Features
18 déc 17

Morpheus Cup 2018 to reward student Mobility project

The annual Morpheus Cup, which rewards innovation projects by EU students, next year will also recognise the Best European Student Project in Mobility. The fourth edition of the Cup will take place on 12 April at the Palais Brongniart in Paris. 

At the crossroads of the connected, electrification and autonomous megatrends, today's automotive industry is in the vanguard of technological innovation. So it is no coincidence that next year's edition of the Morpheus Cup will make sure to recognise the best Mobility project among the innovative student projects submitted for recognition. 

Millennial generation
For about 10 years now, car manufacturers have been launching increasingly sophisticated plug-in hybrids, pure electrics and other alternative-energy models. It's not just environmental concerns pushing growth of this market segment: better charging infrastructure and fiscal incentives (plus, increasingly, disincentives for fossil-fuel vehicles) are doing their part too.

On top of that, the Millennial generation favours 'usership' over ownership, which is creating a boom in products and services that offer flexible mobility solutions – primarily but not exclusively aimed at the urban environment.  

Stimulate and reward
But perhaps the most interesting – and consequential – mobility area for innovation per se is the race towards full autonomy, which sees traditional automotive players partner with startups, ICT specialists and web giants. 

So, how does all this link back to EU students? Aiming to stimulate and reward talent in the crucial field of innovation, the European Commission in 2015 launched the Morpheus Cup – a unique championship for EU graduate schools and universities. 

Prize money
Up to 15 March next year, students can submit projects in 21 categories, which apart from Mobility include Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, E-commerce and Logistics, to name but a few. An international jury of investors and experts from the worlds of business, science and creative industries will select the five best projects in each category.

Those are then invited to pitch their projects in Paris, on 12 April next year. The winners in each category then qualify for the finals. The ultimate winner gets the Morpheus Prize 2018. Apart from the honour and attention that comes with winning (in each category, and the grand prize), there is also €50,000 in prize money. 

Innovative challenges
Many brands have already confirmed their participation and will select the best startup projects, or offer student the opportunity to solve innovative challenges: Expon Capital, Leroy-Merlin, PwC, Davidson, Daimler X Lab, France Televisions and European Investment Fund, among others. 

For more information: www.morpheuscup.com.


 

Authored by: Frank Jacobs