Announcing the 20 finalist startups for The Gap In Between Startup Challenge 2024

Valencia, September 12, 2024 - The Gap in Between, the annual gathering where a diverse range of actors in the business and impact ecosystem from across the globe come together to tackle the most pressing social and environmental challenges, has announced the short list of 20 startups to compete in The Gap in Between Startup Challenge, the aim of which is to promote entrepreneurship with social and environmental impact.

Having passed through a rigorous selection process from among nearly 500 candidate projects from 78 different countries, the short-listed startups will get the chance to make their pitch on one of the stages at The Gap in Between at La Marina of Valencia this upcoming October 8. They will also get to take part in the Fair for the best startups and innovations in sustainability. The jury will choose one winning project from among all the finalists based on how effectively these startups' solutions address the major challenges facing our society. The winning project will receive 10,000 Euros in prize-winnings.

Half of the startups to make the short list are Spanish. Eight are based in either Catalonia or the Valencian Community, four each, while the Community of Madrid and Asturias are home to one startup each. Of the 50% from outside Spain, Israel and the United Kingdom top the list with two startups each, followed by Ireland, Ecuador, the United States, Nigeria, Germany and France, with one representative each.

In addition to the overall winner, awards will be given to five short-listed companies in each of the event's five major categories: Safe, accessible and nutritious food systems; Social inclusion and equity beyond business; Energy transition and sustainable cities; From a linear to a circular business strategy; and Shifting the financial system for the common good. All of them will also get the opportunity to connect with top investors to scale up their business.

The finalists for the second edition of The Gap In Between are:

MarinaTex: this UK-based startup manufactures environmentally friendly packaging made from seafood and seaweed waste.

Oly: A SaaS B2B platform that accelerates and improves the product listings between second-hand fashion sellers and marketplaces. They are from France.

Fabumin: This Israeli project uses innovative, energy-efficient drying technology to transform legume cooking water (aquafaba) into Fabumin powder, a functional alternative to eggs for industrial applications.

ABLE ecosystems: This US-based project helps companies gather reliable data on the environmental impact of their brands, while also paying each individual farmer directly for data sharing and regenerative activities.

Odos: from Ireland, this startup is dedicated to environmental impact monitoring, reduction and compliance in agriculture by helping reduce carbon footprint and increasing the area of biodiversity, thus generating a new source of income.

Oscillum Biotechnology: they produce smart labels for monitoring the state of food with the aim of reducing food waste. They are from Elche, Spain.

Bio2Coat: based in Barcelona, they manufacture edible, polymer-based films and coatings of natural origin to keep food from losing mass, thus prolonging its shelf life.

Bettafish: this German startup transforms seaweed into a common and sustainable ingredient. Seaweed farming is regenerative: it replenishes our oceans and provides fishing communities with an alternative source of income.

Cacta: This Barcelona-based company has designed environmental management software to help the agricultural industry reduce its environmental impact and optimize its operational efficiency.

eTrash2Cash: Nigerian-based, this initiative harnesses artificial intelligence, finance and solar technologies to power homes and businesses.

Netto: it provides and analyses high-quality carbon credits so companies can meet their net zero emissions targets in a predictable and reliable way. They come from Valencia.

Warmi: from Ecuador, they help insurers and banks connect with unbanked women through AI.

Imageryst: from Oviedo, they automatically extract information from satellite images to enhance strategic and operational decision-making.

ARAIS.IO: This Madrid-based startup is the first public and private information platform whose service is to accelerate change towards sustainable cities by way of improved decision-making.

Plugable: from the UK, they have created a platform for sharing private electric vehicle chargers in homes and businesses.

Zenit Solar Tech: this Barcelona-based startup runs a digital platform to help create and manage energy communities.

The Blue Box Biomedical Solutions: from Barcelona, it aides in the early detection of breast cancer early from a pain-free and radiation-free urine sample.

VSL Labs: an Israeli project that provides real-time translations of voice and text into sign language using AI.

Naria: from Castellón de la Plana, they have developed a blockchain-based technological platform to improve the management and distribution of social aid and surplus food.

Amaia–App: from Valencia, this is a tool for personalizing care in nursing homes by linking all the agents involved in with socializing the elderly, thus facilitating the exchange of memories and information in a caring, personalized way.

"Taking part in The Gap in Between is an invaluable opportunity to connect with leaders and organizations committed to change, to share knowledge and accelerate projects with a positive and real impact. Interaction and exchange between corporations, startups and investors creates the ideal setting for generating the strategic collaborations that can tackle the world’s challenges in the most effective way" pointed out Margarita Albors, founder and president of Social Nest Foundation, the global platform for investors and entrepreneurs with social and environmental impact initiatives and the organizer of the event.

For her part, Marta del Castillo, CEO of Social Nest Foundation, has stated that "the impact of the last edition of The Gap In Between was notable, with a significant increase in the number of companies who have joined the movement of merging innovation and sustainability as the cornerstones of the future. The event boosted its profile as a strategic meeting point for generating business opportunities and impact by connecting startups with cooperations, investors and other key actors in the ecosystem. This year, we expect even more success stories thanks to an increasing number of participants who recognize the value of integrating disruptive and sustainable solutions into their business models".

Tackling systemic challenges with the best speakers

The Gap in Between brings together some of the most important personalities in the field of innovation economy and sustainability. Nearly a thousand attendees will be taking part in a program that is to include the best inspirational sessions, spaces for networking and matchmaking between investors, corporations and entrepreneurs/startups, workshops, experiences from the local ecosystem, pitches and sessions for co-creating the most disruptive solutions, among many other activities.

Some of the most notable speakers include Adam Kybird, Manager of Triodos Bank Food Transition Fund; Ivo Degn, co-founder and CEO of Climate Farmers; Linn-Cecilie Linnemann, Sr. Partner, Nordic & Baltics at Lumo Labs; Ana Dubois, Head of Partnerships and Fundraising at Ashoka; Valerie Mazon, General Manager at Danone Communities; Paula Llobet, Councilwoman of Tourism, Innovation and Investments on the Valencia City Council; Margarita Albors, president and founder of Social Nest Foundation; Iker Marcaide, founder of Zubi Group, Tim Radjy, co-founder and CEO of Alphamundi; Miguel Tiana, General Director of COFIDES; Rocío Castrillo, Director of Entrepreneurship and Strategy at Enisa; and Teresa Parejo, Head of Sustainability at Iberia, among many others.

The Gap in Between receives suppoup Challenge, una competición que tiene como ort from the Generalitat Valenciana, the Valencia Provincial Council and the Valencia City Council through the València Innovation Capital, as well as support form organizations such as Caixa Popular, Fundación ONCE, Zubi Group, Factorial, COFIDES, Iberia, Renfe, L’Oréal, Mercadona, Unicef and Ashoka.