Open Innovation Valorsul Program to boost the Waste Management Sector

Collaborate with Valorsul, the company responsible for the treatment and valorization of around 800,000 tons of municipal waste produced in the Lisbon area and the Western Region of Portugal, and you will be able to see your solution being implemented in the sector’s reference company in Portugal.

Aims

• The contest’s purpose is to award solutions presented for 3 different areas and to promote and implement a pilot acceleration program with competitive participants.
• In this regard, the current contest aims to:
  • Promote an innovative culture grounded in science and technology.
  • Stimulate entrepreneurship and the transfer of knowledge and technology generated within academic, research, and development activities.
  • Contribute to sustainable economic and social development of Valorsul.

Challenges 

• The pilots must be aligned with the activity developed by Valorsul, namely the treatment of urban waste.
• The Open Innovation Valorsul 2024 will consist of three challenges:
  • New digital solutions and AI in waste management: Valorsul is looking for new digital, automatic and AI-powered solutions to increase its operational efficiency and contribute to higher recycling rates and a more sustainable waste management system.
  • Next-Gen Waste Packaging sorting: Valorsul is looking for the next generation of solutions for recyclables sorting, including new ways of characterizing packaging waste and contamination and new solutions to increase efficiency and purity through automated separation of packaging waste.
  • Unlocking the Potential of Incineration Bottom Ash: Valorsul is looking for solutions to unlock the potential of the Incineration Bottom-Ash, namely the development of more noble applications for the aggregate, increase ferrous and non-ferrous metal recovery efficiency and improve the performance of the existing treatment process.

Award Information 

• The winners of each challenge will receive a monetary prize of €3,000 (three thousand euro) and the opportunity to develop and test their solution on a pilot scale in Valorsul facilities, funded by Valorsul.
• The prize will be paid by Valorsul by bank transfer to the account of the winning participants, excluding any fees or taxes applicable under the law.
• The participants awarded during the Pitch-Day event will have access to the development of their solutions/technologies at Valorsul’s industrial installations, and Valorsul will have a €150,000 budget available for the pilot development.
• By submitting an application for the Open Innovation Valorsul 2024, the awarded participant commits itself to develop and implement its proposed solution on a pilot test at Valorsul facilities (“Pilot”).
• For solutions that cannot be developed in Valorsul’s facilities, the pilot may be carried out outside Valorsul´s facilities if the operational conditions are similar to Valorsul’s facilities and the results of the pilot would be same as if the solution was developed at Valorsul facilities.

Eligibility Criteria

• National or international participants, which aim to develop pilot tests with Valorsul, can compete for the Open Innovation Valorsul 2024.
• Participants should be above TRL 3, according to the following classification: TRL 1 – basic principles observed; TRL 2 – technology concept formulated; TRL 3 – experimental proof of concept; TRL 4 – technology validated in lab; TRL 5 – technology validated in relevant environment (industrially relevant environment in the case of key enabling technologies); TRL 6 – technology demonstrated in relevant environment (industrially relevant environment in the case of key enabling technologies); TRL 7 – system prototype demonstration in operational environment; TRL 8 – system complete and qualified; TRL 9 – actual system proven in operational environment (competitive manufacturing in the case of key enabling technologies; or in space).
• The directors or employees (and family members) of Valorsul are not eligible to participate in this competition.
• Valorsul reserves the right to exclude applications to the program from entities that do not meet the requirements contained in its code of ethics1 and, in any case, whenever a situation of conflict of interest is identified.
• Valorsul will not consider any solution that has already been totally or partial implemented in its facilities.

Selection Criteria

• Applications will be evaluated considering the following criteria:
  • Understanding of the Problem: Demonstrate a clear and thorough understanding of the issue you intend to address.
  • Contribution to Meet Recycling Targets: Potential to help achieve the recycling goals.
  • Innovation: Creativity and originality of proposed solutions.
  • Efficiency and Effectiveness Impact: Potential to enhance operational efficiency, reduce costs, and improve resource management.
  • Environmental Impact: Consideration of environmental benefits, such as reduced energy and resource
  • Feasibility: Practicality and implementation potential of the proposed
  • Scalability: Ability to expand the solution to the next scale and across production facilities.
  • Market Understanding: The depth of the solver’s research and understanding of the market, including customer needs, competition, and trends.

For more information, visit Valorsul.