The third edition of the Grant Program for startups and young scientists has started at ING Bank Poland. The Bank will allocate PLN 1 million (approx. EUR 215,000) for the best solutions supporting the protection of water resources. Applications can be sent until May 10, 2023.
“The third edition of our Grant Program started on World Water Day, which has been celebrated annually since 1993 under a different slogan. This year, it aims to encourage the acceleration of changes aimed at solving the water crisis. In Poland, the last 50 years have brought a decrease in renewable water resources per capita from 18,000 m³ up to 16,000 m³ per year, and Poland has become one of the EU countries with the smallest drinking water resources. Changes are needed to counteract this problem. That is why this time we are looking for solutions that will effectively protect these resources, use water effectively, or improve its quality,” – said Joanna Erdman, Vice President of the Management Board at ING Bank Poland.
The best solutions submitted to the competition will receive grants for further project development of PLN 400,000 (approx. EUR 85,500) for first place; For second place – PLN 300,000 (approx. EUR 64,000), and PLN 150,000 (approx. EUR 32,000) – for third place. There is also the possibility of awarding additional prizes with a total value of PLN 150,000 (approx. EUR 32,000) including audience awards for the grand finale.
The selection of the best solutions will be made by a jury composed of representatives of ING Bank Poland, the world of business, science, and non-governmental organizations. The finalists will be announced on May 25. The winners will be selected on June 29 during the final gala.
Solutions can be submitted via the online form available at www.ing.pl/programgrantowy. The future participants can find there the contest rules and detailed information.
In addition to financial prizes, an additional value of participation in the Program is substantive support, promotion, and building partnerships. Finalists will be invited to participate in thematic workshops, e.g.: “Know your customer”, “Business models in practice”, “Experiments, or how do I know that my solution makes sense”, “Pitching, or how to present yourself well”. The winners will have the opportunity to establish contact with companies from the portfolio of ING Bank Poland. Individual mentoring is also provided for the best teams.
The two previous editions met with great interest. As many as 197 startups and young scientists applied for the first one, which was launched in the spring of 2022. They presented solutions in the area of clean and available energy, which improved energy efficiency, increased the use of renewable energy sources, and helped in the fight against air pollution. The second edition of the Program, which took place in the autumn of 2022, was devoted to sustainable production and consumption. The Bank was looking for solutions that would ensure sustainable supply chains, reduce the level of waste generation, or help reduce the amount of food wasted. As many as 155 applications were sent.
More about the ESG strategy and the Bank’s activities can be found at https://www.ing.pl/esg (in Polish).
Our previous news about ING Grant Program for startups and young scientists by ING Bank Poland can be found below:
Grant competition of PLN 1 million for green energy by ING Bank Śląski
ING Grant Program of PLN 1 million for green energy for startups and scientists
Source: the Bank`s press release dated March 22, 2023
