Elsevier Foundation believes that chemistry plays a critical role in developing a sustainable future. Chemists have a special responsibility to develop those new products, resources, and processes to make that happen. Further, The Elsevier Foundation-ISC3 Green & Sustainable Chemistry Challenge seeks to stimulate innovative chemistry research that helps the environment and low-resource communities in emerging and developing countries.

Moreover, Proposals should be replicable, scalable, sustainable, & applicable in developing countries. Multiple prizes of up to €50,000 are available. The Elsevier Foundation-ISC3 Green & Sustainable Chemistry Challenge is jointly run by the Elsevier Foundation, Elsevier’s chemistry journals team and ISC3. So, Do you have an idea for making chemistry more green & sustainable? Submit it to the challenge now!

Benefit

The winners will be announced at the 2020 Green & Sustainable Chemistry Conference in Germany. The Challenge is articulated in two tracks:

• Scientific prizes: the winning project will receive a prize of €50,000, with €25,000 for the second-place prize.
• Entrepreneurial prize: an additional €25,000 will be for the “Entrepreneurial Spirit in Sustainable Chemistry Award”.

Please note: participants will be able to submit either to the Scientific Prizes or the Entrepreneurial Prize.

Eligibility

• The Challenge is open to individuals and non-profit organizations whose projects use green and sustainable chemistry solutions to tackle some of the developing world’s greatest sustainability challenges whether in water, sanitation or energy.

Review Criteria

For the Science Prize

Projects will be according to the following criteria

• The proposal clearly describes the urgency of the problem. Provide a description of the project background and include a description of the broader context and highlight how the project links to the United Nation Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Likewise, The project utilizes an innovative green and sustainable chemistry approach.
• The project is replicable, scalable, sustainable (make sure to specify why), and sets a benchmark for innovation – new ideas or concepts in development will be given preference over more advanced projects.
• The proposal highlights the novelty of your approach and gives a short literature overview of what has been before, both by you and others (“background”).
• The project is applicable and suitable for developing countries. Describe the project’s social impact on local communities, including gender equality either in design or implementation.
• Include an implementation plan for the project.

For Entrepreneurial Spirit Prize

Innovation/Start-ups will be according to the following criteria:

• Background and relation to SDGs
• Time to market, Partners
• Transformative potential