Tapojärvi’s 4th Innovation Challenge focuses on the utilization of side streams from the mining, steel, and forest industries.
Tapojärvi Innovation Challenge 2025 Final – October 27 at SnowCastle of Kemi by invitation & live on YouTube for everyone
Tapojärvi is hosting the international Innovation Challenge for the fourth time, bringing together university students from across Europe to develop new solutions for the reuse of by-products from the mining, steel, and forest industries.
The final will take place on Monday, October 27, 2025, at the SnowCastle of Kemi. The event is a gala for invited guests, where the finalist teams will present their solutions to the jury. The evening will culminate with the announcement of the winner, decided by a combination of jury evaluation and audience vote. The event will also be streamed live and open to all on Tapojärvi’s YouTube channel, allowing anyone to follow the competition in real time.
Purpose of the competition
The Innovation Challenge offers students the opportunity to apply their expertise to real industrial challenges and to develop replicable and scalable solutions for the needs of sustainable industry. The grand prize is €10,000 and the chance to pursue a career path within the Tapojärvi Group.
The competition is organized in collaboration with EIT RawMaterials and supports Europe’s goals for circular economy and strategic autonomy by bringing students and industry players together.
Encounters that last
Simon Coen, a member of the winning team in the 2023 competition, returns to Finland this autumn for the Tapojärvi Innovation Challenge final – this time as the host. Having already met this year’s finalists, he says he is impressed by their preparation and the quality of their ideas. Simon’s story demonstrates how the competition can create long-lasting connections and new opportunities, even years after participation. Read more about Simon’s thoughts here.
The Tapojärvi Innovation Challenge is not just a competition, but a meeting place for new ideas, networks, and future changemakers.
Follow the final live on October 27, 2025, on Tapojärvi’s YouTube channel and be inspired by the students’ bold solutions.
The winner of the competition 2023 was TeamReact, whose idea was to combine fly ash, a by-product of the forest industry, with wood to produce activated carbon for air and water purification.
Watch the competition livestream recording here
