IMPACT 2025 – Topsector T&U Innovation Prize 2022
In 2022, the Top Sector Horticulture & Starting Materials (Topsector T&U) #impact2025 International Innovation Prize will be awarded again.
The main theme of this 4th edition is the optimisation of the value chain. The final round will take place on 23 June during the HeroFestival, seeded by HortiHeroes.
IMPROVING THE VALUE CHAIN IN HORTICULTURE
The Dutch horticulture industry will be facing a number of challenges with regard to horticultural innovation in the future. It can, however, be said with absolute certainty that this applies equally to all links in the value chain. This is why this edition of the Innovation Prize will be focusing on the value chain through the following themes:
- New horticultural products that lead to higher added value
- Reducing costs in the chain by cutting back on the use of essential raw materials such as water, energy, etc.
- Innovation of the value chain (e.g. short chains and other solutions)
- Improving quality retention in the value chain with a view to reducing food waste
- Closing the chain through solutions such as extracting valuable materials from residual flows
- Innovations that create additional value in the fresh produce chain (flowers, plants, vegetables or fruit)
- It is also imperative that the ideas entered for the Innovation Prize contribute to a circular economy
Key technologies play an important role in all these topics, in relation to which it must be demonstrated how key enabling technologies facilitate innovations that were not previously possible.
To meet these challenges, it is of crucial importance that the horticulture industry of the future taps into innovations from related sectors (or cross-sector innovations) such as high-tech, water, agri-food, logistics, energy, retail, chemicals and the creative industries.
Improving the value chain
Improving the value chain is therefore the main theme for the entries to the 4th edition of the IMPACT2025 Innovation prize.
For this edition we are looking for start-ups that are working on:
- Products and services (TRL Level 6 plus) that contribute to horticulture with regard to:
- New horticultural products that lead to higher added value
- Reducing costs in the chain by cutting back on the use of essential raw materials such as water, energy, etc.
- Innovation of the value chain (e.g. short chains and other solutions)
- Improving quality retention in the value chain with a view to reducing food waste
- Closing the value chain by extracting valuable raw materials from residual flows
- Innovations that contribute to the earning power of the grower
The above apply with respect to plant breeding, cultivation, trade, packing & grading, sales and all links in the supply chain. Impact on the value chain, not only on cultivation, is a key element in this, which can be ‘technical’ or ‘organisational’ in nature.
- The product or service entered must therefore comprise an innovation that is more than only technical. It should contain components of a system innovation and/or social innovation.
- Additionally, the product or service entered should be developed by a team that is ‘cross-over’ at heart, in which different disciplines, people or backgrounds are working together to develop the envisioned solutions.
- Candidates must be start-ups or scale-ups whose develop spans a period of less than five years.
* TRL Level 6 plus: System prototype demonstration in operational environment; the technology is integrated into the final operational environment. The focus is currently on issues such as production and certification.
Coaching & training
Participants are eligible to win a market readiness training course from World Startup and/or project support from groups of students from Wageningen University (Academic Consultancy Training programme).
Workshop Programme Nominations
The companies nominated by the jury for the Award will have the opportunity to participate in the World Startup training programme. Four workshops, in which they will receive training in developing co-creation in cooperation with horticultural companies, will prepare them for pitching their innovation before the jury.
Workshops
Online sessies, inclusief tools & templates
All workshops will be held online from 9 am - 2 pm. Just as in the previous edition, World Startup will create a Miro board for all participants with templates that will be used during the workshops.
Awards ceremony
The presentation of the Award will take place during the HeroFestival at H20 in Purmerend on 23 June. The programme on this day to yet to be determined. The starting point is the 2021 plan.
- A private session during which the 10 nominees pitch to the jury and the jury deliberates and chooses the winner
- Awards ceremony as part of the plenary programme (closing) by Hortiheroes.
Schedule - general
All dates, particularly with regard to locations, physical attendance and online events are subject to the COVID-19 situation.
Prizes
The fourth edition of this award is made possible in conjunction with Wageningen UR.
The winning team will receive (jury):
- A voucher worth €25,000 for the further development of their solution or concept and/or the resolution of bottlenecks in collaboration with the research staff of Wageningen UR;
- Personalised guidance from a T&U innovation broker (20 hours, worth €2,500);
- A StartLife wild card made available by Startlife Accelerate
- Media exposure via KAS Magazine (worth €1,500).
In addition to the jury prize, an audience award will also be conferred.
- A cash prize of €1,500;
- participation in the HortiHeroes Startup Program with access to network, knowledge, exposure and facilities via HortiHeroes and World Horti Center;
- Media exposure via KAS Magazine (worth €1,500). Show logo of KAS Magazine on the website and communications.
Criteria for the jury
A jury of experts will be evaluating the entries according to the following criteria:
- Nature of approach & solution for a better value chain
And its contribution to: - New horticultural products that lead to higher added value
- Reducing costs in the chain by cutting back on the use of essential raw materials such as water, energy, etc.
- Innovation of the value chain (e.g. short chains and other solutions)
- Improving quality retention in the value chain with a view to reducing food waste
- Closing the value chain by extracting valuable raw materials from residual flows
- Innovations that contribute to the earning power of the grower
- Originality, Innovative character
- Potential impact: economic, social (sustainability and circularity)
- Scalability (of technology; robustness)
- Economic & technical feasibility
- Implementation (How close is the concept to actually being put into use?)
- Team (composition, quality of the presentation)
The assessment of the entries will take place in two stages, with 10 participants remaining after the first round to compete for the jury and audience awards.
Jury 2022 edition
| Name | Company | Function | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrij Schmeitz | IMPACT2025 | Chairman of the jury | Industry expert |
| Eric van Heck* | Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam | Professor of Information Management and Markets | Digitization & Market |
| Kees Rijnhout | Jaguar, Future Food Fund | CEO | Trade Fruit and Vegetables | Entrepreneur and investor |
| Gerben Ravensbergen | Lilies of Life | Owner / CEO | Flower cultivation – Supervisory Board Flora Holland |
| Rob Baan | Koppert Cress | Owner / CEO | Vegetable cultivation |
| Aria Samimi | Insectsense | CEO | Winner 2021 |
| Geert Hermans | Topsector Agri & Food | Innovation broker Key technology | Sleuteltechnologie, verbreding Agri & Food |
| Mike Poodt | Rijk Zwaan | Coordinator Digital Crop Technology | Digital X Starting Materials |
| Martin Houben | Boomkwekerij Udenhout | CEO | Tree nursery |
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