Business

How do trailblazer social innovators shape the Blue Economy?

Business Spirit News reporting — Thu, 02 Feb 2023 09:30:04 +0000

How do trailblazer social innovators shape the Blue Economy?

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Social Innovation

Social Entrepreneurship

Impact Ecosystem

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Blue Economy

Social Enterprise

Impact Hub corner

Stories of visionary entrepreneurs making inclusive and sustainable innovation happen at scale with the support of the global Impact Hub community.

Seafood alternative

Overfishing is putting enormous pressure on ocean ecosystems, but how can delicious and healthy sashimi help?

Bluana Foods startup is connected to Impact Hub Bucharest, Romania, has designed a tasty alternative solution to decrease the need for fresh fish.

The enterprise is creating a plant-based healthy seafood alternative product for tuna and salmon sashimi, using only natural ingredients.

Bluana Foods uses algae extracts with a molecular gastronomy approach to obtain a product such as fish meat.

The startup is entering the growing plant-based market, estimated to reach 15 billion Euros.

“With the help of our team of Chefs, we have a bottom-up molecular gastronomy approach while using natural only ingredients.

Bluana Foods is working on plant-based seafood alternative products for tuna and salmon with a molecular gastronomy approach. Image: Bluana Foods

Currently, we have a founding team, an MVP, and more than 700 people giving positive feedback,” Florin Irimescu, Founder and CEO of Bluana Foods, explains their product development.

The team is working on their market strategy and participating in various high profile accelerator programs such as the Black Sea ClimAccelerator, organised with the support of EIT Climate-KIC (Knowledge and Innovation Centre) and Proveg Incubator program in Berlin, the world’s leading incubator of plant-based and cultured food startups.

Zero impact aquafeed

By adopting Circular Economy principles, enterprise Ittinsect uses insects and agricultural by-products to replace traditional aquaculture and ornamental fish feeds containing fishmeal and fish oils.

As a member of the Impact Hub Siracusa community in Italy, this startup is dedicated to developing and producing innovative fish food with zero fish meal and oil content.

Ittinsect is developing innovative fish food with zero fish meal and oil content. Image: Pexels

“The product is based on a special recipe of enriched insect proteins with the same nutritional properties as fish meal, but with a higher biologic efficiency,”

says Alessandro Romano, CEO of Ittinsect.

They won the EIT Food “Challenge Lab” in 2020, and their concept also impressed the judges at the BlueInvest Awards 2021, as they became finalists in the "Sustainable Food and Feed from the Ocean" category.

The value proposition of Ittinsect is built on the three pillars of product characteristics, being flexible, sustainable and healthy.

By avoiding ocean resources, they contribute to sustainability and stop the chain of microplastics, mercury, fertilisers and other contaminants that generally accumulate in the organisms that are fed with traditional fishmeal.

The Dopper changemaker challenge

The ‘ocean saving bottle’ company, Dopper, organised the third edition of its Changemaker Challenge to find the most innovative student ideas for a plastic-free future with crystal-clear waters.

They teamed up with Impact Hub King’s Cross, UK, Impact Hub Amsterdam and Impact Hub Berlin to engage third-level students from various locations.

Applications poured in from the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Nepal for a chance to win a £5,000 research grant, promotional support and valuable contacts.

Dopper is a social enterprise based in the UK, widely recognised as an activist company encouraging people to see the whole picture about ocean protection and water usage.

The three best ideas from the UK included projects focusing on recycling ghost fishing nets, utilising sea kelps and replacing plastic food packaging with a sustainable alternative.

The Dopper Changemaker Challenge is organised in collaboration with several Impact Hubs to find innovative student ideas for a plastic-free future with crystal-clear waters. Image: Dopper

Lab of tomorrow

The Lab of Tomorrow is a business development program to solve specific challenges in emerging markets. It aims to inspire European and local businesses to jointly create new sustainable and profitable business models, products, and services in emerging markets.

It is an open innovation process based on adopting Design Thinking and Business Design methodologies with strong stakeholder engagement.

In 2022 they brought together European and Thai companies, startups, NGOs, policymakers and researchers to address the challenge of plastic waste reduction in Thailand.

