Join a transformative journey that will equip you with the skills, knowledge, and network to drive social and sustainable innovation!

Be the next generation of changemakers.

Bondalti

About From Purpose to Impact

From Purpose to Impact is more than just a hackathon – it’s a transformative journey where students develop entrepreneurial skills, and co-create real-world solutions for a more sustainable future.

Through masterclasses, an exclusive toolkit, and interactive challenges, participants will explore the intersection of sustainability, innovation, and social impact, culminating in an immersive hackathon day where they bring their ideas to life.

Powered by Bondalti, this program is designed to bridge the gap between academia and industry, connecting young talent with corporate leaders, social innovators, and sustainability experts. Tomorrow matters, and Bondalti is committed to develop the next generation of leaders driving positive change in society!

Challenges We’re Tackling

From Purpose to Impact is looking for solutions that address one of the following key environmental challenges:

CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND JUST TRANSITION

Innovative solutions to enhance water security and climate resilience:

Technologies for reducing water consumption and minimizing losses.


Monitoring and enhancing water quality through smart solutions.


Water Leak Detection and Loss Prevention.


Climate-Resilient Water Management.

GREEN ENERGY 
& BUSINESS 4.0

Rethinking materials, supply chains, and sustainable business models:

Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) frameworks for businesses.


New product design approaches prioritizing sustainability.


Innovations in green and renewable materials for industrial use.


Strategies to promote circular supply chains and reduce environmental impact.

If you want to explore these topics further or shape your career in sustainability and entrepreneurship, don’t miss this opportunity to create a real environmental and social impact – Join the From Purpose to Impact!

diverse group of people working

Who can participate?

Open to all students from FEUP and UA, regardless of their course.

Apply individually, in a team (3-5 people), or as an incomplete team (we’ll match you).

Diversity matters! Teams must have members from at least 2 different courses to be accepted.

Program Structure

As the name suggests, From Purpose to Impact – which is why we’ve designed an integrated and immersive program that empowers you to develop entrepreneurial skills, collaborate with diverse teams, and dive deep into the world of social innovation. This engaging experience is built to accelerate your journey from inspiration to impact, helping you transform ideas into real-world solutions. The program is structured around three key channels, each offering a unique perspective to guide and support the development of your idea.

Masterclasses

Have the first glimpse of inspiration and strategic insights to guide you toward impactful solutions! Join us in this fascinating masterclass led by industry experts to explore green careers.

Masterclass – “The Future of Green Jobs: How to Build a Sustainable Career”

Discover emerging career paths in sustainability and social impact and learn how to align your skills with climate-positive industries.

Don´t miss this opportunity, register now here.

Pre-Hackathon

Let’s get ready for Hackathon Day!

Gain access to an exclusive Toolkit designed to inspire, guide, and empower you throughout your From Purpose to Impact journey. Dive into curated case studies of successful social enterprises, explore key frameworks and methodologies, and leverage complementary resources to build a strong foundation for your idea.

Until the big day, engage in mini interactive challenges (with awards!) designed to strengthen team synergy. Connect with your teammates through team-building exercises, problem-framing activities, and ideation warm-ups, setting the stage for an impactful and collaborative experience.

And it doesn’t stop there! This Toolkit is your roadmap beyond the Hackathon Day, equipping you with funding recommendations, incubator opportunities, and prototyping tools to help turn your idea into a real-world venture.

Hackathon Day

A high-energy, full-day experience where teams work intensively to ideate, refine, and pitch their solutions. With expert support and structured workshops, participants will gain hands-on experience in design thinking, social innovation, and business modeling!

Frame the problem

Learn to define your problem statement for the challenges suggested from a different range of available frameworks.

Ideate

Explore creative problem-solving frameworks to identify your project’s unique impact, differentiation, and market viability.

Social Sustainability Impact Canvas

Map out the social and environmental impact of your solution, ensuring it aligns with clear KPIs and impact measurement strategies.

Pitch Workshop

Learn to structure a compelling pitch using the storytelling techniques. Receive expert feedback and prepare for the final showcase!

Closing

The jury evaluates projects and winners are revealed - after a full-day, it's time to celebrate!

