6.2 300 EIT InnoEnergy students joined by 35 companies in Stockholm for Master s chool Connect

In May 2022, EIT InnoEnergy brought its extensive ecosystem together at Master School Connect in Sweden for an exhilarating two-day event connecting over 300 students from across Europe with experts, industry, and alumni. The event had many interactive activities, including team building and exploration of the city of Stockholm, along with workshops on career development and entrepreneurship.

Students attended inspiring sessions with EIT InnoEnergy executives and were able to question the leading experts during a panel discussion on building a carbon-free future through storage. There was also an interview session with Diego Pavia and Elena Bou from EIT InnoEnergy regarding how it supports entrepreneurial ideas from its alumni.

A highlight was the grand finale of the Battle of Green Talent, where participating student teams were pitching creative ideas to important investors in the hope of bringing to life their innovations for sustainable energy. These events spark the students’ interest in thinking creatively and encourage them to transform ideas into tangible and profitable solutions.

Attendees watched as each team shared their vision, with one team ending up as overall winner in the final pitch - NaturaWatt. Their idea, to generate hydrogen from wastewater using a new technology, won the grand prize of €10,000. Another winner - in the investor category - was Jin Hyung Cho from Said Business School, Oxford University. As well as securing €10,000, he also won an all-expenses-paid trip to EIT InnoEnergy’s flagship event, The Business Booster, in Lisbon.

Master School Connect was also home to a marketplace event, with companies from across the energy industry spectrum. It allowed students to network with 35 industry leaders – all an integral part of the EIT InnoEnergy ecosystem – including ABB, Palau Project, N-SIDE, Battery Associates, Valmet, Hymeth, Vattenfall, Northvolt, Galp, Fibersail and Schneider Electric.

Students were able to make valuable connections for internships, thesis opportunities and jobs – as well as meet with 20 successful alumni in attendance who are already

MAnuEl AnDRADE Head of Open Innovation of GALP

We intend to be closer to startups and academia to create solutions that help us thrive through the Energy Transition. The Battle for Green Talent is precisely the kind of initiative that can help us do that.

bringing their green business dreams to reality.

EIT InnoEnergy strives to connect students with its ecosystem so that they can explore various career opportunities while studying.

Francesco de Marco, a Master’s in Energy Storage year-1 student, sums up the value of the event. “It was great to connect with the major companies, but also to discover many innovative start-ups within the renewable energy sector.”

Master’s in Nuclear Energy year-2 student, Juan Franco Canepa, added: “It’s an amazing opportunity to understand the different industries where our knowledge can be useful. It was also prime networking, as all companies are top tier in their respective fields.”