Innovation Competition – a powerful tool for finding brilliant solutions

Sustainable environment Sustainable environment

Sustainable society Sustainable transition Sustainable transition

On behalf of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute organised an innovation competition in the autumn with the aim of finding new solutions that contribute to biodiversity at the same time as creating attractive outdoor environments in our towns and cities. It was a popular follow-up to last year’s competition regarding alternatives to artificial turf.

“Innovation competitions provide us with the opportunity to highlight and support good ideas, regardless of whether the parties behind them are large or small. In other contexts, it’s usually the large players who have the resources and networks to develop and commercialise their ideas,” said Lovisa Bengtsson, project manager at IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute.

Anyone with an idea or product regarding nature-based solutions in outdoor environments was welcome to take part in the competition. In return, the entries were offered a professional evaluation, the opportunity to be seen by important clients and the chance to obtain support for the further development of the innovation.

Many outdoor environments such as parks and playgrounds are currently designed with no particular consideration for biodiversity and ecosystem services, such as the removal of air pollution, water management and pollination. There is also a growing trend of creating outdoor surfaces using rubber and artificial turf. On this basis, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency announced funding to run a competition capable of tackling many of these challenges at the same time.

“We need to use the surfaces in our towns and cities in a smart way, both in order to adapt to a changing climate as well as so that they can provide recreation and wellbeing. There are a lot of ideas out there, it’s just a matter of finding and supporting them,” says Lovisa Bengtsson.

The concept of an innovation competition attracts many interested parties, increases awareness and interest among clients, which in turn increases demand for the solutions.

“It creates a positive spiral that provides scope for even more good ideas to develop,” says Lovisa Bengtsson. Two groups of experts examined the competition entries and assessed them on the basis of factors such as level of innovation, benefit to the environment and people, operating costs and other financial aspects.

The competition winners had the opportunity to present their ideas at a large closing seminar, which can be watched on the competition’s website. The competition was arranged in collaboration with Formas and Vinnova, who will now be supporting the winners in the next step towards their further development.

We need creative solutions to the social challenge of both promoting our biodiversity and human wellbeing, at the same time as protecting, developing or creating ecosystems.

The winners of the competition were “Lekotoper — Urbio and Örebro Municipality” and “Nyfiken på naturen — Flora och Fauna Sverige AB and Årsta gård”

Name: Lovisa Bengtsson Age: 32 years Function at IVL: Project manager at IVL’s Stockholm office. Works in, and project manages, consultancy assignments and research projects focusing on innovation, risk and procurement linked to sustainability. Background: M.Sc. in Ecosystem Engineering with Master’s in Technology Management. Joined IVL in February 2020 and has previously worked on strengthening public utility through innovation and sustainability projects within energy, renovation and mobility issues.