by cristina | Jul 1, 2021 | Featured
The digital open innovation program by Sociedade Ponto Verde to innovate packaging waste has already kicked-off. Re_source’s bootcamp is happening on June 28, 29 and 30 and on July 7, 8 and 9.
This journey of innovation will be fully digital, where the selected startups and innovators will meet the brave pilot partners of this special program.
The bootcamp includes sessions especially designed for partners and startups, pitches, preparation of one-on-one meetings, as well as deep dive conversations between both parties to define scope and purpose of their collaborations.
The participating startups will be split by challenge, so that each program’s category is covered with innovative solutions. In the end, both startups and pilot partners will have found their “match” and define further steps to their solutions for packaging waste.
Among so many well qualified applications, it was not easy to decide who should move to this phase of the program, but re_source has selected 19 top startups to participate in the bootcamp:
Arqlite is developing highly efficient materials for massive industries, made 100% from discarded plastics.
An AI-based smart waste bin, designed for public places, enabling them to achieve efficiency in waste management and reach green strategy goals.
Technology for hotels, restaurants, and apartment buildings to ensure recyclables are sorted by customers before disposal, and the internal collection process of recyclables is streamlined.
Digitization, cloud data and blockchain technology to store and facilitate seamless sharing of information about plastic waste and map waste flows.
Delamination technology, used to recycle complex/multilayer plastic packaging by separating each of the materials that comprise the packaging and recovering all of them.
GreenPlat is a SaaS in blockchain that covers the whole production, managing environmental indicators and the supply chain and destination of companies.
Magnetic ink-based technology for recyclable packaging. he inks allow recyclers to magnetically (and economically) sort packaging elements during recycling.
Mudatuga believes in the power of education and community, spreading the compost awareness with a sense of humor and proximity to the public.
A social network that empowers forward-thinking organizations to communicate, promote and engage their communities to take collective steps around ESG-based initiatives.
Waste-based sustainable blocks for wood pallets and packaging. These blocks are made 100% from upcycled resources dumped everyday on landfills.
A patent-pending Tag and Trace technology that allows packaging manufacturers and brands to assign unique individual codes to each unit of a product.
A smart bin able to automatically differentiate waste thanks to machine learning and image recognition techniques.
Reath ((track & trace + analytics and BI tools) enables businesses to adopt and grow scalable circular packaging systems fit for the 21st century.
The only solution able to identify unmistakably all types of packaging waste with one device.
Personalized white-labeled service of recycling information and rewards for retailers and brand owners.
Peer-to-peer marketplace where users can hitch a ride for things they need recycled or moved.
Trash4Goods is a gamification platform that rewards users for recycling.
The world’s first patent bio-based material made entirely of unsorted household waste.
A tech company that helps collect more trash to recycle with software of AI, APPS and traditional IT systems combined together with its developed HW(machine).
by cristina | Jun 25, 2021 | Corporates, Startups
NextLap is the open innovation program designed to give a new life to tyre components. Between September 2020 and May 2021, it joined innovators and industry partners to develop new solutions focused on the end-of-life tyres and its derived components – rubber, steel, and textile. And the results were truly rewarding!
NextLap is a program by Valorpneu and Genan, developed by Beta-i.
All about Sustainability
The Portuguese newspaper Jornal Económico has summed it up correctly: every year, around the world, over 30 million tons of tyres are discarded. Only in Portugal, we’re talking about 80 thousand tons, with 60% going to recycling and 40% to energy production. According to a study by Valorpneu, one of the main partners of NextLap, per each ton of recovered tyres, we’re avoiding about 1.3 tons of CO2 emissions and saving 37283 energy megajoules.
The most common usages of tyre rubber recovery are usually sports pavements, synthetic grass filling, isolation materials and concrete used in roads and airports. In the end, NextLap is all about sustainability and circular economy. Tyres go circular, always and forever.
Innovation road trip: finding new solutions…
In the end of its journey, NextLap gathered the final innovators and the program’s partners for a demo day, to show results of the work done between each other.
