Engaging Youth to Co-Create Green Solutions for a Sustainable Future

Client Overview

Europe House is an initiative supported by the European Union, aimed at strengthening civic engagement and bringing Europe closer to the citizens of North Macedonia. After a successful crowdsourcing event organized with Solveo, Europe House once again partnered with us to engage the youth and drive community innovation—this time in alignment with the European Green Deal, which sets the goal of making Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050.

The Challenge

The goal was to bring together high school students from across the country to generate creative solutions to real environmental challenges. The event needed to take place entirely online, during the COVID-19 lockdown, without losing the energy, collaboration, or team spirit of an in-person event.

The challenge was to turn a virtual format into an engaging space for co-creation, while guiding students to work in teams, apply critical thinking, and develop working digital solutions under tight time constraints.

Our Approach

We organized a 54-hour virtual Green Ideathon, hosted over a weekend on Discord and Zoom, with students participating from 10 cities across North Macedonia. The program was designed around three real-world sustainability themes:

  • Farm to Fork

  • Waste Management

  • Circular Economy

Participants were divided into teams and supported by experienced facilitators who guided them through structured activities—ideation, research, prototyping, and final presentations. In just three days, the students explored complex environmental topics, developed team-based solutions, and built their own digital prototypes.

Solveo designed the full program—challenges, team structure, mentorship model, and facilitation process—to ensure the experience was not only educational, but fun and meaningful. Despite being physically apart, participants worked together, shared ideas, and gained practical skills in problem-solving, communication, and innovation.

Outcomes

By the end of the event, the student teams presented four working prototypes, including:

  • A digital platform to reduce textile waste and promote clothing reuse

  • An online store connecting plastic collectors and fashion designers

  • A gamified app promoting healthy eating and waste disposal habits

  • A food donation system using member cards and rewards to reduce waste

In addition to the prototypes, the event delivered tangible outcomes:

  • Engaged high school students from 10 cities during COVID-19 lockdown

  • Enabled fully remote collaboration and teamwork in a 54-hour sprint

  • Built innovation, research, and pitching skills among all participants

  • Strengthened Europe House’s role as a platform for youth-driven solutions

  • Supported the mission of the European Green Deal through education and action

Our work
Launching Kelp and Finding Product-Market Fit in a Crowded Low-Code Market
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Mapping the Macedonian Startup Ecosystem with a Digital-First Approach
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Building Visibility and Traction for Adssets’ Rich Media Platform
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