PitchCourse & Discourse

An event for new innovators in green chemistry
by Wiley, Berlin Science Week and greenCHEM

Welcome, deep-tech innovation needs you!

Your knowledge and motivation can really make a difference in society. This event is for the innovation-curious scientists, from students to post-docs, who want to be part of the solution.

This event is spread across two days, day one is a one-day pitch-training workshop, where you'll learn to distill ideas, be an excellent communicator and gain confidence in the essential life skill of pitching. After that, we invite you to the second day to make your pitch in front of an expert panel and a public audience at Berlin Science Week. Prizes will be available for the winning teams. If you are looking for ways to extract more value from your learning or research, this can be an excellent first step!

Getting involved:

We are looking for project ideas based on research in chemistry that could become innovations outside of the lab. The best innovations should have potential to make a significant positive impact in society, industry or the environment (for guidance, see below about 'areas of application' and 'what is green chemistry' in FAQ).

Just as important as the ideas, are the people. We need people who have the motivation to bring cutting-edge research into beneficial applications for society. Even if your idea is not fully formed, but you are passionate about getting more value from research, we urge you to apply.

Need a few ideas for the application potential of green chemistry? Here is a curated list of hot topics from our event collaboration partner Wiley.

• Plastic waste

• Air Quality

• Carbon Capture

• Sustainable Agriculture

• Water purification

• Renewable energy

• Green building materials

• E-waste

• Bio-based products

• Chemical safety

• Healthcare

Prizes:

Win a public choice award and/or the jury choice award:

• Cash prize

• Dedicated article in Wiley’s CHEManager Innovation Pitch

• Science communication training

• Mentorshiop

How it works:

1. Apply

Deadline for applications is 30th September 2024. The event organisors will select 5 finalist projects based on the criteria set out in the FAQ, and make an announcement on 9th October, 2024.

2. Pitch Training

The team members of the five finalist projects will be invited to take part in a free 'Pitch-Training' workshop, hosted by Wiley in Berlin.

The pitch training will take place in Berlin on 21st October 2024.

3. Pitch event at Berlin Science Week

The final pitching event will take place on 5th November 2024 at Berlin Science Week in Berlin. There, each team will pitch their project to a panel of judges and the public at Berlin Science Week.

Submission

Wiley and greenCHEM are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment. We welcome all qualified participants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, or disability. Additionally, we are dedicated to providing reasonable accommodations to participants with disabilities.

If you require assistance to participate in this event, please contact hello@greenchem.berlin

FAQ

• What's in it for me if I submit?

  This event presents several opportunities:

  Collaboration: Meet and collaborate with like-minded people from other institutes and disciplines on cutting-edge projects.

  Training: Take part in a pitch-training and communication workshop coordinated by Wiley.

  Pitching/Science communication: Finalists pitch the projects at Berlin Science Week.

  Prizes: Win a 'public choice award' or the 'experts choice award', More details on prizes will follow.

  Dialog/Network: Part of the pitching final includes an open forum where your innovations and the underlying science are discussed with the public, and with members of the expert panel. Build lasting connections to those promoting deep-tech innovation in Berlin.

• How do I know if I'm eligible?

  This opportunity is open to bachelor, master and PhD students, and Post-docs. It is ideally suited to students working in chemistry or related subjects.

• Should I apply with team-mates?

  You can, but don't have to. Team applications (2-5 people) are recommended, and you don't all need to be chemists, but since we are looking for green chemistry innovations, at least one team member should have a chemistry background. All team members should register separately for the event and use a common title for your project idea.

• Can I apply without a team?

  Yes. If you have an idea, but are missing collaborators, you can apply. If your project is selected, we can help build a team for you from other applicants.

• Can I apply without a project idea?

  If you want to get involved but you have not got a project idea, you can apply. In this case we will try to match you with other existing teams or individual applicants.

• How will my submission be judged?

  There are two stages of selection for the applicants.
  
  Stage 1: all submitted projects will be internally assessed under the following criteria:
  
  Is the idea innovative? E.g. Is it new?

  Does it solve a real problem? E.g. Is the innovation relevant?

  Is it sustainable? E.g. Does it include green chemistry? (See 'what is green chemistry' below in the FAQ).

  Does it have impact potential? E.g. Is it feasible? And if scaled-up, is there potential for positive societal and environmental impact?

  Stage 2:

  The 5 finalist projects/teams will be judged by the panel with the following scoresheet (link). Separately, the public will also select their favourite pitch/project, without explicit criteria.

• How many ideas/projects will be selected for the pitch training and pitch competition?

  Five.

• How many winners are there?

  Maximum is two teams. One winning team is chosen by the expert panel, one winning team is chosen by the public. It is possible that one team wins in both cases.

• What is green chemistry, and why is it part of the judging/selection criteria?

  We refer to the 12 Principles of green chemistry, which set out directives for sustainable practices in chemistry (link).
  

  The desired innovations in chemistry-based processes and tech, should be sustainable with respect to human health, resources, and the environment. The 12 principles help to guide new innovations into more sustainable solutions.

• What is the event language?

  The event will take place in English.

• What is the Berlin Science Week?

  Each year, Berlin Science Week turns the city into a dynamic celebration of scientific ideas and discussions.

  More than 180 organizations and over 600 scientists, artists, politicians, and other inspiring leaders come together, attracting a diverse audience of over 30,000 participants.

Contact

For any questions about anything related to the event please contact us on hello@greenchem.berlin

Partners