Shaping the sustainable bioeconomy: the BIOEAST Student Challenge opens for applications

The BOOST4BIOEAST project has launched the BIOEAST Student Challenge, an innovation competition for students across Central and Eastern Europe who want to help shape the future of the sustainable bioeconomy.

The challenge welcomes ideas and early-stage solutions addressing one of eight priority themes, from resilient farming and biomass logistics to digital monitoring and circular bioeconomy awareness. Proposals can be technological, organisational, social, or policy-oriented, and may be submitted at any stage of development.

Selected participants receive mentoring on innovation readiness and pitching skills to help them refine their concepts and communicate them effectively, along with opportunities to build networks across the BIOEAST macro-region. Winners will be invited to present their projects at the Bioeconomy Austria Summit on 5 and 6 October 2026, and will gain further visibility at the BOOST4BIOEAST Final Conference in Brussels on 25 November 2026.

The initiative aims to encourage student-led innovation and support the next generation of bioeconomy professionals across the region. EFI contributes to the project's work on bioeconomy innovation and knowledge exchange.

Full details are set out in the challenge guidelines, and applications can be submitted online until 31 July 2026.
 

More information and guidelines     Apply now