Santander has made investments in building a sustainable business with a focus on sustainability, offering financial and educational support for the next generation of talent. The Countdown to Zero competition is the start of a collaboration between Santander and F1 that will use social media and digital reach to promote more extensive environmental measures. The three winning start-ups will each earn €10,000 in prize money, making the total prize money for the six winning projects €120,000. They will also gain admission to Santander X 100.
Brandon Snow, Managing Director, Commercial of Formula 1, said:
“As Formula 1 continues the journey to become net-zero carbon by 2030, it is great to collaborate again with Banco Santander, who have a long-standing relationship with the sport. This challenge, and more broadly our partnership, celebrates what makes the sport so special through tech and innovation as we look to create a more sustainable world.”
Juan Manuel Cendoya, Global Head of Communications, Corporate Marketing and Research at Banco Santander said:
“Santander X is helping thousands of entrepreneurs develop their ideas further and faster. This agreement with Formula 1 takes that support to a new level, creating an opportunity for new businesses to join forces with one of the most innovative sports in the world and support the transition to a low carbon economy. We are delighted to be a part of the programme and wish all the entrepreneurs every success.”
Javier Roglá, Global Head of Santander Universities, said:
“The green transition is the most urgent challenge we face, so innovation and entrepreneurship play a major role. In Santander, we have been firmly committed to entrepreneurship for 25 years. Last year we supported more than 23,000 emerging ventures, microentrepreneurs and SMEs to receive training and connect them with the resources they need to grow”.
