SustForest Plus Project launches an innovation challenge aimed at resin tappers, technicians, students and anyone who is committed to the development of the natural resin sector.

The general objective of this Resin Innovation Challenge is to obtain the best proposals to answer the question "how to improve the work quality and profitability of the resin profession".

This action is open to anyone who wishes to contribute innovative ideas that contribute to the improvement of the sector, that is, individuals who are members of the European natural resin value chain, especially resins workers, technicians related to the sector, students and the innovation community in general. It will be an essential requirement that participants be residents of regions in the SUDOE area: All the Spanish autonomous communities (except the Canary Islands), the regions of southwest France (Auvergne, Occitanie and Nouvelle Aquitaine) and the continental regions of Portugal.

Proposals must be original and may be of any nature, such as materials, tools, machines, work accessories, work systems and even business models based on the supply of products and services for the resin, among others.

Those proposals that contribute to the improvement of the work of the resins, to the increase of the profitability of the profession, and that allow or improve the multifunctional activity of the resins, will be especially valued. The degree of innovation of the proposal and, above all, its viability, will also be considered.

Three prizes will be awarded (one Spanish, one French and one Portuguese) consisting of an invitation, with expenses paid, to the seminar on technology and innovation acceleration idiForest, organized by the European Network of Resin Regions, SustForest Plus and the INCREDIBLE project, to be held in Soria (Spain) on April 20th and 21st, 2020.

In this event, the participants will know from their creator’s other successful innovative projects in the field of non-wood forest products and will get in touch with other forest entrepreneurs. In addition, potential investors in innovation projects will be present.

During the seminar, the winners of the Resin Innovation Challenge will have the opportunity to work on their proposals supported by technologists, experts in innovation, business model development and project financing, in collaboration with other attendees. The objective will be to define the bases for implementing the innovation project based on their proposal, to advance in the creation of a multidisciplinary team for its realization and to present this project to potential investors who will be present at the event.

Applications

All those who wish to participate must complete the form hosted on the official website of the SustForest Plus project in which they must fill in their personal data, the title of their innovation proposal and the description. Link to the registration form and bases in Spanish https://www.sust-forest.eu/es/formulario/reto-de-innovacion-resinera

The deadline for applications is 23 February 2020.

Participate in moving towards a more sustainable world committed to the environment using natural resins obtained sustainably from our forests.