Deadline: October 31, 2016 | Apply here

[Oops, the opportunity has already expired. Sign up to AlphaGamma weekly newsletters to stay ahead of the game]

Eligibility: Open to any individual, institutions, organisation, social business and groups of up to 5 people over 18 years of age anywhere in the world.

Prize: Five winners will share a EUR 1 million grant and get access to a one-year innovation accelerator provided by H&M Foundation, Accenture and KTH Royal Institute of Technology.

Location: Stockholm, Sweden

Global Change Award 2016

The Global Change Award is an innovation challenge arranged by H&M Foundation. They are looking for game changing ideas that can make fashion circular – and help protect our planet.

What if we could reinvent fashion? What if we could make a shift from “take-make-waste” to a fashion world where there is no waste? What materials would we use? What would the processes and business models look like?

The Global Change Award is an innovation challenge, initiated by non-profit H&M Foundation in 2015. By catalysing early innovations that can accelerate the shift from a linear to a circular fashion industry, the aim is to protect the planet and our living conditions.

The H&M Foundation is privately funded by the Stefan Persson family, founders and the main owners of H&M. Since 2013, the family has donated SEK 1.1 billion (USD 154 million, EUR 123 million) to the Foundation.

By applying to the Global Change Award you’re competing for:

A EUR 1,000,000 grant , shared by five winners. Of which half will be distributed based on the public online vote.

, shared by five winners. Of which half will be distributed based on the public online vote. A trip to Stockholm to attend the grand award ceremony on 5 April 2017.

to attend the grand award ceremony on 5 April 2017. Access to a one-year Innovation Accelerator

The Innovation Accelerator

Through the innovation accelerator, the five winning teams of Global Change Award 2016 get one year of specialised support to evolve these ideas to the next level. Throughout the year, they get continuous support and individual team coaching through H&M Foundation and Accenture.

Throughout the year the winners also get;

A one-week boot camp , creating insights on innovation readiness, goal setting, IPR protection and innovation development, provided by KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm (Stockholm, Sweden).

, creating insights on innovation readiness, goal setting, IPR protection and innovation development, provided by KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm (Stockholm, Sweden). Exclusive industry insight, networking opportunities and knowledge about circularity in the fashion value chain, provided by H&M Foundation and H&M (Shanghai, China).

about circularity in the fashion value chain, provided by H&M Foundation and H&M (Shanghai, China). Leading expertise on circular economy, access to an innovation centre and insights into future digital customer experiences, provided by Accenture (Milan, Italy).

Early Bird Competition

If you submit your entry before 30 September 2016 you have the chance to win a study trip to Shanghai in 2017.

The Early Bird winner will be invited to join the five winners of the Global Change Award 2016 on a unique study trip to Shanghai, which is part of their one-year tailor-made Innovation Accelerator.

The trip will offer exclusive industry insight, opportunities to network and to learn more about circularity and fashion’s value chain, in order to develop your idea further

Applying as an Early Bird does not affect your chances of winning the Global Change Award.

The winner of the Early Bird Competition is not required to travel to the ceremony in Stockholm.

Global Change Award 2016 has three categories open for applications:

Circular business models: covering ideas on how to reuse, repair, share, digitalize or extend the life of products.

2. Circular materials: looking for ideas on new fibres, recycling techniques, leather substitutes etc.

3. Circular processes: aiming to find new methods around chemicals, water and dyeing, as well as 3D printing, demand-driven manufacturing etc.

The evaluation will be based on the following criteria:

The entry’s potential to make fashion circular and thereby protect the planet and lead to improved living conditions for people. It has to answer the following questions:

How big impact can it have on the fashion industry?

Is it economically sustainable?

Can it scale?

Is it innovative?

How well suited is the team to make it happen

Would winning the grant make a difference

For more business and career opportunities, check our opportunities section and subscribe to our weekly newsletters.