Green Alley and ERP Finland team up to find the most appealing startups in circular economy. Apply by July 27!
Finland – the Land of the Thousand Lakes, the greenest country in the world. That is what the country is known for. It truly is sitting at the top table based on not only the country’s commitment to achieve carbon-neutral society, but also its sustainable development. This is revealed by the environmental performance index 2016 by Yale and Columbia universities.
For these reasons, among many others, Green Alley Award is looking especially for Finnish flavour to spice up this years’ competition. Green Alley Award constitutes the number one competition for startups making their way towards the circular economy. For the third time in a row, the award values the effort of entrepreneurs who contribute to a more sustainable economy.
The future of Finland could indeed lie under the green umbrella. Olli Alanen, the country manager of European Recycling Platform (ERP) Finland and core partner of the Green Alley Award, commented on the Finnish startup scene of circular economy: “There are several very potential green economy startups in Finland that are already well known, and I do believe that there is much more yet to be found. I truly hope that with this competition we are able to support new Finnish success stories.”
A growing number of startups in Finland has developed products and services for a more sustainable world. One great example is the Green Alley Award 2014 winner RePack that offers a service enabling reuse of delivery packaging for online retailers and consumers. RePack has made a partnership with Deutsche Post and started its expansion to the German market. Thanks to none other than the Green Alley team.
Green Alley Award helps along the rocky road towards the European market
More often than not, however, it is not an easy task for a newborn startup in the recycling business to forecast the traps lying ahead. No matter how much potential the business idea carries, it is a fierce battlefield out there without knowing who to turn to.
“I’d say one of the most crucial factors for our success story is to get to know the circle network. We get that thanks to the Green Alley Award – the one that we won in 2014 and that has earned us a good network and wide media attention,” says Jonne Hellgren, CEO and co-founder of RePack.
Networking and crossing the narrow sea to Central Europe are some examples on how Green Alley Award can help Finnish entrepreneurs on their journey. “One of the most significant benefits to Finnish startups to participate would be the unique opportunity to create valuable contacts to Germany and other big European markets, which could be difficult to access without the right network. The Green Alley team firmly believes that the Finnish startup scene has a lot of potential also in green economy area,” explains Alanen.
Green Alley Award provides the tools for a breakthrough
Six finalists will be invited to the final in Berlin, receive advice in workshops and have the chance to pitch in front of an international audience. And that is not all: the winner will take home a prize package worth up to 30,000 euros, including a 6-months office in the Green Alley coworking space in Berlin. Thanks to its experts both from the circular economy and the startup scene, Green Alley Award affords the visibility, the network and the unique opportunity for startups to thrive.
What would it take to be the next winner of Green Alley Award? Stand out from the crowd by customizing your pitch based on the application guidelines!
If you are a startup or any individual with a blooming business idea on how to solve problems related to waste or preservation of natural resources, you are more than welcome to apply to the competition by July 27th. Act quickly at http://green-alley-award.com/.
