FIRST CHALLENGE 2025 PROVIDED BY METSÄ GROUP

The first challenge of 2025 is now published and will be officially launched at the BIC matchmaking event on 12 February 2025.

Metsä Group is looking for new bioproducts from softwood bark.

The deadline to submit solutions is 31 March 2025.

Please go to the Challenges page to see all details.

CALL FOR CHALLENGES 2025

As part of the BIC innovation activities, the BIC Open Innovation Competition aims at fostering cooperation between large industries and SMEs and startups by matching innovation demands and technology offers.

While the first challenge has been published, the call for new challenges to be launched later int he year is always open.

If you are eligible and you have a challenge that you'd like to see solved, please submit it by filling in this form and sending it to samuele@biconsortium.eu  

How does it work?

Large companies and (medium-sized) SMEs can propose a challenge to be submitted to the BIC community. Once the challenge is published SMEs, SMEs from clusters, startups and associate members cat. A (universities and research centres) can submit solutions.

Up to 5 solution providers are selected by the challenge owner to pitch their solutions. If a winner is picked, they will develop a proof-of-concept of their solution in close cooperation with the challenge owner. Typical project duration is 3 to 6 months but there is no fixed framework.

BIC will manage all steps and facilitate the interaction between challenge owner and solution providers. You can use your own NDAs and contract templates with solution providers if you wish, otherwise, we have some standard ones available.

Why you should join

Publishing a challenge gives you access to over 400 possible solution providers from the BIC community. You will also benefit from visibility within the BIC community by giving a pitch of your challenge in a webinar or physical event (in this case, the matchmaking event in February).

Do you need to pay a fee?

The winning solution provider will receive 10000 EUR to develop the proof-of-concept. Half of it is supplied by BIC, the other half by the challenge owner. If no winner is selected, there is no payment (so no need to provide funding upfront).

IP and contractual obligations

Intellectual property belongs by default to its originator. The development of a solution responding to a challenge does not bind the solution provider to any kind of exclusivity, provided that IP privileges of the challenge owner, if any, are preserved and the exploitation of the solution does not imply disclosure of confidential information.

The selection of a solution provider is only related to the OIC. It does not constitute an endorsement, preference or recommendation by the challenge owner and does not imply any obligation of acquiring its products or services.

You can find more information in the dedicated section on BIC’s Members Area, including the whole set of rules and the full template for challenge submission (no need to fill it in full now – a short concept in an email is sufficient).

OIC rules and reference documents

Only members of the Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC) are eligible to take part in the BIC Open Innovation Competition (OIC). 

Who can submit a challenge?

• Industry (full) members Cat. 1 (Large enterprises) 
• Industry (full) members Cat. 2 (SMEs)

Who can submit a solution?

• Industry (full) members Cat. 2 (SMEs) 
• Industry (full) members Cat. 3 (microenterprises)
• SMEs represented by industry members Cat. 4 (SME Clusters)
• Associate members Cat. A (Universities and research organisations)

You can find additional information on the rules and practicalities for participation in the attached documents.