eco-innovation forum in czech republic

The ECOinnovation Forum with the motto "Sustainable Technologies for the Future" was held from 30th November to 1st December 2017 in Czech Republic, in the attractive space of Chateau Krtiny. The forum was primarily focused on emergence of modern solutions for everyday life. Participants met representatives of international and national institutions, academic and research sphere and representatives of innovative companies of all sizes. ECOinnovation Forum offered to all participants’ really interesting discussions on current and future trends and presentation of modern sustainable technologies that can ensure the global competitiveness of European Union countries.

Gradually were introduced following projects. EASYMILE - French start-up with the aim of creating autonomous electric-powered minibuses that can offer for passenger’s shuttle at the airports or suburban areas. Next, PHYSEE - Dutch start-up that manufactures windows producing eco electricity. Then, ROTOBY - Polish start-up specialized in technology of innovative eco thermoplastic wind turbine leaves. Next CLICK ON – Czech start-up offering a wireless smart switch on handle of door. And finally AQUAQUBE – Czech start-up that invented unique water purification technology. 

The winner of the competition was start-up AQUAQUBE - Czech water purification technology. It is a device that improves the quality of life of its users by radically reducing the impact of chemicals in their lives. It creates naturally pure drinking water by removing bacteria, viruses, chlorine as well as chemicals, pesticides, hormones or medicines form wells or tap water. Thanks to the active oxygen technology AQUAQUBE can prolong food freshness by removing chemicals or pesticides from its surface. It can be also used as an ecological disinfection.

launching eco-innovation virtual lab

Virtual lab http://ecoinnovative.eu is created as a part of the project EcoInn Danube. It is a place for transnational cooperation in eco-innovations, further development and commercialisation of eco innovations, bringing eco innovation actors together. It is great place for innovative companies and research institutions looking for eco solutions or offering eco solutions.

Producers are forced to look for eco solutions enabling them to perform a greener production. Researchers perform environmental research which is often not problem solving oriented. Our aim is therefore to increase the match of demand of producers and supply of researchers in order to support an applied environmentally oriented research which will lead to the development of new eco-technologies with a practical application.

This virtual lab is focused mainly on projects in area of biotechnology, water & cleaning, waste management, new building materials, energy saving technologies, environmentally friendly systems.

The Virtual lab is open and available service for everyone who have or need some eco-solutions. It is a tool for presentation of demand and offer to the wider public, their potential clients and business associates.

 http://ecoinnovative.eu

third project partner meeting - slovenia

The third project partner meeting of the EcoInn project was mainly focused on first year review of deliverables implemented and discussion about upcoming events. The meeting was held in Vila Bianca in town of Velenje, Slovenia in the dates of 24-25 of January 2018. The host partner was KSENNA from Slovenia.

During the first day review of work packages was done followed by innovative workshop in which all PP's were involved. Work package leaders were moderators of the relevant panels and Activity leader partners were presenters.

The second day was continued by presentations of deliverables achieved in the same work packages including discussion about organizing upcoming events in project period 3. First year review of the project was presented by the Lead partner with participation of each work package leaders. At the end of the event a Steering committee meeting was held.

international stakeholder meeting - slovenia

On 23.01.2018, PP2 KSENNA organized "International stakeholder meeting" with aim to identify solutions to overcome common obstacles that hinder the uptake of eco-innovations.

Host organization of the events was SASA Inkubator from Velenje, Slovenia. Participants discussed about actual needs and requirements of the Danube region for innovations focused specifically on areas of sustainable energy, environmental protection and the circular economy. The event featured national and foreign experts participating in 2 panel sessions, best practice examples of Slovenian companies and start-ups and attendance of experts in the fields of investment, energetics, circular economy, intellectual property, sustainable arhitecture and more. In the First session, EcoInn project was presented by Peter Kaldos from Digitalis Jolet, followed by Simona Pede from bwCON presenting the organization and results of the Green summer school and Andrea Pitzschke from Economica presenting some results of the National reports on obstacles and opportunieties in the partner countries. The presentations were followed by representatives from Gorenje, BOSCH and AMIBIT who talked about their companies and their eco-innovative solutions.

successful "giif" in stuttgart - germany

With almost 80 applicants from all over Europe and over 100 visitors attending the final pitches, the Green Innovation and Investment Forum 2018, held in Stuttgart, ensured unparalleled insights into the international Green Start-up Community. 

During the course of the two-day event, an open space emerged for exchange and networking between investors, experts from science and industry and 20 promising, hand-selected Start-ups. On the 20th February, in a dedicated training day, the start-ups were coached on business model, access to finance and IPR and could check with professional how “green” their business idea is. This was the perfect preparation for the pitching in front of investors and corporate representative held on the second day. 

Creative thinking was accelerated by several inspiring keynotes, held by Viva con Agua-Initiator Benjamin Adrion and Impact-Investor Shuen Chan, who emphasized that there can be no more “business as usual” – but only “business with purpose”. This was impressively illustrated by the following pitches of the 20 finalists, who captivated jury and audience with the wide variety of innovative ideas. An expert jury selected the most convincing business models in three categories – the Green Tech Award Advanced Stage, Early Stage and the Scientific Prize, provided by the Institute for Industrial Ecology from the University of Pforzheim.

The companies awarded presented promising solution in the Green Tech field. The start-up NanoScreen received the Scientific Support Award for their innovative window films that will block out heat while being fully transparent and therefore reducing energy spending on acclimatization. The German team of SeedForward was declared winner of the Early Stage competition. The agricultural Start-up focuses on organic seed coating that increases plant resistance and efficiency. The main prize for the best Advanced Stage innovation was awarded to Twipes, a young company with focus on producing self-dissolving wet wipes, and therefore contributing to global waste reduction.

local workshop and matchmaking event - bulgaria

On 28th of March, 2018 Local workshop and matchmaking event was organized by CCI-Vratsa at the Inter Expo and Congress Center Sofia, for the needs of project EcoInn Danube (Eco-innovatively connected Danube region) co-funded by the Interreg Danube Programme. The participants were representatives from eco-start-ups developing new innovative applications, national authorities, business support organizations and other from national and international level. The event started with opening in which the team of CCI-Vratsa presented the daily Agenda which was followed by a presentation about Energy efficiency in the industry in Bulgaria, presented by Ivaylo Alexiev – Executive Director of the Bulgarian Sustainable Energy Development Agency. 

In the next part of the event the team of CCI-Vratsa, presented the EcoInn Danube project. The main and specific objectives of project were presented, as also the project partners, activities, expected results, target groups and key elements. A special focus was put on the Virtual lab of the project which is a web platform developed for people who can submit an eco-innovative offer either for a challenge they face or for a designed solution. Other features of the lab were also presented such as Eco-solutions, Expert database, Stakeholders map and Green Summer school (pilot action).

Тhe matchmaking event was realized during the Energy fair - Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, Smart Cities, Waste Management & Recycling at the inter Expo Center in Sofia. The participants introduced themselves shortly by presenting their field of work /business and presented what they are looking for. After that they were divided into groups and met different eco-innovative companies at the fair which were therefore divided into 3 sectors – Renewable Energy and Related systems, Energy efficiency, Smart cities energy efficiency and the Buildings. The companies at the fair were previously selected to be visited at their stands and are from Bulgaria. The eco-solutions they offered were: E-mobility, pellet boilers and oven, biofuels, smart heating and cooling, smart homes and smart lighting.

ecoinn project promotion on the transdanubian research institute jubilee event - hungary

The project team of the Somogy County Enterprise Centre Foundation introduced the EcoInn Project and the concept of the Virtual Lab to the attendances of the Transdanubian Research Institute jubilee event, and conducted the matchmaking roundtable session.

The key topic of the conference was the socio-economic, environmental and regional aspects of a circular economy on the days of 19-20 April 2018 in Pécs, in Hungary.

The project promotion began on Friday at 10:30 and got the name of “Joint event of the Interreg EcoInn Danube project".

The event was held with over then 40 participants and 3 academic moderators, which most of them introduced their fields of research or companies. The mentioned topics related to eco innovation were the slow spread of the new innovations, the problems of the different regulations among the countries and the beneficial effects of the tax support.

It was a really successful event regarding to the project, where organisers met new stakeholders, spread the concept of the Virtual Lab, with idea to help in new connections among the research and development institutions and the entrepreneur sector

ecoinn danube - banja luka tech summit - bosnia & hercegovina 

Chamber  of  Commerce  and  Industry  of  Banja  Luka  Region  was  the  host  of  the  Banja  Luka  Tech  Summit  organized  by World  Chicago,  Non-profit  organization  based  in  USA. The  Banja  Luka  Tech  Summit  was  an  open  gathering  bringing  high-level speakers  from  around  the  world  to  share their  vast  experiences  and  global  perspectives  in  technology,  entrepreneurship  and  The  Art  of  Business.  The  summit aimed  to  cultivate  an  environment  for  entrepreneurship  development  and  growth  in the  Balkan  region. 

