Second #Journey2015 finals: Clean tech business ideas with a lot of potential

After a total of ten weeks, Europe’s largest summer school for climate innovation and entrepreneurship, The Journey, came to a close in Birmingham and Copenhagen last week.

After the first finals that were held in Munich and Wrocklaw a few weeks ago, it was now time for the second half of the Journey students to pitch their business ideas to an expert jury. The students had only five weeks to come up with an idea and develop it into a viable business plan that they presented during a three minute pitch last week.

Internationality and diversity

With a total of more than 300 students, over 50 different nationalities and more than 60 different academic backgrounds, both the finals in Birmingham, UK, and the ones in Copenhagen, Denmark, were characterised by a bubbling international sphere. Pitching their business idea in front of a panel of experts, our summer school students had to show all they got – in only three minutes. 

Best practice learning

The students have spent the last five weeks in different Climate-KIC locations across Europe to learn all about climate innovation and entrepreneurship. After two weeks of a climate-focused curriculum including lectures, site visits to great enterprises such as Tesla, networking events with successful entrepreneurs, powerful business plan advice and pitch training by top speakers such as Christoph Burkhardt, The Journey has now found its end.

Professionalism and expertise

It was energising to watch the students pitch and see their commitment. With the level of expertise and professionalism it could very well have been a pitching event for advanced start ups.

Expert jury

The expert jury in both Birmingham and Copenhagen consisted of a variety of professionals from the entrepreneurship and innovation sector as well as high level academics. They did a very thorough assessment of the ideas the students presented and came with difficult questions which all students were able to answer in a great way thanks to their training over the past weeks.

Future potential

The Scandinavian jury in Copenhagen – consisting of individuals from Norway, Sweden and Denmark – was very impressed by the level of pitching and concluded that many of the ideas could easily be scaled and taken to the next level. Students were excited as many of them want to continue with their idea after The Journey has ended.

The winners

After a full day of pitches, with every one of them being interesting, innovative and thoroughly thought through, the judges had a hard time to decide. After long discussions, the jury finally made its decision. Please find below the winners of the second finals of The Journey 2015.

Birmingham

The award for Best Business Plan: Marcy – A helpcube that can be deployed in remote areas where disasters have occurred. Powered by solar, with a battery module, it provides water purification, communications and medical help.

The award for Best Business Idea: Perair – Innovative solution to the peat land drainage in Indonesia. Perair aims to produce a biodegradable mat from waste in palm oil production to act as a floating substrate for growth of plants. This reduces the need to drain peats and allows the use of waste products in a sustainable manner.

The award for Best Pitch Presentation: Solar Breeze – An eco-friendly and quiet self-made and off-grid “air cooling” system priced competitively for the Indian market initially.

The audience awards: Solar Breeze (see above) and Green Coin – An innovative system where your computer is linked to the lights in your part of an office, when turning off the PC, the lights automatically turn off.

Copenhagen

The award for Best Business Plan: SOLID – plastic free personal wash products. SOLID is a new brand distributing local, organic, solid personal wash products. Initially offering a body wash, a shampoo and a conditioner, as well as tools such as boxes, foam bags and graters.

The award for Best Business Idea: Wee Poo – A sustainable diaper laundry service with a door to door zero emission bicycle delivery service. 

The award for Best Pitch Presentation: Solarflux – Facade integrate solar thermal technology. In favour of stimulating the adoption of solar thermal systems, Solarflux proposes a solution that can be mounted on to the roof and facades of hotels, which will enhance their capacity.

The audience awards: Solarflux and SOLID (see above)

Climate-KIC congratulates all the winners and wishes all teams all the best for the future!

Social media

Twitter was abuzz with news and updates of the Wageningen finals from students, coaches, Climate-KIC staff and audience members: