Lisbon 2024 Social Impact Challenge
The Social Innovation Prize from the Lisbon City Council aims to discover and support innovative and impactful solutions that can be applied practically in the city of Lisbon in three different categories: Quality of Education, Access to Healthcare and Integration of Migrants.
Specifications
Objectives
Lisboa Innovation for All is a social impact challenge for innovative and impactful solutions to address the main social challenges faced by cities and which can have practical application in Lisbon. This Challenge is supported by the European Innovation Council and it is a commitment from the City Council of Lisbon that resulted from the award of Lisbon, as the European Capital of Innovation.
The Social Innovation Award aims to promote and empower innovative solutions to address the main social challenges faced by residents in the city of Lisbon. The award will focus on the following challenge areas:
- Quality of Education
- Access to Healthcare
- Integration of Migrants
A jury will select three finalists from each of the three categories, and ultimately three awards will be made, one from each category. Applicants should select at least one category to apply to.
For any questions, reach out to the email
or visit the FAQ Page lisboainnovationforall.com/faq
Categories
Solutions focused on improving the lives of students and innovating in Primary, Secondary, and University education. We are looking for:
Primary and Secondary Education
- Increasing learning capacity, especially in mathematics and sciences
- Reinforcing technological skills
- Promoting creative and critical thinking
- Testing alternative learning methods
- Increasing students' access to university education
- Strengthening the city's capacity to attract teachers
Universities
- Reducing the cost of living for university students
- Facilitating access to housing
- Improving access to financial support
Current Context in Lisboa
Low Qualifications
In 2021, over 30% of the population in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area lacked a high school diploma, significantly higher than other European capitals like Paris (12%), London (15%), or Madrid (25%). This educational disparity contributes to socio-economic challenges, limiting opportunities for higher education and perpetuating cycles of poverty.
Shortage of Teachers
Moreover, Portugal's education system faces a shortage of teachers and outdated teaching methods. Between 2012 and 2022, the country struggled to attract talent to the education sector, resulting in students lacking teachers for at least one course. Additionally, the aging teacher population and limited young professionals exacerbate the problem.
Decreased Performance
This educational crisis is underscored by Portugal's declining performance in global education rankings, such as the PISA ranking, with poor results in mathematics, life sciences, and literature. Urgent investment in alternative education models is imperative to address this persistent challenge and provide youth with the necessary tools to break free from poverty.
Solutions to increase the quality of life and support patients in need of medical care. We are looking for:
- Increasing the reach of preventive healthcare, including the use of wearables for medical purposes
- Strengthening the management of chronic diseases, promoting medication adherence, and monitoring patients
- Increasing the city's capacity to attract healthcare professionals.
- Increasing access to family doctors
- Reducing or eradicating waiting lists
- Promoting healthy lifestyles
- Increasing access to specialized care, such as dental, ophthalmological, mental health, and basic maternal and child care services.
Current Context in Lisboa
Access to Healthcare
The correlation between quality of life, poverty, and healthcare underscores the importance of providing vulnerable populations with access to effective healthcare services. Portugal faces significant challenges in healthcare, with high rates of chronic diseases like diabetes and widespread reports of poor health among the population.
Cost-related barriers prevent many low-income individuals from accessing essential healthcare services, exacerbating health disparities. Obesity rates are above the EU average, and physical inactivity is prevalent, contributing to poor health outcomes. Depression rates are high, particularly among women and low-income individuals.
Shortage of Some Health Professionals
Attracting young healthcare professionals is a major challenge, with Portugal experiencing a shortage of nurses, especially in the Lisbon capital. Additionally, a significant portion of Lisbon's population lacks access to a family doctor, further hindering healthcare accessibility.
Solutions to promote social integration and improve the quality of life of migrants. We are looking for:
- Improving the exchange of information between public institutions, NGOs, and the private sector
- Facilitating navigation through bureaucratic procedures
- Increasing housing solutions
- Improving access to data and tools for monitoring the situation on the ground
- Supporting job search efforts
- Combating racism and discrimination
Current Context in Lisboa
Barriers upon Arrival
Immigration plays a vital role in Lisbon's economy and cultural diversity, with foreign residents now comprising a significant portion of the population. However, many immigrants encounter significant challenges upon arrival, including language barriers, housing insecurity, bureaucratic hurdles, and job scarcity.
Increase in Homelessness
In Lisbon, homelessness among immigrants has risen in recent times, prompting the municipality to invest in a new action plan to address the issue.
High Levels of Bureaucracy
Nationally, there are also currently thousands of pending applications at the Agency for Integration, Migration, and Asylum (AIMA), with many immigrants facing complex bureaucratic processes.
Timeline
Budget and Prize
€120,000 per category
Total of €360,000 in Prize
Phase 1: Applications
Selection of 3 finalists per category (total of 9 finalists) for a proof-of-concept phase.
- No direct financial support is provided in this phase but in-kind support and resources will be given.
- Proof of concept within 6 months.
Phase 2: Proof of Concept
After the proof-of-concept, one winner per category (total of 3 winners) is selected for implementation.
- Award: €120,000 per category, paid in two phases.
- Implementation within 6 months.
