycling industrial or consumer waste streams such as packaging waste, WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment), batteries, used photovoltaic modules, commercial and industrial waste, plastics, etc.
  • replacing non-renewable resources with recycled or fully recyclable material
  • repairing and refurbishing, as well as extending the lifecycle of products
  • improving the reuse and recyclability of products and materials
  • improving product design and considering environmental impact during the whole product lifecycle
  • closing the materials loop through recycling and refurbishing
  • raising awareness of recycling and sustainability through new services, products or technologies
  • strengthening producer responsibility and compliance with European waste regulations

The key aim of the award is to foster innovation in the green and circular economy by connecting the leading European start-up cities of London and Berlin. Scott Butler, Regional Director UK and Ireland at European Recycling Platform (ERP), says: “Even beyond the cliché of Berlin’s creativity versus London’s capital, entrepreneurs across Europe will profit from this symbiosis. Moreover, we at ERP are convinced that the whole recycling industry including our members can capitalize on green start-up innovations.”

As an expert in the field of recycling, ERP will judge all entries and will have a seat on the jury that selects the one and only Green Alley Award winner 2015. The finalists will be invited to an exciting one-day event in Berlin with many networking and learning opportunities.

“The Award will be a great occasion for British green economy start-ups, not only to get to know the German market but also to boost their business across Europe”, says Scott Butler.

The start-ups will meet business and green economy experts in individual workshops, gaining valuable advice on how to develop and grow a green business idea. The candidates will then compete with each other in a pitch final and have only three minutes to present their idea to the expert jury.

The start-up with the most convincing pitch will receive a package of prize money and other additional benefits worth up to 20,000 euros, as well as the opportunity to pitch for further investment or crowdfunding.

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