UNLEASH Europe Frequently Asked Questions
Read the answers to the questions below if you are considering applying to the UNLEASH Europe Innovation Lab.
About the Innovation Lab
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UNLEASH Europe is an UNLEASH Innovation Lab tackling the continent’s most pressing built environment challenges by gathering 200 young changemakers from across Europe for a one-week hands-on innovation program.
Participants (called Talents at UNLEASH) will spend a week exploring a real-world challenge connected to their Thematic Track and co-create a potential solution with their team.
By the end of the Innovation Lab, teams will have developed:
- A clearly defined problem statement grounded in user needs
- A solution concept or prototype that responds to that problem
- A short pitch that communicates the idea, its value, and its potential impact
You are encouraged to come with an open mind and to put aside any previous ideas for a solution so that you can explore other perspectives with your team. The focus is on learning how to frame problems well, test assumptions, and collaborate effectively; and not on delivering a “finished” or market-ready product. Further testing and implementation is possible through the UNLEASH Innovation Hub, where participants can engage after their Innovation Lab experience.
A typical day combines hands-on team work, expert input, and shared moments with the wider cohort. Most days follow a rhythm of morning assemblies, focused-time for teamwork, with guidance from trained Facilitators, and time for feedback, reflection, and iteration.
Teams usually work roughly between 9:00 and 17:00, with breaks for meals, and opportunities for site visits, networking, or cultural activities. Evenings often include community dinners, informal conversations, or social activities. Days are designed to be energizing and collaborative, with space for reflection and rest.
Together with our partner BLOXHUB, we’ve developed four (4) Thematic Tracks focused on circularity in building practices, the just green transition, rapidly changing environments, and urban health and well-being. You can read more about them here.
UNLEASH Innovation Labs typically last one week, with minimum 40 hours of innovation work. The program begins with an Opening Ceremony on the very first day (June 27, 2026) and ends with the Pitching Finals and Closing Party on the last day (July 3, 2026). In between, Talents work in teams on developing a solution within their assigned Thematic Track.
The final schedule of the program will be shared with confirmed Talents.
UNLEASH does not take ownership of ideas developed during the UNLEASH Innovation Lab. Teams decide for themselves if and how they want to continue working on their solutions after the program.
Some teams choose to further develop their ideas, pilot them locally, or explore partnerships. Others see the solution as a learning experience rather than something to pursue long-term, and they may use their new skills and approaches to develop solutions to different challenges they encounter in the future. All outcomes are equally valid!
No matter what, UNLEASH strives to equip participants with the tools, mindset and community needed for them to apply their experiences back into their own communities, organizations, or professional contexts.
Yes. All Talents become part of the UNLEASH global alumni community and gain access to the UNLEASH Innovation Hub. Through the Innovation Hub, alumni can access e-learning resources, workshops, mentorship opportunities, and connections to other UNLEASHers around the world.
Have you ever wanted to make an impact in your community, solve a persistent challenge you face, or be more active in leading change, but weren’t sure how to start?
UNLEASH Europe is an opportunity to step out of your everyday context and spend a week learning and working intensely with people from across Europe who care deeply about shaping a more just and sustainable future.
During the Innovation Lab, Talents gain practical innovation skills, experience working across disciplines and cultures, and build a Europe-wide network as they co-create solutions to real challenges. After the Innovation Lab, Talents join a global community of thousands of UNLEASHers committed to driving positive change that help shape their personal and professional paths long after the program ends.
Practicalities
The Innovation Lab will take place in BLOXHUB, the Nordic Hub for Sustainable Urbanization, in Copenhagen, Denmark, from June 27 – July 4, 2026.
If you are selected to participate in the program, please remember to plan time for travel to Denmark both prior to and after the program.
The Innovation Lab will be held in English. You must have English proficiency equivalent to B1 (spoken and written) to participate in the program.
Applications to the UNLEASH Innovation Lab will be open between February 12 and March 3, 23.59 CET. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.
You can access the application form here. You will need to create a login with your first name, last name, and email ID.
Yes. We will host an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session on February 23, 11.00 CET. You can join the online Zoom session here. We will make the recording available for those who cannot attend the session.
You can contact us at europe@unleash.org. Please do note we’re a very small (but mighty!) team, so you may experience some delays in our response time during busy periods, such when applications are live.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible, applicants must meet all the following requirements:
- Young people aged 18 to 35
- Individuals currently living in a country from the Council of Europe (including Greenland and Faroe Islands).