The Lab of Tomorrow is a business development programme to solve specific challenges in emerging markets, such as plastic waste or renewable energy. Image: Pexels

More than half of land-based plastic waste leakage comes from just five countries: China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

The challenge of reducing, reusing and replacing single-use plastic in Thailand thus goes far beyond the country’s borders.

The program is managed in collaboration with Impact Hub Berlin, and it runs in partnership with government organisations.

Participants are asked to answer questions like: How might we reduce, reuse or substitute single-use plastic to decrease plastic waste ending up in rivers and oceans in Thailand?

The big issue is divided into sub-challenges like promoting plastic-reduced products and services, increasing plastic and littering awareness of customers, and reducing plastic bottles or promoting the use of a zero-waste kit.

So far, 330 participants have joined seven previous Lab of Tomorrow innovation processes, and 47 promising business ideas have been developed, of which twelve business models are currently in the pilot phase.

Headline Image: Unsplash

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Europe's largest business event for sustainable transformation is back for its third edition

Business Spirit News reporting — Tue, 24 Jan 2023 14:36:05 +0000

Europe's largest business event for sustainable transformation is back for its third edition

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Sustainability solution providers, users and investors are coming together for networking and knowledge exchange.

The IMPACT FESTIVAL offers targeted networking and knowledge exchange for start-ups, investors and companies to accelerate sustainability innovation on 13-14 September 2023 in Germany.

For the third annual event, organisers aim to highlight innovative solutions provided by start-ups and scale-ups that can contribute to sustainable development and economic growth.

“We offer companies the opportunity to be at the forefront of current developments, learn about the latest innovations, and take away concrete starting points for their own business,"

said Co-Lead, Linda Köpper about the focus of this year’s event.

Attendees will have the chance to visit an extensive exhibition area and connect with innovators while learning about specific application possibilities.

Linda Köpper, Co-Lead of IMPACT FESTIVAL, the biggest B2B sustainability event in Europe.

Talks, discussions and workshops will take place, including experts, visionary innovators and practitioners from related fields such as sustainable finance, circular economy, clean tech and more.

Maria Steinbrenner, the other Co-Lead of the event, highlighted:

“This year, more than ever, we want to focus on companies that are looking for concrete solutions and best practices for their challenges or want to network and position themselves in the field of sustainable transformation.”

IMPACT FESTIVAL provides opportunities for enterprises to directly promote their sustainable products and services to potential clients, users and investors to advance their business ambitions further.

IMPACT AWARD winners in 2022 received recognition and supports. Image: IMPACT FESTIVAL

The IMPACT AWARD will be awarded to European start-ups addressing the most pressing societal challenges through sustainable technology and innovation.

This two-day annual event first took place in September 2021 and has grown from strength to strength ever since developing an extensive all-year-round supporting program, including IMPACT WEEK, webinars, podcasts and an online magazine.

The registration of interest to purchase tickets is available on the event`s website.

IMPACT FESTIVAL is a project of the neosfer GmbH, the early-stage investor and innovation unit of Commerzbank Group, aiming to accelerate sustainable transformation.

Its purpose is to investigate future technologies relevant to business and society while promoting and developing sustainable digital solutions.

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Can eating blue food help save the planet?

Sasha Cohen Ioannides — Sat, 03 Dec 2022 11:05:06 +0000

Can eating blue food help save the planet?

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How and why innovators are embracing sustainable ocean resources in the global food market.

Globally, three billion people rely on fish and seafood for 20% of their animal protein intake, which means that around 6.5% of all protein consumed comes from fish, based on figures released by the World Bank.

Seafood consumption has doubled within the past fifty years due to wealth increase and the desire to decrease other animal protein sources.

This rapidly growing trend has led to over 90% of fish stocks being over or fully fished and disrupting marine ecosystems.

The demand is expected to be doubled again within the next 50 years.

Seafood-based proteins produce much less environmental impact than terrestrial-based ones, primarily due to the lack of land required to grow them.

Thanks to the diversity of blue foods, including fish, many invertebrates, aquatic plants, algae, and other aquatic animals, this diet can also impact humans’ health positively.

Due to the overfishing of predators, similar to overhunting on land, many otherwise hunted species begin to overpopulate, which can easily unbalance fragile and complex underwater ecosystems.

