Combat climate change and win €500,000

Green start-ups can sign up for the Postcode Lottery Green Challenge 2017

The annual global search for start-ups that combat climate change has launched. Green start-ups can submit their business plan on www.greenchallenge.info. By participating, they are eligible to win €500,000. The Postcode Lottery Green Challenge is one of the biggest annual competitions in the field of sustainable business, and open to start-ups from around the world.

The winner will receive €500,000 to develop their product or service and introduce it to the market. The runner-up will receive €200,000. The finale will be held in Amsterdam on September 14. Last year, 292 start-ups from 61 countries submitted their plans. PHYSEE, a start-up in Delft that develops energy-generating windows, won the grand prize.

"Promote pioneering sustainable solutions"

Since 2007, the Dutch Postcode Lottery has organised the Postcode Lottery Green Challenge.

Marieke van Schaik, Managing Director of the Postcode Lottery: "As part of our mission to contribute to a green world, this year we are organising this international competition for the 11th time. We are being confronted with the consequences of climate change around the world. At the same time, we are seeing many excellent initiatives to address climate change. With the Postcode Lottery Green Challenge, we want to ensure that green start-ups can further develop their pioneering, sustainable solutions and bring them to market."

How does the competition work?

Start-ups have until June 1 to submit their business plans free of charge on www.greenchallenge.info. The preliminary jury will publish a list of 25 start-ups in July. A month later, it will be announced which five candidates will be selected for the finale. At the finals in Amsterdam on 14 September, the five finalists will pitch their business plans to the international jury, the audience and the press. It will also be announced which of them will win the first prize of €500,000 and who will go home with the runner-up prize of €200,000. After the competition, all five finalists will be offered an intensive 10-day accelerator programme to optimise their business chances.