Domestic Violence App wins European Investment Bank Institute Social Innovation Tournament in Dublin
Domestic Violence App wins European Investment Bank Institute Social Innovation Tournament in Dublin
An app expected to transform the fight against domestic violence tonight received the first prize in Dublin in Europe’s leading social innovation awards.
French firm HeHop won the eighth edition of the Social Innovation Tournament, a competition organised by the European Investment Bank Institute. HeHop seeks to break the circle of violence. The new app will gather legal evidence essential to tackling domestic abuse. Less than 10% of attacks result in a formal complaint as victims fear that without proof lack they will not be believed.
The Social Innovation Tournament aim is to reward and promote initiatives working to create societal and environmental impact. The annual event is organised by the European Investment Bank Institute, the philanthropic arm of the EU Bank and the event was held in Ireland for the first time today.
Andrew McDowell, Vice President of the European Investment Bank said “Domestic violence is too often a hidden crime. HeHop, tonight’s winner has the potential to transform reporting of assault and violence and ensure that victims can be truly heard through a simple solution to a pressing social challenge. All contestants in today’s Social Innovation Tournament have invested their lives and savings in innovative new businesses designed to overcome the world’s most pressing ethical, social and environmental challenges. The European Investment Bank is delighted to be able to support these entrepreneurs from across Europe and we wish them every success in the future.”
Irish Government Minister, Katherine Zappone who spoke at the Tournament today said “I am honoured to have opened the Social Innovation Competition. Social innovation can ensure that the growth that is generated is progressive, fair and sustainable. Ireland is the home of social innovators and entrepreneurs. We can see that, especially in the last decade or two, where so much of our economic growth, has been supported by our social innovators and the openness of our Government to create an enabling environment for social enterprise to grow in scale and impact.”
Fazla Gida from Turkey won first prize in the Special Category on sustainable consumption and production. Fazla Gida is waste management platform that provides holistic solutions, enabling the reduction of waste at source. Sustainability is a recurring theme, gaining ever more importance in ensuring that the EIB act in a responsible way when investing in projects around the world.
The Social Innovation Tournament was established in 2012 by the EIB Institute. The Tournament seeks to further develop and support skills, resources and with perseverance to turn good ideas into meaningful and lasting social and environmental changes. Fifteen finalists from ten countries had initially been selected for the Tournament from 168 proposals submitted by applicants from 27 countries.
Call for projects for the next Social Innovation Tournament will start in February 2020. Next year the Special Category Prizes will go to projects focusing on the environment.
The full list of 2019 winners:
First prize in general category He-Hop (France) https://hehop.net/
Second prize general category Jelly Drops (United Kingdom) https://www.jellydrops.co.uk/
Special category first prize Falza Gilda (Turkey) https://wholesurplus.com/
Special category second prize Zouri Shoes (Portugal) https://www.zouri-shoes.com/
Positive CV (Finland) and Zouri shoes (Portugal) also won a voucher to receive subsequent advice from EY Transaction Advisory Services in Brussels.
-ENDS –
For more details on EIBI Social Innovation Tournament 2019, please contact:
MASONRY
Kathryn – km@MASONRY.ie
EIB Press Office – Richard Willis, r.willis@eib.org, Phone +3524379 82155
www.eib.org/press – Press Office: +352 4379 21000 – press@eib.org
Notes to Editors:
The EIB Institute was set up within the EIB Group (European Investment Bank and European Investment Fund) to promote and support social, cultural, and academic initiatives with European stakeholders and the public at large. It is a key pillar of the EIB Group’s community and citizenship engagement.
For the fourth consecutive year, the EIB Institute has partnered with INSEAD Business School to offer PROJECT NAME from country and Project Name from Country the opportunity to attend the INSEAD Social Entrepreneurship programme, in Fontainebleau France.