Turning challenges into opportunities there are areas where innovative and sustainable solutions are popping up thanks to impact-driven leaders.

One such case is with sea urchin populations that overgraze kelp and seagrass forests, turning the water into a desolate wasteland.

Startup Urchinomics is managing urchins populations while producing premium seafood products. Image: Pexels

Norwegian-based startup Urchinomics solves this problem by rehoming the urchins into ranches, where they go from annoying pests to a premium seafood product that can be consistently supplied year-round.

This way, food is farmed while positively affecting the environment, recovering a healthy ecosystem with a particular focus on sea kelp forests.

Addressing harmful urchin overpopulation with an innovative solution that preserves marine life by creating food is also proven to be a viable business model.

While sea urchins face overpopulation, other marine animals, such as sea oysters, have been underpopulated. This results in undersupply and also negative environmental impacts.

Oysters might not be as famous for their critical role as coral reefs. Still, they provide multiple benefits, such as water quality improvement, nursery habitat for fish, and reduced nitrogen levels, while contributing to the local economy and culture.

A sustainable farming business, The Oyster Restoration Company, based in the United Kingdom, aims to fix this problem by providing 150 million native oysters annually.

They are working on this by selectively breeding oysters to create disease resistance, a common problem in aquaculture.

They work to bring balance back into the environment and improve farm yield to reduce dependency on pacific species.

Oysters are overlooked for their ability to improve water quality, provide fish nurseries, and reduce nitrogen levels while contributing to the economy and culture. Image: Pexels

Although farming fish and invertebrates is becoming more popular, seaweed farming is getting more attention as this plant absorbs carbon dioxide and nitrogen while protecting seabeds.

Oceanium, a Scottish enterprise, is a sustainable seaweed farm that meets many industries’ needs by producing food, feed, and biomass. They launched the “KELP-EU” or “Kelping the EU”, an 18-month project with multiple partners that allows them to study seaweed further.

However, not all farming has to be nature-based.

German-Thai company HydroNeo brings the process of shrimp farming to the future through Internet-of-Things technology. They have developed a smart farm management system that allows farmers to check pH and water temperature while remotely feeding and aerating their farms.

Seafood may have a lower environmental impact than land animals, we need to be aware that the pollution produced by this industry is still not as low as it is with plant-based products.

Consumers may still yearn for a fishy flavour but want plant based sourcing, as they are concerned about the effects of microplastic pollution in the ocean or have ethical issues with fishing.

Swedish company, Hooked offers a 100% plant-based substitute for tuna and salmon. Image: Hooked

Swedish-based enterprise Hooked provides a terrific substitute for tuna and salmon through a combination of sustainable soybeans, sunflower oil, and algae.

They list all ingredient sources on their website for a completely transparent and traceable product.

By providing a plant-based vegan substitute for fish, they are reducing microplastic consumption in humans and greenhouse gas emissions from the industry, while reducing the need for fishing.

According to Hooked, canned tuna has 6.06 kg of CO2 equivalent emission per kilo of product, while their product, Toonish only produces 2.7.

It is no question that there is a huge potential for using blue foods to address many challenges.

Still, the seafood industry needs urgent re-examination to create sustainable and regenerative solutions.

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Campaign to boost social enterprise sector in Ireland

Business Spirit News reporting — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 10:43:18 +0000

Campaign to boost social enterprise sector in Ireland

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Ireland’s first nationwide campaign calls on businesses and the public to support Irish social entreprises by purchasing from them.

The first #BuySocialIRL Week in Ireland aims to inspire businesses and the public to purchase from social enterprises while raising awareness about this sector from the 14th until the 21st of November.

The campaign was launched in Dublin, and there are events planned nationwide with special ‘meet&greet’ sessions in Cork and Galway where participants can network and learn more about social enterprises.

The Irish Social Enterprise Network (ISEN) coordinates the event with support from the Irish Government, highlighting the various benefits of integrating social enterprises into the supply chain, including invigorating local communities.

“If you purchase from a social enterprise, you are helping employ people that might not have had a job otherwise, you are supporting local community initiatives and directly impacting people's lives,”

said Chris MM Gordon, CEO of ISEN, at the launch event.

