THREE winners selected to represent Scotland in the world’s largest low carbon business ideas competition, ClimateLaunchpad, are set to pitch to an Edinburgh audience as a warm-up for the global finals.
The innovative ideas being trialled include disposable cup recycling, reusing spent coffee grinds and an online personal possessions rental service. All will be come under the microscope by a public audience before each goes on to vie it out for a share of a €1million prize fund in the global finals being held in Estonia during October.
ClimateLaunchpad, the world’s largest low carbon business ideas competition, will give the finalists — Aurora Sustainability, Carbogenics and Haysack — the opportunity to prepare to take on the world’s best by pitching their ideas on Friday, September 9, at the University of Edinburgh Business School.
Aurora Sustainability uses coffee grains to provide nutritious growing materials for mushroom crops. The Moray-based firm also uses waste heat from whisky distillers to ensure optimal growing conditions.
Carbogenics, from Edinburgh uses a high-temperature technique to turn paper and plastic coffee cups into CreChar, a powder which can be used in making plant pots. It is estimated only one per cent of the 2.5billion coffee cups used every year in the UK are recycled.
Glasgow-based HaySack aspires to build a global community who value experience over ownership. They provide a platform to rent the products and services they need without hurting the environment.
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