Discover the winners of the European Prize for Humanitarian Innovation (InnovAid)

The Commission has revealed today the winner of the first edition of the European Prize for Humanitarian Innovation (InnovAid): International Rescue Committee IRC Deutschland (Germany).

 The 1^st and 2^nd runners up have been also announced, as follows:

• 1^st runner up GOAL 3 B.V (The Netherlands)
• 2^nd runner up Humanitarian Logistics Cooperative (France)

Apart from the prestigious recognition, the winner will receive a prize of €250 000, while the two runners-up will get €150 000 and €100 000 respectively.

The prizes were awarded at the European Humanitarian Forum, in Brussels.

Supported by the European Innovation Council under Horizon Europe, this  prize rewards humanitarian organisations, social enterprises, and companies that are developing technology to better assist vulnerable people affected by natural hazards and man-made crises such as conflicts.

Iliana Ivanova, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, said:

My warmest congratulations to the winner as well as the runners-up. They exemplify the spirit of humanitarian creativity, pushing the boundaries to benefit the lives of vulnerable people in crisis. They embody what the InnovAid Prize is all about: celebrating innovators that transform compassion into action to deliver more effective humanitarian aid.

Janez Lenarčič, Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, said:

The winners of this first InnovAid prize are fantastic examples of the ingenuity of humanitarians, as well as the role that partnerships with the private sector and research communities can play in delivering better and more cost-effective aid. Receiving this prize should not only mark these organisations out as being at the forefront of transforming humanitarian assistance, but also support their technological innovations to scale up, to benefit more organisations and reach more people in need.

Background

Humanitarian emergencies are increasing year by year in number, complexity, and severity and funding to cover humanitarian needs cannot keep up. To meet these rising needs, innovative technological solutions, which improve the efficiency and effectiveness of aid, are crucial.

InnovAid recognises organisations that have developed innovative solutions for the delivery of humanitarian aid, that are cost-effective, simple to use and re-use, and scalable. The prize provides a mark of recognition for innovative organisations and brings enhanced visibility to their innovations, facilitating their redeployment at scale. InnovAid builds on the previous EIC Prize for Affordable High Tech in Humanitarian Aid, awarded in 2020.

InnovAid is one of the five EIC prizes granted under Horizon Europe, the EU's research and innovation framework programme. The prize is managed by the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency, and the winners are chosen following an assessment performed by a panel composed by high-level independent experts.

Related link

The European Prize for Humanitarian Innovation 2023 winners page