He explained further that ‘social enterprises are businesses for good’ and selling products and services means they can reinvest their profits into communities.

Chris MM Gordon, CEO of Irish Social Enterprise Network opened a 'Meet&Greet' event in Cork as part of the #BuySocialIRL Week campaign. Image: BuySocial.ie

The slogan of the campaign ‘Do Good. Spend Well. Buy Social.’ also reflects on the main goal of this initiative.

Gordon added:

“Through this #BuySocialIRL week, all we ask is that you consider buying something from a social enterprise.”

Besides the one-week campaign, the public and business leaders are invited to visit the BuySocial.ie online directory that lists Irish social enterprises providing products and services.

Siel Bleu is one of the Irish social enterprises joining the #BuySocialIRL Week. Image: BuySocial.ie

The website features a wide range of options for anyone interested in supporting organisations such as Mug Shot Coffee, creating jobs for people with prison or probation experience or Siel Bleu, which helps the elderly and people living with disabilities to transform lives through exercise.

Visitors can browse and find authentic offers, including Ireland's first social enterprise design store, We Make Good or Brigit’s Garden, a place where people of all ages can connect with nature, among others.

The #BuySocialIRL is supported by the Department of Rural and Community Development, the Dormant Accounts Fund and Pobal, which works on behalf of the Government to support communities and local agencies toward achieving social inclusion and development.

The event’s main organiser is the Irish Social Enterprise Network, the National Body for Social Enterprise in Ireland, active in advocacy, education and facilitating networking.

Headline Image: BuySocial.ie

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State of the world investigated at global sustainability event

Business Spirit News reporting — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 11:44:48 +0000

State of the world investigated at global sustainability event

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“Society has an illness, which is over analysing everything," said leading environmentalist Professor Gunter Pauli at global sustainability event opening.

The opening of the Planetiers World Gathering (PWG) has kicked off with a passionate speech by Sérgio Ribeiro, Co-founder of this leading global sustainability event, taking place in Lisbon, Portugal, between 24-26 October.

Addressing attendees, Ribeiro highlighted the urgent need for finding a balance across the world's environmental, social and economic sectors and dedicating this summit to inspire action on pressing challenges of our time.

“So many amazing speakers and participants have come to Lisbon this year, amidst such difficult conditions.

They believe in the power of cooperation and the importance of cooperation to achieve the goals of an effective sustainable transition."

Sérgio Ribeiro, Co-founder of the Planetiers World Gathering; Image: Planetiers

Topics covered during the first day included the current energy crisis, the impact of the pandemic, and the growing global social, environmental and economic instability, among others.

Professor Gunter Pauli, entrepreneur and author of The Book Economy book, also took the stage and enthusiastically expressed his views on moving forward, learning from nature and nurturing talents, so they dare to seek knowledge and use it for good.

“Society has an illness, which is over analysing everything. When your house is on fire, you do not go and start writing a strategic plan,”

Prof. Pauli referred to the pledges of becoming net-zero by 2050, which will come too late in his opinion.

Professor Gunter Pauli pointed out that we have no time to waste to act at Planetiers World Gathering 2022; Image: Planetiers

He also shared eye-opening examples occurring in nature that we can take inspiration from to design innovative sustainable solutions.

One of them was the case of dolphins using water bubbles for hunting without harming female fish carrying eggs since they are too heavy to be forced to the surface by the bubbles.

He pointed out that this method can help us find ways for sustainable fishing in a way that would not risk the regeneration of fish species.

A forum on the day focused on the role of the United Nations in building a new global development model, the roadmap for humanity, and the strategies to ensure peace to mark the celebration of the 77th anniversary of the UN.

On Tuesday, October 25th, the event continues with more leaders sharing insights, such as Satya Tripathi, Secretary-General of the Global Alliance for a Sustainable Planet and Ali Tabrizi, Director of Seaspiracy documentary.

Green Tourism, Sportainability, and Techceleration for Sustainability will also be among the topics explored at PWG on the second day.

The Planetiers World Gathering was founded in 2020 and has become a leading global sustainability-focused innovation event, bringing together key stakeholders in climate action and innovation from across the globe.

