European Social Innovation Competition 2021: SkillLab, Snowball Effect and Zekki win challenge prizes; MycoTEX awarded Impact Prize
- ›The 2021 European Social Innovation Competition awarded three Challenge prizes of EUR 50 000 each to SkillLab, Snowball Effect and Zekki.
- ›An online awards ceremony was held on 8 December 2021 under the Competition theme Skills for Tomorrow Shaping a green and digital future.
- ›MycoTEX from the Netherlands won the 2021 Impact Prize of EUR 50 000 for measurable impact since the 2020 Reimagine Fashion edition.
- ›The Competition is run by the European Commission with support from the European Innovation Council and EISMEA and targets early stage social innovations across EU member states and associated countries.
- ›Prizes are relatively small in cash terms but are intended to act as catalytic support combined with coaching, mentoring and network access.
European Social Innovation Competition 2021 winners and implications for skills-driven transition
The European Commission and the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency EISMEA announced the winners of the 2021 European Social Innovation Competition on 9 December 2021. The Competition’s 2021 challenge Skills for Tomorrow - Shaping a green and digital future awarded three Challenge prizes of EUR 50 000 each after an online awards ceremony on 8 December 2021. The Competition aims to highlight social innovations that help individuals and organisations identify, develop and strengthen the skills needed to support Europe’s twin green and digital transition.
Winners and short descriptions
| Prize | Project / Organisation | Country | Core idea | Award |
| Challenge Prize | SkillLab | Netherlands | A mobile solution that helps people identify and express their skills and matches skills to occupations and training offers to close gaps | EUR 50 000 |
| Challenge Prize | Snowball Effect | Austria | A school that supports aspiring social entrepreneurs to replicate proven social enterprises in their region through immersive exhibitions and replication challenges | EUR 50 000 |
| Challenge Prize | Zekki - What’s up? | Finland | A digital wellbeing service for young people that matches users to support services after a 10-question self-assessment quiz | EUR 50 000 |
| Impact Prize | MycoTEX | Netherlands | Automated production technology to make custom-fit, vegan textiles from mycelium as compostable alternatives to plastics and leather | EUR 50 000 |
What the winning projects do in practice
Judgement, official reactions and a cautious read on impact
The three Challenge prize winners were judged by the Competition jury to have taken the most innovative approaches and to show the greatest potential for helping develop skills for the green and digital transition. Valentina Superti Director for Ecosystems II: Tourism and proximity DG GROW congratulated participants and praised Europe’s innovative potential for tackling societal challenges. Jean-David Malo Director of EISMEA highlighted the Competition’s reported impact in job creation growth and sustainability as set out in the 2020 Impact Report and expressed confidence that the 2021 winners will contribute to sustainability and digitalisation in Europe.
A note of caution is warranted. The Competition’s cash awards are modest relative to the capital and operational needs of scaling technology or service models across multiple EU markets. Prize awards can act as important recognition and as a signal to other funders but do not by themselves guarantee scaling or system-level impact. Impact claims are prospective and jury assessments are inherently evaluative and subjective. Independent tracking of outcomes and transparent reporting will be necessary to verify long-term effects on employment training and sustainability metrics.
How the Competition is structured and what it offers
Launched in memory of social innovation practitioner Diogo Vasconcelos the European Social Innovation Competition is run by the European Commission with support from the European Innovation Council. By 2021 the Competition had reached its ninth edition. Each year it picks a thematic challenge and awards three Challenge prizes of EUR 50 000 and one Impact Prize of EUR 50 000. The Competition pairs cash awards with accelerator-style support including mentoring coaching and access to a peer network intended to help early-stage projects develop and professionalise.
Why the Competition matters in the EU innovation ecosystem
The Competition sits alongside other EU instruments that aim to accelerate innovation such as EIC funding streams (Pathfinder Transition Accelerator) and ecosystem support delivered by EISMEA. Its niche is social innovation and early-stage projects where civic benefit is central. The Competition’s value lies in curated exposure to networks and public recognition which can open doors to follow-on public or private funding. For the EU policy narrative the Competition also supports wider priorities around upskilling reskilling and a just green digital transition.
That said the real test will be follow-through. Successful social innovations often require years of iterative piloting adaptive governance partnerships with public services and sustained financing beyond single awards. Observers should watch for published impact data independent evaluations and the extent to which winners secure co-financing or policy uptake at local or national level.
| Year | Competition theme | Awards |
| 2021 | Skills for Tomorrow - Shaping a green and digital future | Three Challenge prizes EUR 50 000 each and one Impact Prize EUR 50 000 |
| 2020 | Reimagine Fashion - Changing behaviours for sustainable fashion | Impact Prize considered semi-finalists from this edition for 2021 impact assessment |
Practical information and sources
The Competition is run across EU Member States and Horizon Europe associated countries. For enquiries the Competition provided a contact address info@socialinnovationprize.eu. The announcement was published on the European Innovation Council site on 9 December 2021 and the awards ceremony took place online on 8 December 2021.
Readers seeking verification of impact or further detail on winners should consult project websites and independent evaluations where available. The Competition references a 2020 Impact Report that summarises prior editions outcomes and the organisers encourage finalist projects to submit impact reports as a condition for Impact Prize assessment.
Sources and further reading
European Innovation Council news release European Social Innovation Competition: the results are in published 9 December 2021. Project websites and public materials for SkillLab Snowball Effect Zekki and MycoTEX. Contact for the Competition info@socialinnovationprize.eu.