H&M Foundation Global Change Award 2023 (1 million euros grant)

Deadline: 8 December 2022

Applications open for the H&M Foundation Global Change Award 2023 .Don’t be left out submit right away!

They are seeking for creative individuals who can reinvent fashion and alter how it is seen, worn, and produced. The Global Change Award seeks to identify, champion, and grow innovative concepts that can save the environment and transform the apparel and textile sector into a planet-friendly one.

The H&M Foundation is a charitable organization with its main office in Stockholm, Sweden. Their goal is to make it possible for a diverse and environmentally friendly textile business. In order to get there, they look into new possibilities, work with various partners, encourage innovation, and utilize storytelling as a tool to motivate action. They openly share ground-breaking innovations and solutions for anybody to adopt and scale in order to contribute to meaningful systems change. Additionally, the H&M Foundation can also offer immediate assistance.

Categories

For 2023, the Global Change Award is turning it up a notch. They are updating their scope to cover more ground, raise the bar on innovation and help shift the industry into a planet positive one. The winning ideas should fall into one of three categories:

• Regenerate: solutions towards planet positive effects
• Repurpose: solutions towards circularity
• Reimagine: solutions we have not even thought about yet

Benefits

• Five winning teams share a grant of 1 million euros and venture into the year-long GCA Impact Accelerator programme which includes invaluable coaching and support from the H&M Foundation and our partners Accenture, KTH Royal Institute of Technology and The Mills Fabrica.

Accenture – Business & Technology Readiness

• Accenture provides access to a vast network of experts and assistance with business and technological preparedness to GCA winners. The multinational professional services company has a wealth of experience in quickly bringing ideas to market and also aids our winners in communicating their multifaceted value, which is especially helpful for early-stage start-ups.

KTH – Innovation Readiness

• One of Europe’s top technical and engineering universities, KTH Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), provides GCA winners with a science and technology heritage, a framework for innovation development, and direction in important commercialization areas.

The Mills Fabrica – Industry Access & Investor Readiness

• Through its incubator program, impact fund, and innovation spaces, The Mills Fabrica helps to close the gap between innovators and key industry players. They offer the winners chances for collaboration, industry exposure, ecosystem network, investment preparedness, and peer portfolio synergies
• After the year is up, you will become a member of the GCA Alumni and play a vital role in a network of bright minds that work together to create innovative solutions to some of the most difficult problems in the world.

Eligibility

• Innovation has no geographic boundaries, and we think anybody, anywhere, can contribute to these early-stage ideas. As a result, in order to engage as many brilliant minds as possible, the challenge is available to anyone over the age of 18 who wishes to participate individually or in groups of up to four. Institutions, organizations, social enterprises, as well as joint ventures, consortiums, and other forms of collaborations, are also welcome.
• Please be aware that all communications, including those from the GCA Impact Accelerator, will be in English and that your entry must be submitted in English.
• The Global Change Award not restricted to businesses.
• Employees of the H&M Foundation, Accenture, The Milsl Fabrica, and KTH Innovation, as well as paid consultants, not permitted to apply in order to maintain the fairness of the competition.
• You cannot apply with a previously tested and approved innovation because we are searching for fresh and fledgling concepts. Additionally, you have to be older than 18 to apply.

Timeline

• Application deadline: 8 December, 2022. Make sure to apply in time!
• Screening: The screening period stretches from January to March, 2023. The screening is done together with a broad network of industry experts and partners. The five winners will be notified in March.
• Announcement: The winners announced publicly on 8 June, 2023 at an Award Ceremony in Stockholm. 
• Innovation Accelerator: The year-long GCA Impact Accelerator programme commences in June, 2023.

Visit H&M Foundation for further information

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