From lab to world-changing solution

Tom Schoehuijs, Hello Tomorrow curator and TU Delft student, explained that their goal is to, “empower early-stage science entrepreneurs who want to solve societal and industrial problems by commercialising technologies coming from labs.” The deadline for applications is June 17, and the winners will be announced at a global summit on October 13 and 14 in Paris. Hello Tomorrow wants to bridge the gap between science entrepreneurs, investors and corporations in all major scientific and technological fields. By creating the right connections they want to accelerate the transformation of disruptive technologies into new products that can solve the world’s most pressing issues.

Eligible start-ups must have raised less than €400,000, be less than two years old, and be based on a new technology or an innovative application of an existing one. Competitors will be judged by their innovation and team leadership capabilities, and the potential impact and economic viability of their projects. The grand prize is a no strings attached €100,000 in funding, plus each track finalist will be awarded €15,000. There are a total of ten tracks: aeronautics, air quality, beauty and wellbeing, data, energy, food and agriculture, healthcare, industry 4.0, transportation and mobility, plus water and waste. The top 100 start-ups from each continent will be invited to the global summit.

“Hello Tomorrow provides a platform for people to test their ideas in front of an audience, and the prizes help to transform those ideas into reality,” said last year’s winner, BioCarbon Engineering, who scooped the grand prize with their automated mass reforestation project using drones. At the 2015 summit there were 2,500 innovators from 67 countries including the director of Google [X], the CTO of NASA and the CEO of Hyperloop. To date, more than €60 million has been raised by semi-finalists of the competition. “Start-ups could strongly benefit from the exposure, the connections and the awards,” said Schoehuijs. For more details, to apply or to nominate a start-up visit challenge.hello-tomorrow.org.