The first prize in the general category at the Social Innovation Tournament of the EIB Institute 2023, organised this year in Stockholm on 28 September, was awarded to SOPHIA CHATBOT by Spring ACT – Action. Compassion. Technology, a Swiss company that has developed a digital companion to empower survivors of domestic violence.

The French company GRIBOUILLI won first prize in in the special category for projects developing solutions for sustainable cities and communities. This is the first professional association of babysitters and nannies with a business idea to empower a largely invisible community of immigrant women whose employment is precarious.

Prizes of €100 000 were awarded to the winners.

The second prize in the general category was awarded to the Maltese company BRAINTRIP, which has developed a non-invasive, electroencephalogram-based, AI-powered dementia test. The second prize in the special category went to the Spanish company SMART FIBER by FIBSEN. It has developed new water management models that address the pressing issue of water scarcity.

Both companies received €40 000 award each.

The Audience Choice Award, which came with a €10 000 prize, was also awarded to SMART FIBER by FIBSEN.

The 15 finalists represented ten European countries — Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Malta (for the first time), the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland have been selected in May from almost 300 applicants.

The finalists participated in a tailor-made training programme before defending their project to a jury of social innovation specialists.

All entrepreneurs will join the SIT Alumni community of all finalists.

Click here for the press release: Start-ups from Switzerland and Spain are Europe’s best impact entrepreneurs