The ISC3 Innovation Challenge

Following the final pitch event held during the ISC3 Investor Forum at the Impact Festival on 26 and 27 November, the topic of the new ISC3 Innovation Challenge has been announced! This time, it will focus on the topic of Sustainable Chemistry and Electronics.

Key Focus Areas:

Innovation in Design & Performance:

Applying Eco-design principles: designing electronics for durability, repairability, recyclability, and modularity with focus on chemical and materials innovation

Design for disassembly: using adhesives, coatings, and encapsulants that can be safely removed or chemically dissolved

Reducing material intensity while maintaining performance

Developing more sustainable solders, recyclable encapsulants, and solvent systems for safer assembly/disassembly

Innovations providing more resource efficient use or substitution of critical raw materials and toxic metal species:

Alternative technologies for scarce and critical elements and critical nonrenewable resources (see Annex I a.) for details)

Use of abundant, non-toxic, recycled / recyclable feedstocks

Sustainable Manufacturing Approaches:

Low-energy, low-waste fabrication methods (solution processing, additive manufacturing, green solvents)

Designing scalable, safer chemical routes generating less waste

Sustainable alternatives to hazardous reagents and byproducts (including additional technologies) (see Annex I b.) for details)

Development of biodegradable electronic components using polymers and organic materials

Addressing social issues including child labor, unsafe working conditions, and other forms of injustice

End-of-Life & Circularity:

Chemical methods for disassembly, selective separation, and recycling

E-waste recycling and recovery of valuable materials

• Electrochemical recycling of materials in electronics (e-waste recovery of metals like Li, Co, Au)
• Mechanical or chemical recycling of plastic materials in electronics

Use of recyclable, biodegradable materials or materials that undergo full mineralization at end of life

• E.g. biomaterials based, biodegradable conductors and semiconductors

Closed-loop systems

Prevention of material dissipation

Alternative & Emerging Materials:

Organic and polymer electronics

Advanced Materials for Electronics

• 2D materials like graphene, MoS₂, and MXenes: Surface chemistry affects electronic and mechanical properties
• Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent-organic frameworks (COFs): Used in sensing, energy storage, and optoelectronic devices
• Self-healing or stimuli-responsive materials for flexible electronics

Sustainable alternatives to fossil-based plastic materials used in electronics, e.g.:

• PVC for cables, insulation, flexible parts
• ABS for casings for computers, printers, TV’s, keyboards, etc.
• PS for insulation
• PC for optical discs, lenses, protective covers, LED

Novel devices:

More sustainable Energy Storage & Conversion Devices (Batteries, Supercapacitors, Fuel Cells)

Organic Electronics, Photonics & Optoelectronics(OLEDs, OPVs, Perovskite solar cells, Photocatalytic devices )

Benefits:

• Tailored support: access to Global Start-up Service Customised Support
• Visibility: promotion of your innovation via ISC3 communication channels
• Networking: participation in a key matchmaking event with industry
• Training: individual and group pitch training for preparation of your matchmaking event pitch
• Cash prizes: the overall Innovation Challenge Winner will receive a cash prize of 15,000 EUR. Two separate categories “Special Impact” are endowed with cash prizes amounting to 5,000 EUR each.

Who can apply?

• Eligible are all innovators and entrepreneurs, i.e., persons owning or representing the proposed innovation, employed by organisations including research institutes, start-ups, small-medium sized enterprises, or comparable institutions active in the development and realisation of sustainable chemistry solutions. Enterprises participating in the challenge shall have a staff headcount not exceeding 50 (full time equivalent) and an annual turnover of max. 10 million Euro.
• Enterprises majority-owned by large enterprises are not eligible for the award, except for innovations leading to the creation of independent spin-offs.
• Proposals submitted by innovators and entrepreneurs from developing countries and tackling challenges in developing countries are considered as particularly important. Female entrepreneurs are specifically encouraged to submit a proposal

The proposals will be assessed against the three main criteria:

• Innovation level. Is the innovation unique, distinct, and truly original?
• Business viability. What is the market potential of the innovation? Is the idea commercially feasible?
• Sustainability. What is the sustainability impact of the innovation?

Moreinfo: https://www.isc3.org/page/challenges-investor-forums/innovation-challenge

Please mention "www.Cambodiajobs.Biz" where you saw the ad when you apply!