Program Timeline

Open Call
12/03 - 07/05
Arrow
Team Matchmaking
and Announcement
07/05 - 09/05
Arrow
Pre-Hackathon
07/05 - 14/05
Arrow
Hackathon Day
15/05

Why Join From Purpose to Impact

From Inspiration to Impact

Learn how to build a solution for an environmental issue from scratch and develop a real-world business model that will positively impact society.

Gain hands-on experience

Access exclusive masterclasses, tools/frameworks, and support opportunities.

Boost your academic and professional career

Stand out with recognized certifications and accelerator opportunities to turn your business into reality.

Connect with industry leaders

Access exclusive masterclasses, tools/frameworks, and support opportunities.

Win big

Compete for monetary prizes, exclusive training, and top-tier international experiences.

What are we looking for?

At From Purpose to Impact, we are searching for innovative, impactful, and bold solutions that tackle real-world sustainability and social challenges. Your project will be evaluated based on six key criteria that reflect what makes an idea truly transformative, feasible, and scalable.

Creativity

We want to see original ideas that rethink traditional approaches.
How does your solution bring a fresh perspective to the challenge?

Feasibility

A great idea needs a realistic execution plan.
How practical is your solution? Can it be implemented with available technology and resources? Does your team present a clear roadmap for turning the idea into reality?

Clarity & Quality of Pitch

Presentation matters! Your ability to communicate your idea clearly, concisely, and persuasively is key.
Is your pitch well-structured, engaging, and compelling enough to capture attention and support?

Market Potential

We are looking for solutions with the potential to be embraced by society and scale.
Does it have a clear value proposition? Can it generate real traction and be scalable?

Impact & Sustainability

The best solutions are those that drive meaningful change.
Does your project create a positive environmental, social, or business impact? Is it aligned with sustainability principles and designed for long-term viability?

Team Collaboration & Leadership

Behind every great solution is a strong, dynamic team.
We value teams that demonstrate collaboration, adaptability, and leadership throughout the hackathon. How well did your team leverage diverse skills, solve challenges together, and take initiative?

We are looking for solutions that are not just ideas, but real opportunities to make a difference.
Are you ready to bring your vision to life?

Prizes

BONDALTI CHALLENGE WINNER

Best Overall project

per team

Exclusive experience: Passes to a top-tier international conference (Web Summit, Greentech Festival, ChangeNOW, etc.).

BEST SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION

Best Impact-Driven Innovation

per team

Advanced sustainability training: Specialized course on sustainability and circular economy.

BEST ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROJECT

Best Startup-Ready Idea

per team

Guaranteed spot in a national accelerator (IRIS, Startup Lisboa, Casa do Impacto).

Judges

At From Purpose to Impact, we are searching for innovative, impactful, and bold solutions that tackle real-world sustainability and social challenges. Your project will be evaluated based on six key criteria that reflect what makes an idea truly transformative, feasible, and scalable.

Luís Delgado

President of the Jury
Executive Board Member and Chief Sustainability Officer at Bondalti

Luís Delgado is a member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of Bondalti Capital, and a member of the Board of Directors of Bondalti Chemicals since November 2019.

He started his professional career at 3M, in Portugal and in Germany, was Manager at Arthur D. Little and held positions in the Strategic Planning direction of José de Mello. He also worked at Brisa, as director of International Development, was a partner at Jason Associates and, from 2015 to October 2019, he served as Executive Director of Efacec Power Solutions.

Luís Delgado has a degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Instituto Superior Técnico, and an MBA from Universidade Nova de Lisboa.

Susana Carvalho

Head of Sustainability & Climate Transition at Bondalti

Graduated in Environmental Engineering in Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa – Portugal, holds an Advanced Studies Diploma in Sustainable Energy Systems from MIT Portugal and almost 20 years of experience in Innovation, Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility in Industry, Consulting, Technology, Transports, and Nonprofit organizations.

Talks about sustainable innovation, business strategy, conscious capitalism, ESG reporting, renewable energy systems, smart mobility, decarbonization and climate change adaptation, partnerships for environmental and social impact and stakeholder engagement.

Passionate about people, technology, leadership, and happiness culture in organizations. Mission in life: Transform business and minds. Life mantra: Work hard, play harder.

Ana Costa

Sustainability & Blue Economy Director at Beta-i

Ana Costa is one of the Directors of Beta-i and expert in Sustainability, Blue Economy, Innovation in Fashion, to name a few. After 15 years working in different industrial environments (water and wastewater treatment, Oil & Gas), she founded Baseville, a sustainable fashion brand, and co-founded Fashion Catalyst, a fashion consulting studio. Creating purpose-centered innovation ecosystems has been one of her missions while working at Beta-i.

Her areas of expertise include ecosystem strategy & governance, waste value chains, blue economy, sustainability, blue innovation in fashion, strategic planning, circular economy, and stakeholder management.

Fernando Pereira

Head of the Chemical Engineering Department at FEUP

Full Professor at FEUP and Head of the Chemical Engineering Department since 2018. With a PhD in Chemical Engineering (1998), his research focuses on heterogeneous catalysis, carbon materials, energy, environment, and smart textiles. He has coordinated numerous national and international projects, supervised over 130 researchers, and published extensively with an H-index of 79 (Scopus, 2024). He is also the President of the Carbon Group of SPQ and Portugal’s representative in the IACS and European Carbon Association.

Armando Silvestre

Director of the Chemistry Department at UA

PhD in Chemistry, full professor and currently Head of the Chemistry Department at the University of Aveiro, his research focuses on renewable-based materials, particularly in the development of biopolymers and biocomposites from agro-industrial residues, contributing to sustainable material innovation.

He was a member of the CICECO – Aveiro Institute of Materials, one of Portugal’s leading materials research institutions, and actively collaborates on European and international projects in the field of green chemistry and circular economy.

Fátima Lopes Alves

Director of the Environment and Planning Department at UA

Holds a PhD in Environmental Applied Sciences from the University of Aveiro. She is currently the Director of the Department of Environment and Planning at the University of Aveiro and Vice-Director of the Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM – Associate Laboratory), in addition to serving as Director of the Institute of Environment and Development (IDAD).

With over 35 years of professional experience, her areas of expertise focus on Integrated Coastal Zone Management, Marine Resources Management, Planning and Management of Protected Areas, and Strategic Planning.

Has extensive experience in consulting for public and private organisations, both nationally and internationally, in the fields of land use planning, strategic environmental assessment, and public participation and consultation processes. Between 2019 and 2022, she served as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Port of Aveiro, S.A. and the Port of Figueira da Foz, S.A.

Francisca Pais

Innovation Manager 
at IRIS

Francisca is the Innovation Manager at IRIS Incubadora de Inovação Social and is responsible for the educational project Mudar o Mundo. Throughout her career at IRIS, she has followed the challenges and evolution of innovation and social entrepreneurship projects. She has a degree in Sociology from the University of Porto, with a dissertation in the area of ​​impact assessment.

Joana Torres

Treasurer 
at Quercus Aveiro

Information management professional with experience in municipal archives and currently working in a municipal library.

Joana is a trainer and has collaborated as a volunteer in several projects and events of cultural, sports and environmental associations.

After the fire that affected her village in September 2023, Joana co-founded a civic movement and a residents’ committee, currently committed to creating a Local Development and Protection Association, with the aim of combating desertification, rural abandonment, the proliferation of invasive species and the lack of territorial protection.

About

Bondalti
Bondalti is Portugal’s largest chemical company, operating primarily in the industrial chemicals and water treatment sectors – with manufacturing plants in Estarreja, Portugal, and Torrelavega, Spain, Bondalti serves a diverse clientele across domestic and international markets. Guided by its corporate motto, “Tomorrow Matters”, Bondalti is committed to contributing to a better world through innovative and sustainable chemistry. This commitment is embodied in the Together Matters strategy – a 2030 Corporate Responsibility Program aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals – that aims to transition Bondalti from traditional philanthropy to a role as a responsible investor, positively impacting the communities it serves. As part of this initiative, the From Purpose to Impact Journey, culminating in a dynamic hackathon, empowers students to develop entrepreneurial skills and collaborate on sustainable solutions, reflecting Bondalti’s dedication to fostering innovation and societal well-being.

Learn more about Bondalti

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Bondalti