PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
Recently, we added a competition called the D-Prize to our Idea Accelerator. This prize, whose tagline is “Distribution equals development,” is a terrific idea that is so needed in our world today.
Why?
There is no shortage of excellent, incentivizing prizes in the world — competitions that inspire innovation and ingenuity to make the world a better place. The XPrize is a pioneer in the social innovation competition arena, describing itself as a “catalyst for the benefit of humanity.”
SUPPLY CHAIN -
Businesses face myriad ongoing challenges: Apart from the day-to-day fluctuations in market dynamics, entrepreneurs must deal with economies of scale, inter- and intra-market competition and regulatory compliance.
Yet some voluntary compliance can unleash a competitive advantage expedites addressing the other challenges. Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification is precisely one such step: Especially in a time when consumer interest in sustainable materials continues to grow, FSC-certified wood and paper make sense economically, socially and environmentally.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
You’ve probably heard plenty of startups claim they can “revolutionize” their industry, but in the case of Bolt Threads, they may actually be right. The California-based biotechnology startup is already manufacturing its Engineered Silk™ protein at scale and made two big announcements this week at TechCrunch Disrupt NY: the conclusion of a $50 million Series C financing round, and a new partnership with apparel brand Patagonia.
BUSINESS CASE -
It's time once again for the Sustainable Brands Innovation Open (SBIO) — our annual competition for startups that positively impact people, planet and profit, sponsored by Target — and we’re excited about our 11 semi-finalists in what has been our most competitive selection process yet. This year, we have startups poised to revolutionize several industries, from natural body care products to responsible mineral mining, to repurposing previously wasted food and clothing.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
The Unilever Sustainable Living Young Entrepreneurs Awards, now in its third year, has attracted the highest number of entries to date. The Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), which runs the competition with Unilever and Ashoka, says it received over 900 entries from over 99 countries from young entrepreneurs creating a safer, healthier and brighter future.
WASTE NOT -
Campaigns near and far have been educating people on the – well, wastefulness – of food waste. Bad for both our wallets and the environment, the amount of food that is purchased by consumers only to go uneaten and get thrown out is estimated at 16 percent in European Union countries and up to 25 percent in the United States. The average family in the United Kingdom discards £700-worth (over US$1,000) of food a year, while the average American family of four tosses $1,365 to $2,275 per year.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
Cedar Anderson loves bees. So much so he spent 10 years developing a product called Honey Flow that allows beekeepers to easily extract honey with little to no intrusion on the bees (or the beekeeper). In 2015, Anderson raised over $12 million worth of backing (over 17,000% of his goal) on Indiegogo to develop his Flow Hive; by using design to make bees’ lives a little easier, he might just contribute to the preservation of an entire species.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
When you’re shopping for your next hoodie, this startup is hoping you’ll choose to plant as many as 93 trees: ch8se (choose) is a new experimental fashion brand from Amsterdam that has decided to donate its would-be advertising budget towards planting trees or providing food or water to those in need.
“This is an attempt to democratise consumer activism. We believe that conscious consumerism is our most effective tool for making a change and it's currently extremely under-utilized,” ch8se co-founder David Eros told Sustainable Brands in an e-mail.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
Are we truly stuffed? Our obsession with ownership means we have become somewhat attracted to clutter. It is estimated that the average US home contains 300,000 items, yet this still isn’t enough for 1 in 10 Americans who have to additionally rent offsite storage.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
New companies have the opportunity to manage their business in progressive and innovative ways from the start, but it is not always easy – their hands are full just maintaining viability. The B Team, a group of influential business leaders, believes that the integration social and environmental purpose into a company’s core business model from the very start will allow the company to realize significant benefits for their investors, shareholders and customers.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
Social entrepreneurs have a new opportunity to launch and scale their sustainability solutions - through a new partnership between crowdfunding platform Indiegogo and the Unilever Foundry, the ‘entry-point’ for startups seeking to connect with Unilever and its venture capital arm, Unilever Ventures.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
A futuristic space station, rainforests and oceans will be explored by a cast of diverse kids and their animal friends in a new 3D-animated television show, Planet Blue. The show’s creators hope to inspire environmental awareness among children and capture their imaginations “with genuinely endearing characters, engaging scenarios, and writing that's funny enough to make them forget that they're learning.”
CLEANTECH -
Last week, Veolia, The Water Council and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) announced the first-ever “Pow!
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
Food waste has been one of the trendiest topics in sustainability of late, as more and more people have become aware that as much as one third of the world’s food is being wasted. The UN set a target to halve global food waste as one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which the CEOs of Nestlé, Tesco, Unilever, and other leaders formed Champions 12.3 to pursue.
COLLABORATION -
The Climate CoLab — an initiative of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) launched in 2009 — has launched its annual set of contests seeking high-impact proposals on how people, organizations and governments can collaborate to tackle major climate change challenges. Entries can win prizes — including a $10,000 cash award and a chance to present at MIT — and also feed into larger climate action plans for countries and the whole world, which the community will build on the platform later this year.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
The Campbell Soup Company has announced that it is launching a $125 million venture capital (VC) fund to invest in food startups. The fund, under the banner Acre Venture Partners L.P., will be managed by unidentified outsiders independent of Campbell, although the food giant is its sole limited partner.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
Unilever Foundry — Unilever’s startup technology incubator — has launched a search for the world’s top 50 marketing technology startups to pitch to industry leaders at Lions Innovation in Cannes in June. As part of the Unilever Foundry 50, the startups will have an exclusive opportunity to showcase their technology, pitch their solutions to brand and agency leaders from around the world and catalyze new partnerships.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
Back to the Roots®, an Oakland, California startup spearheading a movement to reconnect people with food, announced today that it has completed a $5 million strategic seed financing round, led by Tony Robbins’ and Peter Guber’s startup accelerator, Agency of Trillions, along with additional new angel investors. Previous investors — TOMS founder Blake Mycoskie, Annie’s founder John Foraker, and Clif Bar CEO Kevin Cleary — also joined the round.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
Amidst increasing risks and heightened uncertainty, diverse perspectives are essential to solving the complex problems facing the world today. That is the thinking behind Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)’s Living Progress Challenge, which is asking people from all over the world: What software applications and digital services would you create to improve people’s lives?
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
There are new options for Americans and Brits alike who want to “re-fashion” their wardrobes. ReKindness is an Atlanta, Georgia-based startup that is allowing members to swap clothes through its online platform. On the other side of the pond, environmental charity Hubbub is running events to help people learn how to repair and upcycle clothes and accessories, in addition to “clothes swapping boutiques.”