The Journey 2017

The Journey is the biggest European summer school devoted to climate protection issues. In 2017 over 200 students from 46 countries took part in it representing 50 different areas of science – from architecture and design to environmental engineering and geochemistry.

During the first few weeks the participants travel around Europe, take part in workshops, lectures and studio visits in places connected with climate change, management and environmental protection centres as well as supervisory and legislative institutions. They gain knowledge on climate change, ecology, entrepreneurship and marketing. They also learn how to create startups and work in international groups on their own unique concept of ecological business.

In the fifth week of the program, almost 80 participants from 29 different countries (such as Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Columbia, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Malawi, Mexico, Holland, Nigeria, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Great Britain) came to the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences.

For the participants the last week meant intensive work on the final form of their business plan and its presentation. In 3 minutes they had to convince the jury that it is their idea which is the most innovative and has the greatest chance of succeeding and actually improving the state of the environment. And this is by no means easy – the jury includes representatives of the University, Climate-KIC and KIC-Raw Materials, as well as businesspeople and those actively involved in promoting and developing startups. The judges also had time to ask questions and check if participants had really considered every aspect of their business.

Among 14 projects shown in quick presentations there were ideas of sustainable system of flat cooling, edible insect farms sold in Switzerland, urban farms in Utrecht, air-cleaning devices made from waste coming from olive oil production, flexible workplaces covered with moss, multi-functional furniture, prolonging working life of hotel mattresses and promoting the idea of green roofs.

The best business idea, according to the jury, was the SwimAware – swimsuits made of 100% recyclable plastic. The idea was also appreciated by the audience. The best presentation was O.Live (air-cleaning device) and the best business plan – Moss (workplaces covered with moss) and Roofolution (green roofs).

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