UNLEASH Europe
How can we rethink the way we build our homes, infrastructures, and shared spaces for a sustainable future? How can we shape cities that are not only resilient, but allow their communities to truly thrive?
Across Europe, the built environment stands at the heart of a just green transition, defining how we live, move, and connect. Yet achieving sustainability requires new ways of thinking, collaborating, and reimagining how our cities are made and who they are made for.
From June 27 to July 4, 2026, UNLEASH Europe brought together 200 young changemakers from all corners of the continent to Copenhagen for a week of co-creation, learning, and collaboration. Participants worked in cross-sector teams to develop solutions that make Europe’s cities more circular, equitable, and livable.
In partnership with
Picture by Rasmus Hjorthøj
UNLEASH Europe is supported by
Program Partners
The Program
June 27
Opening Ceremony
The Opening Ceremony was held at Copenhagen’s City Hall, where we welcomed all Talents, celebrating diversity and setting the tone for the week ahead with some keynote speakers and an Alumni panel who shared some tips on how to make the most of the Innovation Lab experience.
June 28 – July 2
Innovation Lab and Site Visits
During the Innovation Lab, Talents spent 40+ hours immersing themselves in the UNLEASH Innovation Methodology to uncover solutions for the Built Environment. Amidst this action-packed week, Talents also visited Nordhavn, touring the area with experts from COBE and Ramboll, and explored Jernbanebyen, including LITRA makerspace and CPH Village.
July 3
Pitching, Solutions Festival, and Closing Ceremony
At the end of the Innovation Lab, teams pitched their solutions in front of peers and key industry players. During the Solutions Festival, prototypes of the solutions were displayed, with guests touring BLOXHUB. The program ended with a Closing Ceremony at the National Museum of Denmark, where finalists pitched and inspirational keynotes shared some tips for the journey ahead.
June 27
Opening Ceremony
The Opening Ceremony was held at Copenhagen’s City Hall, where we welcomed all Talents, celebrating diversity and setting the tone for the week ahead with some keynote speakers and an Alumni panel who shared some tips on how to make the most of the Innovation Lab experience.
July 3
Pitching, Solutions Festival,
and Closing Ceremony
At the end of the Innovation Lab, teams pitched their solutions in front of peers and key industry players. During the Solutions Festival, prototypes of the solutions were displayed, with guests touring BLOXHUB. The program ended with a Closing Ceremony at the National Museum of Denmark, where finalists pitched and inspirational keynotes shared some tips for the journey ahead.
June 28 – July 2
Innovation Lab and Site Visits
During the Innovation Lab, Talents spent 40+ hours immersing themselves in the UNLEASH Innovation Methodology to uncover solutions for the Built Environment. Amidst this action-packed week, Talents also visited Nordhavn, touring the area with experts from COBE and Ramboll, and explored Jernbanebyen, including LITRA makerspace and CPH Village.
The Thematic Tracks
During the program, Talents will explore how to solve challenges connected to the following areas:
Circular Futures. Scaling circularity in building practices.
The Just Green Transition. Making sustainable cities livable, affordable, and accessible.
Rapidly Changing Environments. Enabling Adaptation in Arctic and Remote Regions.
Thriving Cities. Designing urban spaces that support health and well-being
Guests
Ditte
Lysgaard Vind
Jens
Wandel
Kritika
Kharbanda
Pia
Lauritzen, PhD
Ida
Bigum
Jakob
Strømann-Andersen
Philip
Højberg Unger
Frank
Helner Venset
Lars
Jensen
The Innovation Process
In our programs, we use the unique UNLEASH Innovation Methodology to enable changemakers to translate sustainability challenges into impactful solutions. Our methodology is built around a collaborative innovation process, based on user-centered design principles. In a nutshell, user-centered design starts with focusing on the user you want to design for and ends with tangible products or services, developed to suit their specific needs. The process follows five steps:
Problem Framing
Ideating
Brainstorming and selecting ideas to solve the problem
Prototyping
Testing
Testing the solution with users, learning, and adapting
Implementing
Solutions from previous Innovation Labs
“I met wonderful people during the Lab and came up with the idea for Permalution, a start-up focusing on fog and cloud water harvesting technology, tackling the world’s challenges in water access and drought.”
- Tatiana Estevez Carlucci,
UNLEASH Innovation Lab 2017,
Denmark
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“During the Lab, I was surrounded by people who were truly passionate about solving the challenge we focused on: sustainable fashion. My solution is the digital wardrobe app Whering, which allows you to manage your wardrobe from your device.“
- Bianca Rangecroft,
UNLEASH Innovation Lab 2019,
Shenzhen
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“At Test At Home Pte. Ltd., we are now developing 'Lollipop-like' and 'Chewing gum-like' devices and technology to enable easier, convenient, cheaper, accessible, and home-based healthcare testing.”
- Vivek Manoharan,
UNLEASH Innovation Lab 2018,
Singapore
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“OneDay Health launches sustainable health centers in remote Ugandan communities which previously had no access to quality healthcare. It is amazing how far both our team and OneDay Health had come during the Lab.”
– Nicolas Laing,
UNLEASH Innovation Lab 2017,
Denmark
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