The call for applications is open for the Ukrainian-Italian project Movement Towards Circularity (M2C), which offers a comprehensive entrepreneurial development program for young people, combining practical experience with innovations and opportunities for international cooperation. Top participants will receive a travel grant for a week-long trip to Mantua, Italy, to work on their startup prototype with Italian colleagues.
The project initiators and organizers are Brain Edu - the NGO "Brainy education" (Ukraine), the MantoCircularLab association (Italy), the Ukrainian Future business incubator (Ukraine), supported by GIST and VentureWell (USA) and in partnership with Promipresa.
Young innovators aged 15 to 20 who are working on innovative solutions focusing on the circular economy in agriculture and the food industry are invited to apply. Details of the project and the application form are available on the M2C page. Applications are accepted until November 15.
What the Program Offers
- Practical Experience in Circular Innovations: Work on real projects to create resource-saving solutions in the agriculture and food industry.
- Skills Development: Training in entrepreneurship, project management, prototyping, AI applications for startups, and leadership.
- Mentorship: Support from experts at MantoCircularLab, Brain Edu, Ukrainian Future Incubator, Promipresa, and project partners to develop ideas and prototypes.
- Open Presentation: The opportunity to present startups at an open pitch, receive expert advice, and travel grants.
- International Collaboration: The top 5 projects will travel to Italy, where they will work with Italian partners to develop their startup projects.
- Contribution to Sustainable Development: Participate in creating solutions that promote the circular economy and reduce environmental impact.
Project Phases:
1. Ukrainian Phase (Online): November-December 2024. On November 20, an educational program will begin, including a series of training sessions and mentorship with experienced experts from Ukraine and Italy. This phase will include working on real case studies, idea generation, business model development, prototyping, and investment preparation. The first phase of the program will conclude on December 22 with an open online pitch, where participants will present their projects to an expert jury. Five selected projects will receive travel grants and move to the next, Italian phase of the project, with preparations continuing in January and February 2025.
2. Italian Phase (In-Person): March 2025. On March 24, selected projects will begin prototyping in Mantua, Italy. Over the course of a week, participants will get to know the local startup ecosystem and attend training sessions in entrepreneurship, material selection, prototyping, and testing. The Italian phase will conclude with the final project presentation. Based on the presentation results, selected projects may receive collaboration offers from Italian partners.
Applications for the Ukrainian-Italian Movement Towards Circularity project will be accepted until November 18. The list of M2C startup participants will be announced on November 18-19 on the social media pages and official websites of the "Brainy education" NGO and project partners.