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Zero City Lab

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Zero City Lab

Korçë, Pogradec, Prrenjas

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Download the Guideline for Application and Participation in the Zero City Lab

About Zero City Labs
Korça, Pogradec, and Prrenjas

Zero City Labs (ZCL) is an innovative accelerator program aimed at tackling urban waste issues by fostering circular economy solutions. ZCL is a program designed to find new and effective ways to manage waste and promote sustainability in cities. It is an accelerator program meaning it helps businesses and projects grow faster by giving them the tools, resources, and support they need to succeed. This initiative actively engages local SMEs and businesses while also involving research institutions, academia and civil society to drive innovation. By integrating these diverse stakeholders, the program not only tests cutting-edge circular economy systems but also aims to strengthen businesses. The goal is to create better, cleaner, and more livable cities by finding ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle so in the long-term we can push for the creation of Zero Waste Cities.
Challenges
The challenges below are only indicative, you can come up with your own innovative Circular Economy solutions in any sector.

Circular Solutions in Agriculture and Food Processing

Circular Solutions in Tourism

Innovative Textile and Wood Waste Solutions

Other Circular Economy Solutions

Who Should Join?

Zero City Labs - Korça, Pogradec, and Prrenjas is designed for businesses, startups, research entities and individuals across various sectors and industries, seeking to develop circular economy solutions falling in any of the following four main categories.

Qualification Criteria

To be eligible for participation in the Zero City Labs - Korça, Pogradec, and Prrenjas accelerator program, applicants must meet one of the following criteria:

A Formally Registered Business:

The applicant must be a legally registered business entity, either as a physical person (sole proprietorship) or a juridical person (such as a limited liability company or corporation).

A Consortium/ Joint Venture:

The applicant can be a consortium or joint venture, composed of up to three entities. The consortium must be led by a registered business entity, which will act as the primary applicant and responsible party for the project. However, the other entities can also be research institutions or NGOs

A Team of Individuals (Startup):

The applicant can be a startup team consisting of a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 4 individuals. The startup team must commit to formally registering as a business entity prior to receiving any potential grant award for the piloting phase of the program.

A sole individual:

The applicant can be a sole individual (early idea stage startup, entrepreneur, professional expert, IT – developer or other) willing to join a team during the hackathon phase.

*Note: Companies / entities that have been granted financing from national or international donors for the past 12 months are not eligible for this call.

How to Join?

Program Journey Applications:

Apply by August 15, 2025. Zero City Labs – Korça, Pogradec, and Prrenjas will select up to 20 teams based on their applications.

Hackathon:

 Participate in an intense 2-days development session from the 11th to 13th of September, where a jury will select 10-12 teams that will continue in the accelerator.

Accelerator Program:

From the middle of September to the end of October 2025, selected teams will undergo a comprehensive accelerator program featuring training, workshops, and mentoring.

Demo Day

Join us on October 31st as our accelerator teams pitch their solutions after six weeks of intensive training and mentorship. Celebrate innovation, impact, and the future in the making.

Pilot Implementation:

From November to April or May 2026, 4-5 most promising solutions will be piloted and tested in Korça, Pogradec, and or Prrenjas.

What do you get

Tailored hackathon and accelerator program

(September - October 2025) with practical trainings, group coaching, and 1-to-1 mentoring sessions with local and international experts

Program Benefits

Teams that progress to the accelerator phase will receive:

Access to startup tools, innovative methodologies, and development tools

To design and develop your solutions and go-to-market strategies.

Marketing and PR support

To enhance your startup's communications and market visibility within the region and beyond .

Networking and partnership opportunities

With EU4Innovation, EU 4 Circular Economy and Livable Cities (EU4CELC), and other local and regional partners.

Access to financial support

Winning teams will receive up to €50,000 each in grant-funding.

What is Circular Economy?

The Circular Economy is an economic model designed to minimize waste and maximize resource use by keeping products, materials, and resources in circulation for as long as possible. Unlike the traditional linear model, which follows a "buy, use, dispose" approach, the circular economy emphasizes durability, reusability, repairability, and recyclability. This approach is essential for managing the increasing volume of global waste, as it promotes reducing, reusing, and recycling materials. By extending product lifecycles and cutting down on raw material extraction, the circular economy helps conserve resources and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

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Disclaimer: Zero City Lab is financially supported by the EU and German government, through EU4Innovation and EU4Circular Economy and Livable Cities and implemented by ALBICT and Layer, in partnership with the municipalities in the region.