BISC-E Bio-based Innovation Student Challenge - Europe
Welcome to BISC-E Austria!
We are excited to launch Austria’s first-ever participation in the Bio-based Innovation Student Challenge Europe (BISC-E)!
Do you want to design a creative bio-based solution as part of a multidisciplinary student team? The Bio-based Innovation Student Challenge Europe (BISC-E) encourages students to explore the emerging bio-based sector while developing new, sustainable products or processes. Are you up for the challenge?
BISC-E invites students to develop an innovative bio-based solution to help overcome hurdles standing in the way of a climate-neutral Europe. These innovative products or services can tackle technological, environmental or societal challenges, as long as they are wholly or partly derived from renewable biological sources. This competition gives you the opportunity to work with like-minded peers, think innovatively, and compete both nationally and internationally.
What is BISC-E?
BISC-E is a Europe-wide competition for Bachelor and Master students, designed to raise awareness of the bio-based economy and its role in shaping a sustainable future. It encourages students from all disciplines to create bio-based products or services that contribute to overcoming the challenges on the path to a circular economy.
The Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC) acts as a contact point for the BISC-E coordination and coordinates the European finals, where the best national teams will go head-to-head to showcase their solutions.
Discover the other countries involved in the competition by visiting this link.
Participation
The challenge is open to students at Bachelor’s and Master’s level, including those in the first year of PhD programs. Teams of 3 to 6 students are invited to participate. Given the multidisciplinary nature of the competition, it is recommended that teams include members from diverse disciplines, with at least one focusing on science. Team members can come from different institutions. All participants must be enrolled in an Austrian university or university of applied sciences.
Each team needs a supervisor, such as a PhD student or professor, to guide them through the challenge. Both students and supervisors can only participate in one team.
Teams will present their ideas to a jury of industry and academic experts, focusing on sustainability, technical feasibility, and economic viability.
Every team must appoint a coordinator responsible for registration and communication with the organizers.
If you´re interested in joining, please register using this link.
Watch videos from previous competitions on the BIC YouTube Channel!
Next Steps and Timeline
Once you’ve registered, you will be invited to an online kick-off meeting where we will provide more detailed information about the competition, including expectations and key dates. From the kick-off until Spring 2025, you and your team will have time to develop a viable bio-based product or process.
The teams will compete in the Austrian final on the 15th of May at BOKU University. During this final, the jury will evaluate the presentations and choose the winning team.
The winning team will receive coaching and training from the Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC) to prepare for the European final, which will take place in autumn 2025. This is your chance to showcase your innovation on an international stage!
What’s in it for you?
Participating in BISC-E offers exciting benefits. The winning teams of our national competition will receive prizes provided by various sponsors. Specific details will be announced during the competition.
The best team from the national competitions will have the opportunity to compete in the European final, where additional prizes will be awarded. For more information on the cash prize and other benefits, visit the BISC-E Prizes page.
You’ll have the chance to connect with peers and industry leaders while developing skills in collaboration, challenge-based learning, and solution presentation. Participants will receive valuable feedback from a jury composed of industry and academic experts, further enhancing their projects. We’re also working on organizing workshops and coaching sessions with entrepreneurship and start-up experts.
Additionally, your work can gain visibility in the bio-based sector, leading to opportunities for exposure and recognition, potential start-up ventures, and internship or employment offers.
Our Partners
We are proud to collaborate with organizations that share our commitment to sustainability and innovation, offering students valuable insights and opportunities.
Accent Inkubator GmbH has been supporting innovative start-ups in Lower Austria since 2005 through the AplusB programme, collaborating with organizations like CERN and ESA. Highlights include the “CERN Venture Connect Program” and the ESA Phi-Lab NET Austria at Schwechat Airport, advancing space market products and transferring space technologies into new industries.
The accent Makerspace provides start-ups, especially academic spin-offs, with prototyping infrastructure for sustainable projects in areas like green transformation, AgriTech, and climate-resilient production. Located on a former agricultural college site, it offers co-working spaces, labs, workshops, and outdoor areas in a collaborative environment.
Lenzing supports BISC-E participants with non-cash prizes and offers an optional factory tour.
