European Social Innovation Competition 2022: affordable and sustainable housing districts

On 31 March 2022 the European Commission opened the tenth edition of the European Social Innovation Competition. The prize, supported by the European Innovation Council under the Horizon Europe programme, singled out social innovation projects that aim to shape local innovation ecosystems and produce game changing social benefits. The 2022 challenge focused on the future of living with an explicit theme of innovation for affordable and sustainable housing districts.

The competition is a recognition prize rather than a large scale funding instrument. This edition offered three awards of EUR 50,000 each for selected projects designed to improve affordability, sustainability and quality of life in housing districts. The Commission said the theme aligns with the New European Bauhaus movement and the Renovation Wave that support the European Green Deal. Applications were open to individuals and organisations established in EU Member States and countries associated to Horizon Europe, with a submission deadline published as 17 May 2022 at 17:00 CET.

What the prize offered and how it was framed

The competition is primarily a recognition mechanism that aims to surface and connect promising early stage initiatives. The 2022 edition emphasised projects that address energy efficiency, urban liveability, affordability and inclusive local economies within housing districts. Entrants were expected to demonstrate demonstrable impact on people and place and show sustainability and potential to scale or replicate.

Application and evaluation process

The competition used the EU Funding and Tenders portal for submissions. The rules of contest and call documents set out admissibility and eligibility rules, page limits and submission templates. Independent external experts evaluated entries against explicit criteria including degree of innovation, expected impact, sustainability and replicability. Shortlisted finalists were then typically invited to provide more detailed material and to engage with the jury or selection panel. Applicants were informed of outcomes and the three top projects were awarded prizes.

Policy context and expectations

The 2022 theme was pitched as contributing to both the Renovation Wave and the wider European Green Deal by rethinking housing as an opportunity for green and social innovation. The Commission framed social innovation as a route to greener, more participative and inclusive local economies. Commissioner Mariya Gabriel was quoted as highlighting social innovation as an efficient approach to address societal challenges and to bring innovation closer to citizens.

Who runs the competition and who assesses applications

Administratively the prize sits under the European Innovation Council's portfolio. The European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency, EISMEA, managed the contest and the submission process. Independent external experts selected by the Commission evaluated the entries. The EIC provides a broader ecosystem of services and funding instruments, but this specific competition functioned as a separate recognition mechanism.

Eligibility and practical requirements

Applications were open to natural persons and legal entities established in EU Member States and countries associated to Horizon Europe. The rules required applicants to register in the Participant Register and to supply supporting documentation in the portal. The 2022 rules also specified that the initiatives must relate to activities started after 11 December 2019. Projects that contravened EU legal or ethical standards were ineligible.

Past topics and the competition history

The European Social Innovation Competition began in 2013 and was launched in memory of the Portuguese innovation advocate Diogo Vasconcelos. Over the years it has chosen different themes to focus attention and to attract relevant innovators. The event is positioned as a way to stimulate early stage ideas and to connect them into an ecosystem of social entrepreneurs and policy stakeholders.

Practical takeaways and a measured assessment

The European Social Innovation Competition is useful for visibility, networking and early stage validation. For participants, the prize can act as a stepping stone to other forms of support within the EIC ecosystem or from national and regional funds. Stakeholders should however be realistic about the scale of resources provided by recognition prizes. Award amounts of EUR 50,000 recognise achievement but will rarely be sufficient to finance extensive retrofit programmes or capital intensive pilots on their own. Real impact at scale will typically require follow on investment and multimodal public private delivery structures.

If you were interested in applying in 2022 the application route was the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and the competition team could be contacted at EISMEA-EUSIC@ec.europa.eu. For teams seeking systemic change in housing and buildings, combining prize recognition with structured follow on funding and partnerships is likely to be necessary to move from local proof of concept to large scale impact.