Criteria and Requirements
Application Criteria:
- Any team, individual, or organization is eligible to apply.
- Applications with proposed tech solutions in various stages are encouraged to apply.
- The proposed tech solutions must be able to be fully developed and implemented within one year if selected as a finalist.
- Open to proposed solution that currently is in operation but would be refined and adapted to the context in Lisbon.
- Open to proposals with a MVP (Minimum Viable Product) that would be further developed if selected also are welcome to apply.
- Open to new solutions or improvements to existing ones are eligible
- There are no restrictions for headquarters, nationalities, nor industries
- Applicants do not need to have a registered company
- Applications should be submitted in English or if needed in Portuguese
- Limit one entry per applicant group
- Applications must be received by September 15, 2024
Requirements for Application:
- Proposals must address one or more of the city challenges
- Proposed technology must meet current local regulations, laws, and/or rules
- Include relevant experience, expertise, partnerships, and/or performance track record
- Attendance at the winners announcement event in October 1st of 2024 is recommended for finalists who have advanced to the final filter phase
Requirements for Finalists:
One winner from each challenge category will be selected. There will be a press event to announce selection of winners, which will be required for the winning teams to attend in person.
- Attend required in-person activities:
- October kick-off event
- November workshop
- February project showcase
- March demo day & jury session
- Participate in workshops and seminars
- Attend bi-weekly mentorship calls
- Develop and refine project work plan
- Present final project/solution during the showcase
- Engage with the jury during the evaluation period
For any questions, reach out to the email
or visit the FAQ Page lisboainnovationforall.com/faq
Process
Phase 1
Jury and Selection Process
Phase 1A: Initial Filtering
Applications or submissions that do not follow the challenge criteria and requirements will be eliminated. An email will be sent to notify the applicants that they will not proceed to the next phase of the selection process.
Phase 1B: Second Filtering
The team will shortlist the best projects according to:
- Strength of application: clearly addresses problems within one of three challenge areas with a technological solution and details how solution would better challenge area
- Strength of application team: relevant expertise, experience , and/or partner support to develop the technology and scale it
- Feasibility of technology: implementation within 1 year or the ability for it to be integrated within existing city technology/systems
An email will be sent to notify the applicants that they will not proceed to the next phase of the selection process.
Phase 1C: Jury Evaluation
- Decision by 6 jury votes
Evaluation criteria for the 6 jury votes:
Addressing the Challenge and Impact (40%):
- Relevance to Focus Areas: Does the solution meaningfully address a need within Education, Healthcare, or Immigration? How will it achieve this?
- Impact Potential: Will the technology reach the desired impact and scale? How significantly can it benefit the city's citizens?
Socio-Economic Benefits and Innovation (25%):
- Social Innovation: How innovative is the technology? What is its social element? Will it involve disadvantaged groups or community members? Will it target lower socioeconomic neighborhoods?
- Economic Impact: Will the solution create jobs or provide other economic benefits to the city?
Feasibility and Sustainability (35%):
- Technology and Business Model: Are the technology and business model viable for market entry? Will it be free or accessible for users? Can it be self-sustaining beyond the award money? Is the idea scalable with global market potential? Does the applicant team have the necessary expertise and a track record of success?
- Widespread Adoption: How likely is the technology to be widely adopted and used?
Phase 2
Proof of Concept
Calendar
- Develop Work Plan: October 7 to October 31, 2024
- Piloting Phase: November 4 to February, 2025
- Project Showcase: March7, 2025
- Jury Selection: April, 2025
- Winners Announcement: May, 2025
Support Provided to Finalists:
- Bi-weekly mentorship check-in calls.
- Access to relevant City Departments.
- Access to the Unicorn Factory’s extended network.
- Legal and regulatory guidance.
- Showcase opportunities on official website and social media channels.
- Tailored project support, mentoring, and guidance.
- Workshops and training seminars from leading experts.
- Office space and access to FabLab network and technology.
- Participation in Unicorn Factory Lisboa events.
Finalists’ Project Plan:
- Month 1: Understand and define the problem, select pilot area, and define success factors.
- Month 2: Refine the solution and design a roadmap.
- Month 3-4: Implement the pilot.
- Month 5-6: Test and adjust the solution.
Evaluation Criteria for the 6 jury votes:
Decision by 6 jury votes + 1 citizen vote
Addressing the Challenge (30%):
- Does the solution meaningfully address a need within one or more of the focus areas: Education, Healthcare, or Immigration? How effectively does it address these needs?
Social Innovation (30%):
- How innovative is the technology? What are the social components of the solution? Does it include disadvantaged groups or community members? Does it target lower socioeconomic neighborhoods?
Feasibility and Sustainability (40%):
- Does the technology work based on the project pilot period? Is it sustainable in the long term? Are the technology and business model viable for market entry? Will it be free or accessible for people to use? Can it be self-sustaining beyond the award money? Is the idea scalable with potential for a global market? Is there evidence of success or potential to succeed in global markets?
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For any questions, reach out to the email
or visit the FAQ Page lisboainnovationforall.com/faq
Important Links
Challenge Website
Application Form
unicornfactorylisboa.fillout.com/innovationforall
FAQ Page
lisboainnovationforall.com/faq