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Leading global sustainability summit returns to Lisbon

Business Spirit News reporting — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 10:12:47 +0000

Leading global sustainability summit returns to Lisbon

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Conference

Sustainable Development Goals

Innovation

Social Innovation

Portugal

Topic

Sustainable Development Goals

Event

Lisbon

Climate Innovation

Changemakers and impact innovators from every corner of the world to meet in Lisbon.

The Planetiers World Gathering is back as an in-person and online event to bring together changemakers and impact innovators from every corner of the world to meet in Lisbon, Portugal, on 22-26 October.

The focus of this global event is to put sustainability and regeneration in the spotlight, showcasing green and inclusive innovations while elevating impact innovators and igniting system-level change.

Sérgio Ribeiro, CEO and Co-Founder of Planetiers and Co-Founder of Planetiers World Gathering, describes “Planetiers to be the ones who do not just break the system but transform it and make it better, fair and sustainable”.

“Planetiers acts as a call to mobilise companies, government organisations and civil/political decision-makers in the battle to build a sustainable planet for generations to come.”

The summit will be held at the Parque Eduardo VII and Pavilhão Carlos Lopes, Lisbon, focusing on topics such as ecology, climate change, health, poverty, education and peace.

Planetiers World Gathering 2022 edition brings together impact innovators and stakeholders to achive the Sustainable Development Goals. Image: Planetiers

With over 30,000 people from 90 countries expected to attend the event in person and online, it aims to bring together a diverse range of speakers and attendees, driven by the notion of contributing to a sustainable and inclusive transition.

Speakers include Chris Kroll, Founder & CEO of Ecosia and World Fund Investor, David Simas, President of the Obama Foundation and Ursula von Der Leyen, President of the European Commission, among others.

The event's ultimate goal is to help changemakers connect and highlight long-term sustainable solutions amid the impending climate crisis and accelerate a system transformation that can enable us to reach the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

Sérgio Ribeiro, CEO and Co-Founder of Planetiers and Co-Founder of Planetiers World Gathering. Image: Planetiers

“We’ve seen people joining this movement and claiming they are “Planetiers” mainly because they have found a community that brings a constructive narrative of cooperation and hope,” adds Sérgio.

Discussions will highlight the sustainability challenges of our time and raise awareness of the need for long-term solutions to counteract pressing global issues.

Sessions will cover a diverse range of topics, such as Cities for the future, Ocean Innovation, Inclusive green tourism and Sustainable investment and finance.

Showcasing the latest in sustainable technologies, innovative businesses and governance models, the 2022 Planetiers World Gathering will be bolstered by partnerships with several high-profile organisations, such as the European Commission, Tourism of Portugal and Lisbon Municipality.

Various ticket options are available, from daily tickets to all-inclusive access to match attendee’s interests.

Besides the conference program, there will be exhibition areas and interactive workshop sessions.

Planetiers was launched in 2017 as an online platform, and since it has become a leading event, a momentum, and even a symbol for people believing we still have a fighting chance to create a society that works for people and all other creatures on Earth.

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Innovation and sustainability trends showcased in Dublin

Business Spirit News reporting — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 09:50:05 +0000

Innovation and sustainability trends showcased in Dublin

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Event to connect Innovation, Sustainability and Technology in Ireland.

The Furthr Festival will present game-changing innovations, future technology, and business opportunities in sustainability on Friday, 21st October, at the Convention Centre in Dublin, Ireland.

The event, previously known as Futurescope, comes under a new name and branding but with the same passion for bringing together business leaders for a day of inspiration, learning and networking.

Attendees can explore topics across five main stages focusing on Insights, Innovation, Sustainability, Transformation and Investment with more than 100 high-profile international and Irish speakers.

Keynote speeches include topics like Guardians of the Future, presented by Sophie Howe, Future Generations Commissioner for Wales and Think global: Move quickly, delivered by Michael Culligan, CEO at Furthr.

The event is best suited for innovators and innovation seekers looking for trends, insights, ideas and connections to take their businesses to the next level.

One of the highlighted sessions will be the One2Whatch startup competition, where pre-selected innovators will pitch for the ten thousand Euro cash prize and become crowned winners as the most promising startup.

