Event

Open Innovation Day – Gothenburg

DATE
10 Jun 2016

Sustainable Consumption through Open Innovation

The City of Gothenburg faces a number of climate-related challenges and is together with Climate-KIC Nordic seeking innovative green-tech solutions that contribute to sustainable consumption. These must have a positive climate impact and be able to reach a wide market faster and more efficiently than has previously been possible. The aim of the Open Innovation Day is to identify tools that can help the inhabitants of Gothenburg make better and more informed climate friendly choices in their everyday life. 

One of the core messages which emerged from COP21 in Paris, December 2015 was that citizens in cities around the world play a vital role in taking action on climate change, and it therefore makes sense to achieve dialogue and cooperation between citizens, cities and private companies, that brings about concrete solutions to support sustainability in individual households. 

The market itself demonstrates the rising demand for sustainable goods and services for citizens. Socially responsible investing, where sustainable consumption and production is a strong element, has grown 500% over the last decade in the EU, with € 7 billion invested in such products in 2014. Likewise, retail consumers’ demand for sustainable products continues to rise and was worth €34 billion in 2014. The global market for environmental goods and services is €462 billion pa and is estimated to rise to €600 billion in the next three to four years. Nordic business is responsible for €33 billion of this market.

Climate-KIC Nordic is helping the City with our unique Open Innovation concept where entrepreneurs, SMEs, corporates, researchers and community groups are encouraged to propose products and services which can be tested and implemented to address the City’s specific climate challenges.

If you want to know more about the Open Innovation concept, contact peter@climate-kic-nordic.org (no signups here please).

Sign up for this event here

We sought innovations that can solve any of these four challenges:

  1. Easy and attractive ways to make low carbon choices:
    How do we make it easy and obvious to make climate smart decisions when choosing goods and services both online and in stores? In order to reduce carbon footprint we need products with low climate impact from a life cycle perspective.
  2. Circular and sharing economy – Reuse/Share/Repair/Redesign/Recycle: 
    What additional services are available which can create a circular and sharing economy? Can we make it more attractive to choose or co-own long term sustainable products and thereby get better quality and better economy? The challenge could for example be solved by services that incorporate lending, sharing, reuse, repairing, remaking and recycling.
  3. Efficient and sustainable use of transport:
    How can transport needs and resource consumption be reduced without limiting the citizens’ choice? Climate impact from transport can be replaced by digital solutions to avoid physical meetings and gadgets. Flexible travelling gives more options and can stimulate sustainable transport solutions. The journey has just begun for streaming services, showrooms, digital communication, 3D printers and social media, to name a few.
  4. Sustainable and active leisure hours:
    How can we make it easier for more people to have an adventurous and attractive leisure time with a low carbon footprint? Local offers and public involvement can replace and reduce the impact from weekend and holiday travel. The challenge can for example be solved by sustainable events, social innovation, increased codetermination and co-creation, urban farming, shared services for tourists, improved public transport outside of commuting times, cycle tourism, electric vehicles and intermodal travelling

The results were: 

  • 37 applications received (15% from research sector, 25% from SMEs and spin-offs, 30% from existing companies and 30% from NGOs, individuals and others)
  • From 8 countries       

Finalists selected:

12  solutions are shortlisted to pitch on 6 October

1. Easy and attractive ways to make low carbon choices

  • ClimateSaver, Sweden – a web-app helping citizens reduce their GHG emissions through advice and challenges
  • Sunmapper, Denmark – an interactive map showing the potential for solar panels on existing rooftops
  • Ducky, Norway – an online engagement platform designed to quantify, visualize and communicate everyday climate activities

2. Circular and sharing economy

  • NullMull, Germany – an online grocery store, allowing food producers to avoid plastic packaging and satisfy the demand of consumers
  • Too Good To Go, Denmark/Norway – an app that saves good food from being thrown out by allowing users to buy leftover food from cafés, hotels and restaurants
  • iHOW, Norway – the AirBnB for sharing skills. A web/mobile platform to unlock the value in its citizens’ knowledge 

3. Efficient and sustainable transport 

  • Shared Grocery Shopping, Sweden –  a system for combining ride sharing, grocery shopping and doing favors for others
  • Pendela, Sweden – a unique and innovative campaign that encourages and supports commuting by e-bike

4. Sustainable and active leisure hours

  • Cyclodeo, Sweden – HD videos and crowd-sourced content recorded from a cyclist perspective 
  • Donkey Republic, Denmark – a global bike sharing service. With the ease of a few clicks on your phone you can get access to a bike
  • Carbon Cloud, Sweden – a web tool generating climate labels for restaurants. By adding recipe information, menus with information on carbon footprint can be printed

These have been given the opportunity to meet decision makers and potential customers in the City of Gothenburg.

Programme for the Open Innovation Day

Venue: Burgårdens Utbildningscentrum, Skånegatan 20, Gothenburg, Sweden

9:00

Registration

09:30

Welcome and intro by Ulf Kamne, Environment Councillor, Gothenburg Municipality

09:45

Anna Ledin, Environment Director of Gothenburg, the world’s first city with climate goals and strategies with a focus on consumption. Companies’ power to innovate is needed. 

10:00

Company & solution  presentations (1)

10 min pitch | 5 min Q&A | 2 min first conclusion from Municipality/BRG/CKIC

10:30

Company & solution  presentations (2)

10 min pitch | 5 min Q&A | 2 min first conclusion from Municipality/BRG/CKIC

12.00

Lunch

13.30

John Holmberg, professor Chalmers – Sustainability Driving Innovation

14.00

Company & solution  presentations (3)

10 min pitch | 5 min Q&A | 2 min first conclusion from Municipality/BRG/CKIC

15:00

Company & solution  presentations (4)

10 min pitch | 5 min Q&A | 2 min first conclusion from Municipality/BRG/CKIC

16:00

Open Innovation – Perspectives & Challenges

Hanna Lindblad, Responsible for sales and exports, Houdini Sportswear

16:15

Closing remarks and way forward

16:30

Close

   
   

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