Winning GCA

Winning the Global Change Award isn’t just about receiving funding. As a winner, you’ll join a growing network of pioneers and take part in the yearlong Changemaker Programme – designed to help you grow your idea, expand your reach and build lasting impact.

Many of our winners say that being selected has helped them unlock new opportunities from building credibility and visibility to expanding their networks and accelerating their ideas. Through the GCA community, we stay connected with our alumni and continue to collaborate and support them beyond their winning year.

GCA opened up doors and allowed us to build a network in three textile hubs around the world. And at the time, what really helped us was the financial contribution, the help in marketing materials, and the recognition in the industry – we were taken seriously.

Anna Beltzung, dimpora
The GCA winner cohort 2023 at the Changemaker week in Stockholm 2023.

What you win

A yearlong Changemaker Programme

As a winner you get acces to our Changemaker Programme, designed together with our strategic partners Accenture and KTH Royal Institute of Technology. It includes three immersive in-person weeks, expert sessions, and an extensive peer network.

€200,000 grant and global recognition

Each winner receives a €200,000 grant, with no strings attached. You are free to collaborate with whoever you want – GCA exists to drive transformation for the entire industry. You’ll be celebrated at the iconic Stockholm City Hall, home of the Nobel Prize banquet, and introduced to the textile industry on a global stage.

Access to the industry and the GCA community

You’ll gain access to our ever-growing, vibrant community of changemakers, researchers, brands, suppliers, investors and more. We actively facilitate connections across the value chain to help you test, grow and scale your solution.

Full freedom to grow on your own terms

Neither H&M Foundation nor H&M Group take any equity or intellectual property rights in the winning innovations. The winners can collaborate with whomever they want. The aim is to find innovations that allow major change for the entire industry. Already, several GCA alumni are collaborating with global brands and businesses to bring their solutions to life – and to market.

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