Sixth Postcode Lottery Green Challenge Opens to Entries

Green entrepreneurs compete to win €500,000

AMSTERDAM, 2 May 2012 – The Dutch Postcode Lottery is once again challenging people around the world to develop sustainable, creative and innovative business plans. The winner of the annual Postcode Lottery Green Challenge will receive €500,000 to realise his or her green business plan. An additional €200,000 will go to one or two runners-up. With its international competition, the Postcode Lottery seeks to help smart green products and services reach a mass audience. The sixth Postcode Lottery Green Challenge opens to entries today. Entrants can submit their business plans at www.greenchallenge.info through Tuesday 31 July.

The winner’s name will be announced on Sunday 23 September in New York. 

One clever, creative idea can make the difference

“Because of climate change, we face the challenge of embracing a new green lifestyle,” says Marieke van Schaik, Managing Director of the Dutch Postcode Lottery. “One clever, creative idea can make a huge difference. That’s why we’re calling on people all over the world to send in their green business plans. With the Postcode Lottery Green Challenge, we seek to make sure groundbreaking sustainable solutions actually get developed and reach the market. The winning product or service will reduce CO2 emissions and score highly on design, user-friendliness and overall quality. And the plan has to be realisable within two years.”

Selection procedure

The finalists will present their plans before an international jury of experts and an audience of invited guests on Monday 17 September in Amsterdam at the multimedia conference PICNIC ’12.

For the first time in the history of the competition, three finalists will go on to New York after the presentations and individual interviews with the jury. There, the expert jury will announce the winner’s name at a special dinner organised by the Postcode Lottery in partnership with the Clinton Global Initiative. Leaders around the world come together at Bill Clinton’s annual meeting to discuss how to tackle global problems such as climate change.

Sir Richard Branson (juror for the Postcode Lottery Green Challenge 2007): “People aren’t going to stop consuming. Instead, we must offer the consumer a green alternative to bring climate change to a halt. The Postcode Lottery Green Challenge is about stimulating the development of these alternatives.”

Nick Christy (winner of the Postcode Lottery Green Challenge 2011): “Thanks to the Postcode Lottery Green Challenge, we’re well on the way to developing the world’s most efficient shower. Showers are the second biggest consumer of energy in a house and the largest consumer of drinking water – we can reduce both by 70 per cent and make a real difference to global CO2 emissions and water consumption. Taking part in the Postcode Lottery Green Challenge was one of the best things I’ve ever done – life-changing, eye-opening and amazing fun with some of the nicest people you could hope to meet.”