How Ignite NEB is sparking innovation across Europe

Since its launch in early 2021, the New European Bauhaus (NEB) initiative has provided a space for ideas that imagine a new future for Europe, based on the core principles of sustainability, inclusivity and beauty. Along with our partners, EIT Food, EIT Manufacturing and EIT Urban Mobility, we support projects through the Ignite NEB programme – four dynamic events across different locations that aim to spark localised innovation and build community connections.

Each Ignite NEB event tackles distinct challenges unique to its location and concludes with the selection of winning projects that receive funding and mentorship After previewing the events in September, it’s now time to celebrate this year’s winners from Rotterdam, Arquino, Donostia-San Sebastián, and Nicosia.

Rotterdam, the Netherlands: A circular revolution with local crops

Event overview:

BlueCity, a symbol of circular innovation housed in a former tropical swimming pool, served as the perfect setting for Rotterdam’s Ignite NEB event – a circular challenge based on the theme of crops and fibres. Fibre cultivation is a critical solution to today’s nitrogen and climate crisis, but farmers need a strong market before switching to this type of cultivation becomes viable. More serious business cases for biobased materials and products are essential.

Over six weeks, twenty young professionals examined the world of regenerative agriculture and biobased materials, with the aim of developing a circular business case and prototype for four local crops: bog myrtle, willow, miscanthus, and sweet chestnut. Under expert guidance, participants developed circular prototypes that addressed critical environmental challenges such as soil degradation, biodiversity loss, and unsustainable agricultural practices.

The winners:

Team Bog Myrtle claimed the Business Award with Bog Off, a natural, biobased insect-repellent stick packaged sustainably using bog myrtle itself. The jury praised the team’s comprehensive approach to product design, while also appreciating the pleasant scent of the bug repellent.

The Social Impact Award went to Team Willow for DaphnoScape, a living urban structure using fast-growing willow to combat heat, flooding, and air pollution in cities. Beyond its environmental benefits, the project encourages community engagement through activities like willow pruning and braiding.

Find out more here!

Arquino, Italy: Reconnecting with nature in the post-Anthropocene

Event overview:

Set in the picturesque Teatro Spazio Centrale, the Design Sprint 4Planet Festival invited participants to envision protopia scenarios – sustainable futures where humanity lives in harmony with nature. Guided by themes such as dwelling, energy, water resources, and cultural production, fifty changemakers collaborated in workshops to develop actionable solutions that reflect local community needs.

With input from academic experts, environmentalists, and local residents, participants refined 50 key challenges into meaningful design projects. This inclusive and participatory approach ensured that the solutions aligned with the NEB’s core principles.

The winners:

BeLong received the Business Award for its innovative service connecting urban professionals with permanently empty homes in the Valtellina valley. By facilitating temporary remote work experiences in this picturesque region, the project combats urban burnout, while also revitalising rural economies and encouraging cultural exchange.

The Social Impact Award went to Valtellina 114, a community-driven podcast promoting sustainable tourism along the Valtellina Trail. Through training local people in storytelling and podcast production, the project raises awareness about environmental issues and celebrates the region’s heritage.

Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain: Circularity and inclusivity in action

Event overview:

The Ignite event series in Donostia-San Sebastián brought together architects, designers, and social innovators to explore core NEB principles. Over two days, participants engaged in workshops on business model development, circular design, and sustainability, alongside an exhibition showcasing artistic reuse and demolition.

Highlights included a group visit to an exhibition on artistic reuse, followed by a lunchtime debate where participants exchanged ideas about how NEB principles can transform local communities. The event’s inclusive format encouraged knowledge sharing and creative problem-solving, and this permeated the challenges and solutions presented.

The winners:

Circular and Inclusive Furniture Reuse Ecosystem, led by Ane Salaberria Belasco of Emaús Gizarte Fundazioa, was the winner of the Social Impact Award. This project envisions a sustainable model for collecting and reusing professional furniture – combining circular economy principles with inclusive employment practices.

Bathrooms for People with Stoma Bags, developed by Jon Telleria of Solumobel, won the Business Award. This modular, accessible bathroom solution addresses a critical yet often overlooked need for people who have experienced stoma surgery, and as an idea, combines functionality with social impact.

Nicosia, Cyprus: Transforming urban spaces through collaboration

Event overview:

Held at the Gardens of the Future education centre – – the Ignite NEB hackathon in Cyprus was an inspiring weekend of problem solving and innovation. Over three days, 52 participants focused on the two main challenge categories of Sustainable Urban Development and Inclusive Public Spaces – addressing issues such as zero-waste practices in cities, reimagined parks, and revitalised industrial zones.

With support from local officials, including Nicosia’s Mayor Charalambos Prountzos, the event emphasised the importance of community-driven innovation. On the final day of the hackathon, participants formed 14 teams, collaborating with coaches and experts to refine their pitches, which culminated in an interactive session where peers voted for their favourite projects.

The winners:

Pit-to-Table won the Business Award for its ingenious method of repurposing discarded olive pits into sustainable tabletops. Cyprus produces over 24,000 tonnes of olive pits annually, so this project both addresses waste and creates jobs for local farmers in line with the European Green Deal.

The Social Impact Award went to MC² (Mobile Creative Capsule), a modular mobile system designed to host artistic events in underused or abandoned places. The capsule offers an affordable opportunity for creative expression beyond traditional cultural venues, while promoting sustainability through its construction materials.

A compass for the future

The Ignite NEB event series highlights the importance of local collaboration and innovation. Each event, tailored to its unique setting, addressed community-driven challenges while encouraging new links between people, ideas, and places. From insect repellents in Rotterdam and community-driven podcasts in Arquino to inclusive design in Donostia-San Sebastián and repurposed olive pits in Nicosia, the winning projects showcase the breadth and depth of the EIT Community NEB’s impact.

As these teams now move forward to the next stage with the Grow NEB programme, we look forward to seeing their ideas flourish. Together, they prove that sustainability, inclusivity, and beauty are meaningful principles with which we can breathe new life into our local communities.

The EIT Community NEB is an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT).