ACA Innovation Challenge 2025

The ACA Innovation Challenge 2025 has just launched its third edition, reinforcing the ACA Group’s commitment to promoting open innovation in the Architecture, Engineering, Construction & Operations (AECO), Water, and Environment/Forestry sectors.

This year, the initiative presents four distinct challenges, designed to accommodate solutions at different stages of technological maturity — from ideas in development to projects already tested or implemented.

The Tech4Build challenge focuses on applying artificial intelligence to transform construction and operation processes, awarding a prize of 5,500 euros to the most innovative proposal.

Within the scope of ACAth[ON], three challenges have been launched: developing solutions to promote more sustainable highways with a lower environmental impact, valorising forest biomass for innovative and ecological uses, and harnessing by-products generated in wastewater treatment plants as value-added raw materials. Each of these challenges will award a prize of 1,500 euros.

In addition to monetary prizes, the programme offers participants unique opportunities for validating solutions, networking with strategic partners, and exploring prospects for future collaboration. Entrepreneurs, students, researchers, start-ups, and small and medium-sized enterprises with original, applicable projects in the eligible sectors can apply.

Applications must be submitted via the official form available on ACA’s website, in Portuguese or English, and must include a detailed description of the idea, its impact, differentiating factors, and, whenever possible, supporting material such as pitch decks or demonstration videos.