The  theme  of  the  summit  was  divided  into  three  main  sessions: The Art of creating Smart Cities, Enterpreneurial Mindset and Skills for the Future, The Business of Art. 

Target  group  of  the  event  were  top  management  of  technology  companies  in BiH  and  the  region,  representatives  of relevant  institutions  at  all  levels  of  government  in  BiH,  representatives  of  organizations  that  promote  and  implement activities  of  interest  for  local  communities,  and  are  focused  on  economic  development  and  social  justice. More  than  100  participants  were  involved  in  three  sessions  mentioned.  CCI BL,  as  a  partner  in  the  EcoInn  project,  set up  an  exhibition  space,  consisted  of  digital  media,  in  order  to  present  the  Project  with  an  emphasis  on  Virtual  Lab.

The  summit  participants  showed  huge  interest  not  only  in  the  Project  activities  and  Virtual  Lab,  but  also  for  terms related  to  innovation  and  eco-innovation  and  other  issues. The  information  about  Virtual  Lab  and  the  usefulness  was  spread  among  the  audience which  will  use  it  and  also disseminate to other  interested  parties.

presentation of the ecoinn danube project - serbia

The EcoInn Danube project was presented at the 7th Scientific Conference „Entrepreneurship, Engineering, Management“, held on 28th of April 2018, in Zrenjanin. The Conference was organized by the Technical College of Applied Sciences – Zrenjanin, with the main objective to provide a scientific contribution to the engineering profession and culture development in Serbian society, with an emphasis on sustainable development. Based on the fact that innovation are incorporated into engineering knowledge, followed by entrepreneurial and managerial knowledge and skills, organizers decided that this year Conference subject should be “Innovativeness: The New Knowledge Generator”.

On this occasion, the RDA Banat project team presented the EcoInn Danube project, as well as the scientific work under the title „Eco-innovations: Running a Competitive Business in a Friendship With the Nature“ that was created as a result of conducted research and activities within the project EcoInn Danube. Also, the Conference was used as an opportunity for establishing new contacts with the scientific community, as well as with eco-innovators who presented their inventions at the event, such as Environment Friendly Combustion System for Sawdust In Function of Space Heating – ECO FLAME 3.

Upcomming events!

transnational conference in bratislava - slovakia

The transnational conference in Bratislava with topic “Societal and Environmental Challenges in the Field of Innovation and Technology” will be organised on May 22, 2018 in Bratislava.  Upcoming transnational event aiming at matchmaking of SMEs and R&D Institutions.The main goal of the event is to bring innovators, from different countries, which are the part of Danube region who are willing to present their idea/prototype or business model in front of audience composed of researchers, investors, business advisors, general public…

Accredited participants will be able to present their own prototypes in live or through promo material.The topic of the event will focus on business and society and current challenges. The organizer will cover travel and accommodation costs to limited number of participants.

http://www.cvtisr.sk/buxus/docs//Projekty/EcoInn_Danube/FINAL_AGENDA-Green_and_Societal_Challenges_in_Innovation_and_Business.pdf

ecoinn danube - green innovation and entrepreneurship summer school 2018

Till the 31 May 2018 young talents and entrepreneurs with a focus on sustainable business models have the possibility to apply for the Green Innovation and Entrepreneurship Summer School in Bratislava in Slovakia. If you have already accomplished the first steps in finding a solution to a given problem and you are motivated to improve your sustainable product or service in order to go to market, then apply!

During the five-day workshop in last week of June 2018 participants will be working intensively on the validation of their business model. Furthermore, they will have the opportunity to receive professional feedback from coaches and experts within the sector of green and eco innovation. They will focus on topics like revenue model, finance, marketing and sales as well as intellectual property rights. At the end of the Green Innovation and Entrepreneurship Summer School, every participant will have a clear understanding of how revenues can be generated successfully, which promotion channels are the most important for the target group and how they can protect their property rights.

On the last days, participants will pitch their ideas to a jury of experts.

The Green Innovation and Entrepreneurship Summer School takes place from 25 to 30 June 2018 in Bratislava. The event is part of the EcoInn Project implemented within the Danube Transnational Programme and co-funded by European Union funds (ERDF and IPA contribution)! Participation is free of charge! The organizer will cover travel and accommodation to limited number of participants. 

Applications of startup teams and individual entrepreneurs or talents from all over Europe are appreciated.

Updates and more information are available here: http://ecoinnovative.eu/summer-school/