Wazoku and Husqvarna launch biodiversity challenge to European students to tackle $423 billion invasive species problem

€5,000 prize and visit to Husqvarna’s R&D HQ in Sweden on offer

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, May 20, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Innovation scale-up Wazoku has partnered with greenspace solution pioneer, Husqvarna Forest and Garden, on a major new initiative to collect ideas that tackle the rising threat of invasive species in recreational landscapes such as parks and golf courses.

The Husqvarna Ideation Challenge 2025 - Smart Solutions for Combating Invasive Species - invites students based in Europe to design sustainable tools that help manage the threats posed by invasive species. With global biodiversity under increasing pressure, Husqvarna is seeking ideas that leverage technologies such as AI, IoT, and robotics to detect, control, and prevent the spread of invasive organisms.

A recent UN-backed report estimated that invasive species cost the world around $423 billion every year, driving plant and animal extinctions, threatening food security and exacerbating environmental catastrophes. The report also predicted that without intervention, the number of invasive species globally will be one-third higher in 2050 than it was in 2005.

The Husqvarna Ideation Challenge 2025 offers students the chance to showcase their ideas on an international stage. The winner will receive a guaranteed prize of €5,000, while up to three finalists will be invited to Husqvarna’s global R&D headquarters in Sweden for a consultation with leading industry experts.

Submissions are open until 10 June 2025. Participants must submit a written proposal in English that outlines their vision, proposed solution, sustainability considerations, and potential for scalability and real-world impact. The Challenge is open to students currently based in Europe.

“This is an incredible opportunity for students across Europe to work on a real-world environmental challenge and to make their mark as innovators,” said Marianna Canino, Director of Customer Success – EMEA, Wazoku. “There’s a substantial prize, the chance to stand out from their peers and to apply their ideas for protecting and growing biodiversity. Our partnership with Husqvarna is built around supporting emerging talent to apply their creativity and technical skills for a cause that truly matters.”

Globally recognised for its pioneering outdoor technologies, Husqvarna is committed to environmental stewardship and innovative solutions to pressing ecological issues. Through this Challenge, it aims to identify new approaches that can redefine how landscapes are managed and protected against invasive species.

The Wazoku Crowd connects organisations with a global network of more than 700,000 Solvers – including students, scientists, environmentalists, and inventors – to help find solutions to the world’s most and pressing complex problems.

Full details on how to enter the Husqvarna Ideation Challenge 2025 can be found here.

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For further information about Wazoku, visit https://www.wazoku.com
For further information about Husqvarna, visit https://www.husqvarnagroup.com/

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Paul Allen – Rise PR
+ 44 (0) 7515 199 487 / paul@risepr.co.uk

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