With an expected attendee number of around 1600, this is the ultimate meeting point for business leaders striving to be at the forefront of change, unlocking market opportunities.

Additional highlights of the conference include the Future Tech Arcade, The Innovation Exchange, panel rooms, an exhibition area and plenty of networking opportunities during lunch and the after-event drink reception.

One2Whatch startup competition at Furthr Festival with 10K prize money. Image: Furthr

A particular emphasis will be on facilitating collaboration opportunities between diverse stakeholders such as startups and scaleups, investors and academia.

Tickets are available on the event’s webpage.

Furthr, formerly Dublin Business Innovation Centre, has accelerated funds and connections for Irish startups since 1988, empowering entrepreneurs to advance their ambitions.

Over the years, Furthr has helped Ireland’s innovative startup founders to raise a total of €500+ million.

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Innovative sustainability startups to meet in Germany

Business Spirit News reporting — Sun, 02 Oct 2022 14:40:37 +0000

Innovative sustainability startups to meet in Germany

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Europe's largest B2B fair for sustainable innovations takes place in Germany for the second time.

With seven innovation areas and approximately 2,500 visitors, IMPACT FESTIVAL is returning on 5-6 October in Offenbach, Germany, to discover the latest trends and innovations in the field of sustainability, and discuss the digital and sustainable transformation.

More than 170 startups will present their solutions at the exhibition area, and over 100 investors will be present to scout the market for best-in-class projects.

Around one hundred expert speakers will share their thoughts on why and how the business sector must rethink existing strategies and practices in light of climate change. Speakers include Anna Christmann, Member of the German Bundestag, Beth Thoren, Director of Environmental Action, EMEA at Patagonia, and Wolfgang Gründinger, Chief Evangelist at Enpal.

Attendees can choose from fifty master classes with a deep dive in fields like clean tech, resource efficiency, data management or sustainable finance.

"We are thrilled to host the second edition of IMPACT FESTIVAL and to have more than 100 speakers on stage with more than 170+ of Europe's most promising sustainable innovations.

We look forward to connecting thought leaders, innovators, investors and corporates and accelerating the green transformation of businesses and our entire economy,"

said Mara Steinbrenner and Linda Köpper, lead organisers of IMPACT FESTIVAL, in a joint statement.

The IMPACT Award celebrates and honours European startups that tackle current social challenges by using technology and innovation.

The IMPACT Award ceremony will also be part of the program on the first day's evening.

The award celebrates and honours European startups that tackle current social challenges with the help of sustainable technologies and innovations.

Nominees are listed in different categories, such as Education & Social Innovation, Hardware Solutions and Platform & Software (SaaS) Solutions.

In addition, enterprises will have the chance to win the votes of participants to take home the Audience Award.

As a hybrid event, people can attend in person and online. Day tickets and further information are available on the event’s website.

The IMPACT FESTIVAL collaborates with ClimateSeed, a company running decarbonisation projects, to ensure that the CO2 emission and waste associated with the event is as little as possible.

To achieve this goal, they offer exclusively vegan catering with reusable containers, use FairCup with no plastic bottles, and cooperate with service providers to align their operations.

In addition to the annual two-day event, the project also provides a platform that connects key stakeholders from the sustainability ecosystem to network and exchange ideas all year round.

The IMPACT FESTIVAL is a project of the early-stage investor and innovation unit of Commerzbank Group, which investigates future technologies relevant to business and society while promoting and developing sustainable and digital solutions.

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Celebrating social and circular enterprises in Dublin

Business Spirit News reporting — Sun, 02 Oct 2022 12:15:49 +0000

Celebrating social and circular enterprises in Dublin

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Social Entrepreneurship

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A new initiative led by Dublin City Council aims to shine a light on social enterprises and circular economy players.

The SoCircular event will take place in Dublin on 5th October to bring together social and circular enterprises and other stakeholders to connect, learn and build connections.

This new initiative is driven by Dublin City Council in collaboration with strategic partners from various sectors and will be hosted at a prime venue, The Mansion House.

The event aims to facilitate the transformation of Dublin's economic ecosystem to become more resilient and competitive by better integrating enterprises and innovators with strong sustainability and social values.

