Diogo Vasconcelos was a Portuguese leader who focused on fostering innovation to address some of the great societal challenges of our time. During his career he worked closely with the European Commission and others on issues such as globalisation, sustainability, climate change, urbanisation, democratic participation and healthcare.
Diogo passed away in 2011 at the age of 43. To keep his ambitions alive, the European Commission established the European Social Innovation Competition to inspire entrepreneurs across the continent to continue developing ideas that tackle the challenges our society faces.
Each year, three €50 000 prizes are awarded for the most innovative projects designed to change the world for the better.
Launched in 2013, the European Social Innovation Competition is a challenge prize looking for socially innovative projects designed to change the world for the better.
The Competition is run by the European Commission, with the support of the European Innovation Council, across all EU Member States and Horizon Europe associated countries. The Competition acts as a beacon for social innovators, employing a proven methodology for supporting early-stage ideas.