- English proficiency up to the equivalent of a B1 level (written and spoken) is a requirement.
- Full-time commitment during the entire program is a pre-condition to apply. The Opening Ceremony will take place in the afternoon of June 27, and the Closing Ceremony will end in the evening of July 3. Participants are expected to be available for all activities during that period, both dates included.
Candidates living in countries belonging to the Council of Europe are welcome to apply. The list includes: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, the Kingdom of Denmark (including Greenland and Faroe Islands), Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Republic of Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, Ukraine, and United Kingdom.
No. For UNLEASH Europe, eligibility is based on a current connection to the European context. The Innovation Lab focuses on challenges related to Europe’s built environment, and participants are expected to bring lived, professional, or community-based perspectives rooted in Europe today. For this reason, applicants must currently be living in Europe at the time of application. This ensures that discussions, problem framing, and solutions developed during the Innovation Lab are grounded in present-day European realities.
We encourage individuals currently based outside Europe to follow UNLEASH’s global programs and future opportunities that may be better aligned with their context.
Yes. Applicants who are currently living in Europe are eligible to apply, regardless of nationality. UNLEASH Europe values the diverse lived experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds of people who are part of Europe’s communities today.
Participants are expected to engage with challenges related to Europe’s built environment and to work on solutions relevant to the continent. At the same time, we recognize that many participants bring transnational experiences and may apply their learnings in different contexts in the future. Both perspectives are welcome and enrich the Innovation Lab.
No. The Innovation Lab is designed for participants with diverse backgrounds and experience levels. All teams are supported by trained Facilitators, and the UNLEASH Innovation Methodology is introduced step-by-step throughout the week.
Talents are selected based on the following criteria:
- Demonstrated passion and commitment to solving Europe’s most pressing challenges around built environment.
- Possession of a creative and innovative mindset.
- Willingness to engage in co-creation with peers and experts.
- Resilience and ability to overcome failure.
UNLEASH is not designed to accelerate existing ventures. Applicants who are selected should be open to working in new problem spaces, collaborating across disciplines, and challenging their own assumptions throughout the week.
As such, applicants will not qualify for UNLEASH if they:
- Are not willing to work on completely new ideas or challenge their assumptions through collaboration with other participants.
- Intend to use UNLEASH only to further an idea they launched in an entrepreneurial or intrapreneurial capacity that they are currently working on full-time
No. It is only possible to apply as an individual. At the Innovation Lab, you will be assigned to a specific team depending on your personal interests and profile.
Diversity and inclusion are core to UNLEASH’s mission. We actively work to bring together participants from different countries, disciplines, lived experiences, socioeconomic backgrounds, and perspectives.
During selection, we consider not only individual merit but also how each applicant contributes to a diverse and balanced cohort. Financial support is available to remove economic barriers, and accessibility needs are accommodated wherever possible to ensure everyone can participate fully.
Absolutely. UNLEASH actively encourages applications from people whose backgrounds, studies, or career paths may not follow a traditional or linear route.
If you are engaged with challenges related to Europe’s built environment, whether through formal education, professional experience, community work, activism, lived experience, or self-directed learning, your perspective is valuable. There is no single “right” profile for an UNLEASH participant.
No. If you have participated in-person as a Talent at any of the previous UNLEASH Innovation Labs held in Philippines, Amazon, Rwanda, India, Greenland, China, Singapore, and Denmark, you are not eligible to apply to UNLEASH Europe.
Yes! If you have participated in an UNLEASH Hack, but not in an UNLEASH Innovation Lab, you are welcome to apply to UNLEASH Europe. This applies to any role in the Hack (Organizing Team member, Facilitator, or Talent), provided you do not have prior in-person experience in an UNLEASH Innovation Lab.
No. Applicants who have previously participated as Talents in UNLEASH Plus are not eligible to apply as Talents for UNLEASH Europe.
UNLEASH Plus participants have already worked extensively with the UNLEASH Innovation Methodology and applied it across multiple contexts. As such, they are well positioned to continue using these learnings independently in their own work, communities, or organizations.
UNLEASH sources Innovation Lab Facilitators from our existing community of UNLEASH and partner networks. Alumni who are eligible to facilitate at the Innovation Lab have already been notified.
