2024 Social Impact Challenge

€360,000 in Prize

€120,000 per Category

The Social Innovation Prize from the Lisbon City Council, organized by the Unicorn Factory Lisboa and supported by the European Innovation Council, aims to discover and support innovative and impactful solutions that can be applied practically in the city of Lisbon.

The application period begins on June 25!

Social innovation for the well-being of our community.

Social innovation for the well-being of our community.

Social innovation for the well-being of our community. Social innovation for the well-being of our community.

Quality of Education

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

  • 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.

    Moreover, Portugal's education system faces a shortage of teachers and outdated teaching methods.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.

    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.

Access to Healthcare

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.

  • 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.

    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.

Integration of Migrants

Solutions to increase the quality of life and support patients in need of medical care. 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

  • 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.

    In Lisbon, homelessness among immigrants has risen in recent times, prompting the municipality to invest in a new action plan to address the issue. 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

Applications: June 25 to September 8, 2024

Evaluation & Selection for Finalists per Category: September 9 to 30, 2024

Finalists Announcement: October 2 to 3, 2024

Proof-of-concept Implementation: October, 2024 to March, 2025

Evaluation & Selection for Winners: April to  May, 2025

Implementation: June, 2025

The applications begin on June 25!