The Euro-Mediterranean University (EMUNI) 15th Anniversary celebration and Annual Conference from 8-9 June also featured a first-time event: the Euro-Mediterranean Innovation Camp (EMIC) Grand Finale!
The EMIC Grand Finale was live streamed on EMUNI´s YouTube Channel, during which 4 finalists made their final pitch for their ´innovation´, using a short video clip of their prototype journey before being questioned by a jury of 3 members. 1484 people voted online and crowned 22 year-old Georgios Paliouras from Greece the winner.
Georgios´ innovation was focused on Renewable Energy, and featured an agrivoltaics (solar panels in agriculture) system that was intended to maximise both energy and crop production, while being affordable for the majority of producers. Georgios is studying for his degree in Agriculture – Plant Sciences at the Agricultural University of Athens, and finishes his studies in 2024.
The other finalists were, Jihene Nouairi (Tunisia), Laila Mahmoud (Egypt) and Patricija Ham (Slovenia) below, who all specialised in Environment and Climate Change.
Georgios Paliouras, the winner
EMUNI and its partners and sponsors would like to extend a big thank you to all the candidates who worked tirelessly on their prototypes for the previous 2 and a half months. The young innovators were hosted either in the workshop facility at EMUNI and the Jožef Stefan Institute in Slovenia, or the EuroMed University of Fes (UEMF) in Morocco, where they received technical assistance and mentorship from subject matter experts, experienced engineers, product developers and designers, and innovation experts.
Overall, EMIC received 154 applications, from which 32 made it through to the online pitching stage before the shortlisted 6 were selected and invited to innovation bootcamp. The semi-final elimination phase on 2 June saw the 4 finalists head through to the Grand Finale last week, before EMIC had its first ever winner of the competition.