Application Process
We strongly encourage that you prepare your application well in advance of the deadline to avoid last-minute technical issues or lack of internet connectivity that may affect your ability to apply.
We’ve included the qualitative questions in this FAQ so you can prepare your answers outside of the application form. This will be helpful in case you face any submission challenges (such as connectivity issues), so that you do not lose you work.
The application form allows you to save your answers per page, and you can revisit your answers ahead of your submission. You can also save your incomplete application and come back to it, so long as it is before the deadline. You can only submit one application.
We recommend writing your answers in your own words and focusing on clarity rather than jargon. If we assess that your qualitative answers are clearly Artificial Intelligence-generated responses, this will lead to an automatic disqualification of your application.
You will answer questions about your personal profile, as well as questions that demonstrate your passion for, or commitment to, make Europe’s cities more circular, equitable, and livable.
Please be truthful in all your responses. UNLEASH commits to remaining unbiased in the evaluation and selection process, and any information discovered to be intentionally incorrect could lead to an automatic rejection of your application. We expect applicants to submit responses that are original and reflect their own experiences, perspectives, and thinking. You are welcome to use tools to support brainstorming or structuring your thoughts, but the final answers should be written in your own words and genuinely represent you. Applications that do not appear to reflect the applicant’s own voice or experiences may be disqualified.
As part of the application, we ask for basic personal and background information, such as your contact details, country of residence, education and professional experience, and whether you have participated in UNLEASH programs before.
You will also be invited to answer a short set of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) questions. These questions help us understand the range of backgrounds, lived experiences, and perspectives represented among applicants. This information is used to support our commitment to building a diverse and inclusive cohort and is not used to assess the quality or strength of individual applications.
You can always choose “prefer not to say” when answering these questions.
Education systems vary widely across countries, and we recognize that not everyone’s learning journey follows the same path. When answering this question, please select the option that most closely reflects the highest level of education you have completed or are currently undertaking, even if the terminology used in your country is different.
This question helps us understand the diversity of educational backgrounds across applicants and is not used to assess eligibility or the strength of your application. There is no preferred or required level of education to apply to UNLEASH Europe.
Yes. You will be asked to briefly answer three (3) questions related to the Thematic Track you are most interested in. They are:
- Tell us about a challenge you’ve experienced and care deeply about that is linked to the Thematic Track you selected as your first choice. What got you interested in this issue, and why does it matter to you to solve it? (max. 1000 characters, including spaces)
- Have you taken part in any activities or projects related to this challenge? Tell us what you did, what happened, and what you learned. If not, share how you hope to get involved in the future? (max. 800 characters, including spaces)
- What do you hope to gain from being part of the UNLEASH Innovation Lab? How would this support your goals in the next year or beyond? (max. 800 characters, including spaces)
Yes. You can edit your application form even after submitting it without having to create a new application. You can make changes to your form until the application closing date, on March 3 at 23:59 CET. To do so, simply log back into the application portal and navigate to the menu on the left to ‘Applications’.
Review and Selection
Applications are reviewed by the UNLEASH team using a structured evaluation framework aligned with the selection criteria.
Applicants are asked to indicate their preferred thematic track as part of the application. We make a strong effort to assign participants to their first choice, and in previous Innovation Labs, approximately 75% of participants were placed in their first-choice Track, with the remaining participants assigned to their second choice.
While we strive to place everyone in their top choice, we cannot guarantee this at the application stage. Final Thematic Track assignments are made based on overall cohort balance, team diversity, and the number of available spots within each Thematic Track.
It’s important to note that for UNLEASH Europe, the Thematic Tracks are deeply interconnected. Challenges within the built environment (from housing and infrastructure to circularity, climate adaptation, and social equity) overlap across contexts. Bringing together participants with diverse backgrounds and perspectives within each Track helps enrich discussions, strengthen problem framing, and lead to more holistic and impactful solutions.
We will notify selected and waitlisted candidates between the end of March and mid-April.
Yes. In addition to selected participants, a number of applicants will be placed on a waitlist. If selected participants decline their spot or are unable to confirm participation, offers may be extended to candidates on the waitlist.
Waitlisted applicants will be informed of their status and the timeframe in which they may be contacted.
Yes. We will inform all non-successful applicants once we have confirmed the participants selected for the Innovation Lab.
Intellectual Property Rights
To the extent that participants’ participation in UNLEASH gives rise to intellectual property, hereunder copyrights, patent rights, and design rights, participants work within their teams to determine future ownership.
However, UNLEASH does retain the rights to use solutions developed during UNLEASH for publicity purposes only.
Travel and Accommodation
Visa requirements depend on your nationality. Denmark is part of the Schengen Area, and visa rules vary accordingly. If you’re selected, it will be your responsibility to confirm what visa requirements (if any) apply to you and any related steps to ensure your ability to travel to Denmark. You can read more here.
UNLEASH is able to provide an invitation letter to support your visa application upon request.
Visa requirements and associated costs vary depending on your nationality and country of residence. In general, participants are responsible for arranging and covering any visa-related expenses required to travel to Denmark. However, if you are selected and receive full financial support (travel + registration fee), you may request additional support to cover reasonable visa costs as part of your scholarship. Details on how to do so will be shared with selected participants.
No specific vaccinations are required to enter Denmark beyond standard public health recommendations. If any health requirements apply at the time of the program, selected participants will be informed in advance.
If you’re booking your own travel, you’re welcome to make the arrangements that suit you best. Please do note that confirmed participants are expected required to attend the Opening Ceremony on the afternoon of June 27 and the Closing Ceremony on July 3 as a prerequisite for their participation. UNLEASH will only cover their accommodation during the duration of the Innovation Lab.
If you apply for financial support and are granted the request, in most cases UNLEASH will book your flights and plan your arrival and departure to suit the program schedule. Flights booked by UNLEASH cannot be rescheduled.
Talents will take the public transport in Copenhagen, which UNLEASH will arrange. Travel not related to program activities will be your responsibility.
No. You must be present during the entire duration of the program, including both the Opening Ceremony and the Closing Ceremony. Not adhering to this premise will automatically disqualify you.
All Talents will stay in shared accommodation within walking distance of BLOXHUB.
To foster a strong sense of community and shared experience throughout the week, Talents will stay in shared rooms of 4 – 8 people, in a setting inspired by the Danish folk high school (højskole) tradition. Folk high schools are a long-standing Danish educational model centered on community living, dialogue, personal growth, and collective learning rather than exams or grades. The tradition emphasizes shared meals, meaningful conversations, and developing a sense of belonging around a common purpose.
By staying together, we aim to recreate the spirit of the first UNLEASH Innovation Lab in Denmark back in 2017, where much of the magic happened not only during structured sessions, but also during breakfasts, late-night reflections, and informal exchanges. The shared accommodation helps create a holistic experience where participants feel part of something bigger: a collective European ambition to rethink and reshape the built environment.
Specific details about the accommodation will be shared with confirmed participants.
No. Unfortunately, we do not allow individuals other than accepted participants to attend the UNLEASH Innovation Lab.
Do not book your flights until UNLEASH has accepted your application and has confirmed the payment for your registration.
All airports are provided with an International Air Transport Association (IATA) Code. These codes are always 3 letters and can be found on the IATA website here. After following the link, scroll down to “Search Airport Codes” code. Please note: do not use the “Search Airline Codes” field.
If your city has multiple airports, please select the airport code of the airport you are most likely to use. You do not need to include the airport name.
Specific Requirements
Yes. Accepted Talents will be asked to submit information on any dietary requirements they may have prior to their attendance.
Yes. Accepted Talents will be asked to submit information on any mobility requirements they may have prior to their attendance.
The Innovation Lab is an intensive but supportive experience. The program is designed with breaks, reflection moments, and social activities to support participants’ well-being. Facilitators are trained to create inclusive, respectful team environments, and participants are encouraged to communicate openly if they need support during the week.
Participation Costs and Financial Support
There is no cost to apply to the UNLEASH Innovation Lab. The application process is completely free, and you should not pay anything at this stage. Payment of a registration fee applies only after you are officially selected, and you have been notified to do so.
UNLEASH is committed to making the Innovation Lab accessible to everyone, and we welcome Talents from every place and every background.
To confirm their spot, selected participants pay a €130 registration fee, which helps prevent no-shows and ensures that every available seat is filled by a committed participant.
UNLEASH covers all on-site program expenses, including:
- Accommodation
- Meals
- Local transport
- Logistical needs
- All innovation programming
Participants are responsible for arranging and covering their travel to and from Copenhagen. While we encourage participants who can cover their travel costs – either personally or through employer or institutional support – to do so, financial support is available for those who need it.