Organisers will provide a forum for discussions, exchanging ideas and gaining insights while showcasing exhibitors and cultural programs.

Besides networking and learning, the goal is to encourage businesses, organisations and government departments to buy from these organisations to empower this sector's growth.

“This event will raise awareness of these innovative enterprises.

Buying from them will bring about many benefits, such as shorter supply chains, creating resilient local employment, improving social and environmental impacts, and supporting fairer, greener and thriving communities,”

says Mary MacSweeney, Deputy Head of Economic Development and Enterprise.

Mary MacSweeney, Deputy Head of Economic Development and Enterprise highlights the importance of integrating social and circular enterprises into supply chains.

Pointing out the role of businesses and government in strengthening social and circular enterprises is one of the core messages of the event.

Buying from these companies could add to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and department strategies while helping them raise their profile by walking the talk and filling slogans with actions.

At the event, participants can meet with innovative entrepreneurs embracing sustainability and circular economy in their business model and join panel discussions to learn more insights about available supports and key players.

Attendees can find the detailed program and register online free of charge.

Cultural performances and a trade expo with more than 50 local social and circular enterprises will allow people to connect and network.

Lord Mayor of Dublin, Caroline Conroy, expressed how much social and circular enterprises can help counteract the impact of environmental and economic crises.

Another element of the program is to raise awareness about how socially driven businesses can address environmental challenges and, the other way around, how environmentally focused projects can easily solve social problems.

The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Caroline Conroy, emphasised the importance of this sector in helping the city fight upcoming challenges associated with the impacts of climate change and economic crises.

The event is being hosted as part Dublin's involvement in the European Social Economy Regions project of the European Commission.

Various stakeholders and organisations have rallied behind this initiative, including the Department of Rural and Community Development, CRNI, EMWR, Dublin Place Brand, Social Enterprise Dublin, and Dublin Regional Skills Forum, among others.

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Festival to bring together Berliners for Green Cities

Business Spirit News reporting — Tue, 13 Sep 2022 10:10:39 +0000

Festival to bring together Berliners for Green Cities

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Two days for entrepreneurs and citizens in Berlin to discuss and discover impactful solutions for green cities.

The third edition of the Zero Waste Berlin Festival takes place from the 16-17th of September at Engelnest, Berlin, to present impactful solutions for green minds.

The two-day event aims to bring together entrepreneurs and citizens to discuss and discover new solutions to build sustainable and zero waste cities.

Topics covered by over 60 speakers focus on the main aspects of creating future cities, such as sustainable food systems and urban lifestyle, mobility and technology, among others.

“We want to create a space where entrepreneurs, companies and people can meet, learn from each other and find resources – Berlin is the perfect place for it,”

says Coral Ruz, Founder of the Zero Waste Berlin Festival.

On the first day, entrepreneurs, companies, institutions and investors will gather to connect and exchange ideas helping the shift to make cities more sustainable.

Coral Ruz, Founder of the Zero Waste Berlin Festival, has started an international zero waste community in Belrin in 2019.

Keynote speaker of the event, Kilian Kaminkski, co-founder of Refurbed, the fastest growing online marketplace for refurbished products, will address attendees with a presentation focusing on why „The future is Circular Economy’.

The second day will focus on citizen engagement in transforming cities and zero waste movements.

Participants can attend conferences, and masterclasses, meet with brands, enjoy an immersive networking experience with the Green Networking Party and meet with local artists thanks to the collaboration with the Berlin Music Commission.

Zero Waste Berlin Festival 2021; Image: Ana Torres

“In curating this year’s programme, our aspiration has been to highlight inspiring and solution-oriented projects across the private, public, and civic sectors,”

shared Therese Sivertsson, Program Manager of the festival.

Speakers include Franziska Voß from BSR, Frieder Söling from Noch Mall, Ana Milhazes from Zero Waste Portugal and many more.

The day will close with Positive Planet Kino; a full program of short films and documentaries addressing the future of the planet with a positive approach.

Tickets and the entire program are available on the event’s website.

The first edition of the Zero Waste Berlin Festival was launched in 2019 as a passion project of founder Coral Ruz and has grown into an international movement ever since, reaching more than 40,000 people.

Headline image: Ana Torres

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September 2022