The submitted projects then underwent an initial selection process in which 50 innovative solutions, comprising 24 teams of students, 16 teams of start-ups and 10 teams of employees, were chosen to receive a month and a half of coaching from ‘VIP mentors’ (industry experts) and ECS Group Managing Directors. The objective is to provide talented individuals with expert advice that will help them make their projects into reality and meet the needs of the industry.
The VIP mentors include Maaike van der Windt. Head of Aviation Marketing, Cargo & Customer Experience, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol; Camilo Garcia, Director of Sales, Marketing and Product, IAG Cargo; Stavros Evangelakakis, Chairman, Cool Chain Association Reji John, Editor, STAT Media Group; Svilen Rangelov, Co-Founder & CEO, DRONAMICS Emir Pineda,Manager, Aviation Trade & Logistics, Miami-Dade Aviation Department; Patrick Jasper Fehring,Aero Business, International Airport Rio de Janeiro; and Franco Nanna, Director Global Logistics Services, Cargolux Airlines.
“This challenge has been more successful than we could ever have hoped and we’re so excited about it,” said says Adrien Thominet, CEO of ECS Group, who will sit on the Grand Jury. “Our industry is always on the lookout for innovation. By opening its doors, we’ve made it even more appealing, and we’re extremely proud of our contribution to the sector’s development.”
The coaching will take place until the final selection stage in early May, following which ten projects will remain in the running. The Grand Jury will then choose the three best teams and reveal its choice at the renowned Gala Awards Ceremony in Munich, on 5 June, at the Air Cargo Europe exhibition.