MERLIN INNOVATION AWARDS 2025
Call for companies with innovative products or services for freshwater ecosystems, powered by the MERLIN project.
Are you a company with an innovative product or service for freshwater ecosystems?
If yes, apply now for the MERLIN Innovation Awards 2025 in one of the two categories:
PRODUCT OF THE YEAR 2025
SERVICE OF THE YEAR 2025
MERLIN seeks new and widely applicable solutions for restoring or enabling financial benefit for freshwater ecosystems. If your innovative product or service is market-ready, you are eligible to apply.
MIA 2025 Ceremony
The ceremony will take place online (via Zoom), everyone is welcome.
Date: 13 February 2025
Time: 11.30 AM - 1.30 PM (CET)
Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84826830762
Agenda
| 11.30-11.35 | Welcome to MIA 2025 by Vladyslav Saviak (CONN) |
| 11.35-11.45 | Introductory speech by Paul Webb, REA Head of Department Green Europe |
| 11.45-12.20 | Company presentations PRODUCT OF THE YEAR. Presentation (3 min) and Q&A (4 min) |
| 12.20-12.30 | MERLIN Marketplace by Paul Mahony (Oppla) |
| 12.30-13.05 | Company presentations SERVICE OF THE YEAR. Presentation (3 min) and Q&A (4 min) |
| 13.05-13.15 | Address from coordinator by Sebastian Birk (MERLIN, University Duisburg-Essen) |
| 13.15-13.25 | Winners announcement |
| 13.25-13.30 | Wrap up and closing |
Speakers
Sebastian Birk, the MERLIN project co-coordinator, is a Senior Scientist and Lecturer at the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany. Contributing to the water-related science-policy interface at the European level, his academic interests cover: multiple stressors, environmental condition/ human impact assessment, ecosystem services, restoration ecology, environmental policy assessment and implementation.
Paul Mahony is a com munications specialist with over 20 years’ experience in the environmental and tourism sectors. He is general manager of Oppla, the EU Repository of Nature-based Solutions (Netherlands) and creative director of Countryscape (UK & Estonia), a media agency supporting science, business and civil society.
Since 2021 Paul Webb is the Head of the “Green Europe” Department at the European Research Executive Agency. This Department is the European Commission service responsible for the implementation of the Research Fund for Coal and Steel, Cluster 6 of the Horizon Europe Research Framework programme (Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment) and the Agricultural Promotion programme. These programmes and funds support the major changes needed to support the transition to a low-carbon, resource-efficient circular and sustainable economy. Previously he has worked in different positions within the European Commission, including in the Directorates General for Research and Innovation, for Budget, and for Agriculture and Rural Development.
Master of Ceremony: Vladyslav Saviak is the Innovation Manager at Connectology, responsible for leading key projects with partners, such as the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, the European Commission, and the European Innovation Council. He is also a startup evaluator specialising in energy, infrastructure, mobility, deep tech and sustainability sectors.
What are the benefits of the MERLIN Innovation Awards?
- Unique opportunity to pitch your product or service to 18 European freshwater restoration project managers and many other decision makers and stakeholders
- Chance to be part of the systemic transformative change of our society and economy
- Recognition within the European freshwater ecosystem community with your product or service featured on the widely read Freshwater Blog
- Automatic inclusion in the MERLIN Marketplace if your application is accepted for the MERLIN Innovation Awards 2025
When will the MERLIN Innovation Awards 2025 take place?
The pre-selection of 10 finalists (5 Products and 5 Services) will be conducted in January 2025 on a date to be announced, with the results to be announced to all applicants within 7 working days. The MIA 2025 online ceremony will be conducted February 13, 2025, with the winners of both PRODUCT and SERVICE competitions will be announced at the end of the online ceremony following all presentations based on jury members’ decisions.
What is the selection process of the MERLIN Innovation Awards 2025?
The submitted applications will be evaluated by the MIA 2025 committee, consisting of CONNECTOLOGY representatives and MERLIN coordinators/steering group members. The pre-selection procedure will identify 10 finalists (5 Products and 5 Services) that will participate in an online ceremony during which they will conduct a 3-minute presentation and engage in a 4-minute Q&A session. The jury will be composed of freshwater restoration managers and other relevant freshwater community stakeholders and will evaluate finalists based on the following criteria: level of innovation, benefits for freshwater eco- system and potential impact evaluation of their product or service.
What is the selection process of the MERLIN Innovation Awards 2025?
In case your company owns the rights to commercialise the product or service, you can apply until the 13 December 2024 (17:00 CET). We encourage applications to be submitted as early as possible to allow for any correction of missing data.