This helps us direct resources to applicants for whom financial constraints would otherwise prevent participation.
Financial support covers travel to and from Copenhagen and, if requested, the €130 registration fee.
All on-site costs (accommodation, meals, program activities, local transport) are already fully covered for every participant.
UNLEASH offers three (3) types of financial support depending on your circumstances:
- Partial Travel Support (50%). UNLEASH covers half of your travel costs, and you pay the other half, as well as the registration fee. This option is designed for participants who can contribute something toward travel but need partial support to make participation possible.
- Full Travel Support (100%). UNLEASH covers the entire cost of your travel to and from Copenhagen. You pay the €130 registration fee yourself. This option is for applicants who can manage the registration fee but cannot cover travel.
- Full Support (Travel + Registration Fee). UNLEASH covers both your travel costs and the €130 registration fee. This option is reserved for applicants who would otherwise be unable to participate due to financial constraints.
There is one question in the application form where we ask you to explain why you are requesting financial support. This question helps us to better understand your circumstances.
A few honest and clear sentences about your financial situation are enough. You can mention anything relevant about your current situation, such as:
- supporting family members financially
- having limited financial flexibility
- being a student
- being unemployed or between jobs
- having caregiving responsibilities
- living in a household or context where covering travel costs would be a burden
- any other circumstances that impact your ability to afford travel or the registration fee
You do not need to share sensitive personal details or provide documentation. Your explanation should give us enough context to understand your request.
Your explanation should be clear and honest, but it does not need to be long. A short paragraph of max. 500 characters (including spaces) will suffice to help us understand why you are requesting support.
We rely on your honesty and trust your self-assessment. Requests are only declined if the explanation does not meaningfully justify the level of support requested. In all other cases, support is granted so that financial barriers do not prevent anyone from joining.
No. No one will be turned away for financial reasons. If you need financial support in order to participate, we encourage you to request it. Financial support exists precisely to ensure that anyone selected for the Innovation Lab can attend, regardless of their financial circumstances.
Ask yourself: can I reasonably cover my own travel, or part of it? If yes, we encourage you to select that option, as it helps us direct resources to applicants for whom financial constraints would otherwise prevent participation. If not, financial support exists to help you participate.
No. Financial support decisions happen after the evaluation process. You must select the appropriate option in your application.
No. Changes cannot be made after submission of your application. This is because, at the stage of selection, financial support decisions will be final.
No. Requests for financial support will only be reviewed once applications have been reviewed and the selection process has been finalized.
However, you should request support only if you need it and provide an honest explanation of your situation. Please note that if your request for support is denied based on the information provided, your spot at the Innovation Lab will also be declined, as we assume that attending without support would not be possible for you.
You can check typical flight prices from your city to Copenhagen for late June or early July to get a general sense of the cost.
UNLEASH uses a flat-rate system, where we assign a standard travel amount for each region or country, based on typical fares. Your support will be calculated according to this flat rate rather than the exact cost of your ticket.
A flat travel rate is a standardized travel budget assigned based on your departure region. Instead of reimbursing exact ticket prices, UNLEASH uses flat rates to ensure fairness, predictability, and consistency across all participants.
Flat rates are calculated using:
- Typical round-trip prices for economy travel (plane, train, or bus)
- Travel during the official program dates
- Routes that reasonably allow participants to arrive on time and depart after the program ends
- Realistic itineraries that may include layovers or transfers, especially for participants traveling from remote or peripheral regions
Rates are reviewed and adjusted to reflect actual market conditions and regional travel realities.
You will receive instructions after acceptance.
Because UNLEASH uses a flat-rate system for travel costs, your support amount will be based on the flat rate assigned to your region, regardless of price fluctuations. If you are selected, you will receive detailed information about how this works during your confirmation process.
The process will be fully outlined if you are selected. In general, if you receive partial travel support, you will need to pay for the cost of your travel and will be reimbursed. If you receive full travel support, UNLEASH will generally book travel upfront, with the assumption that participants supported with full travel costs are unable to pay out of pocket and wait for a reimbursement.
UNLEASH will not cover the costs of Talents traveling from their home to the international airport, train, or bus station from which they are traveling to Denmark nor the journey from the airport/station to the hotel in Copenhagen.