Open Innovation Competition: Urban Food from Residual Heat

The Swedish cities of Malmo, Lund, Oskarshamn and Bjuv are looking for creative partners with innovative solutions that can be involved in a new venture, to convert waste heat into urban food or other biological production. Clean residual heat emitted from a diverse range of sources – from single refrigerators to industrial sites – represents a waste of both energy and resources that is ultimately detrimental to the local and global environment. These four municipalities plan to use this residual heat to produce fish, vegetables and other biological goods in production units located in their respective urban areas. They aim to incorporate the concepts of sustainability, the circular economy and zero waste into a new service in their localities, one which will have positive socioeconomic benefits such as employment, education and urban gentrification.

In their search for solutions, these municipalities have announced a joint Open Innovation Competition where the winning ideas will be incorporated into developing a final proposal. The competition is supported by Vinnova, Sweden’s innovation agency. The consortia is seeking the submission of ideas to solve a number of challenge areas, as well as those that may build and improve upon the whole concept of using waste heat for food production.

CHALLENGE AREAS: 

#1 Technical Challenges – these refer to the obstacles faced by the project which only technology will be able to overcome. The vision is to collect the waste heat at source and transport it – most probably as warm water – to the site where it can be used to heat facilities and equipment for the production of vegetables, fish and other biological goods.

#2 The biological production challenges – there are many of these involved in building and operating a successful and efficient urban food production unit. Within the unit itself there are many factors which will enhance the project’s overall productivity.

#3 Business challenges – the project aims to deliver not just food production but wider social value to the community alongside economic sustainability. Creative and ambitious plans and strategies are sought to achieve that.

HOW THE COMPETITION WORKS: 

The Open Innovation Competition is structured in three distinct stages, each of which will see the final number of participants reduced. It is also designed to be much more than a traditional competition. By incorporating the principles of Open Innovation into the DNA of the processes, it will act as a platform for innovative participants to collaborate and co-develop their ideas within a community of driven, like-minded people.

Participants reaching the second round will be offered professional advice and assistance on how best to progress with turning their ideas into reality.

Over SEK 2 million (approx EUR 210,000) is available in prize money for the whole competition. Awards will be made to those participating at each stage of the competition from the second round onwards, with a significant amount reserved for the winner. The winner will also have the opportunity to build on their exciting idea and be involved in the final proposal.  The prize money is an award from Vinnova, Sweden’s innovation agency, together with the organising partners.

ALL SUBMISSIONS MUST BE MADE BY 2 JUNE 2017!! 

For more information, please check here.