Two of the pilot projects developed during NextLap were the result of a collaboration between the worldwide known Decathlon and two of the innovators of the program: Rubberlink and Tintex, both from Portugal.
The innovators at Rubberlink have designed a devulcanized rubber solution that allowed Decathlon to create a shoe prototype with a recycled shoe sole.
Tintex, on the other hand, has used rubber powder to create the vamp of gymnastic shoes, a product to be tested also by Decathlon. This innovative solution is showing the never thought potential of this tyre material. Besides, Tintex is also considering reusing the textile material from tyres in bicycle saddles.
The program originated a total of five pilot projects.
Pavnext, also from Portugal, has developed an electric solution that reduces the speed of vehicles circulating within regions, covered by rubber made out of tyre recycling. Ruconbar, from Croatia, has presented a solution for acoustic barriers in trailways with rubber made out of tyre recycling.
… and Art
NextLap has taken tyre upcycling to a whole new level: Art.
“UNO” is a sculpture made out of derivatives from pieces of old tyres. This piece of art was made by Filippo Fiumani and João Mendonça (Luzíadas) with the curatorship of Departamento (Bruno Pereira). It gives a new life to materials that no longer have their original purpose.
“UNO” can be seen temporarily in Lisbon, by the docks, in Alcântara.
Designing the Future
José de Carvalho, Innovation Director at Genan, sums it right: “The goal of NextLap was to bring together innovators and industries and open the door for new solutions to turn into commercial circuits. The first objective was effectively achieved and, with the creation of the prototypes, it will be possible to evaluate all the inherent properties in order to enable the transition to mass production”
NextLap is just the first step of further collaborations. Innovators and partners have met, worked together and designed a new future for sustainability for the end-of-life tyres. We’re eager to see what the next lap will show.
Thank you!
______________
NextLap Partners
Main Partners: Valorpneu | Genan | Beta-i
Industry Partners: OPWAY | Pragosa | Mobinov | Decathlon | Extruplás | Procalçado | IP – Infraestruturas de Portugal | Houdini Sportswear
by cristina | May 7, 2021 | Corporates, Startups
re_source is the digital open innovation program by Sociedade Ponto Verde, focused on circular economy and digital disruption of packaging waste.
Being a Portuguese waste packaging management body whose mission is to manage the “take-back and recovery” of packaging, Sociedade Ponto Verde has brought re_source, in partnership with Beta-i, to bring new insights, technologies and scalable innovations to the packaging waste sector.
re_source is the way for international startups and innovators to develop, together and in collaboration with the pilot partners, the most innovative solutions to address challenges in this industry.
And who are these brave partners with whom the startups will work with, you ask? We answer – and you may find more about them in re_source’s website.
We have already 13 green rockstars in the source of innovation:
(re_source can still have more, though. If you’d like to join as a pilot partner, contact the team here)
The Municipality of Mafra mission is to plan, organise and implement policies that promote inclusive, smart and environmentally sustainable growth of the territory. The idea is to boost innovation and digital transformation, aimed at creating well-being for the citizens and generating value for investors.
- Cascais Ambiente
Cascais Ambiente is responsible for the urban cleaning and waste collection services in Cascais and is responsible for managing urban green public spaces, gambling and recreation, natural resource management and the coastline. https://ambiente.cascais.pt/
Manufactures recycled paper for corrugated cardboard. It has four lines of business: manufacturing of recycled paper for corrugated paper (Saica Paper), waste management and environmental services (Saica Natur), production of corrugated paper packaging (Saica Pack) and flexible packaging (Saica Flex).
Mail delivery service, both physically and digitally. Also includes services such as savings management, credits and insurance. Its mission is to foster innovation and forge relationships built on trust, through proximity and excellence, connecting both people and companies.
Manages, recovers, and treats the municipal waste produced in eight municipalities of the Greater Porto Area, in Portugal. Every year, it treats around 500,000 tons of municipal waste, promoting the adoption of integrated systems and the minimization of waste disposal in landfills. Four core areas of strategy: Multi-material Recovery, Organic Recovery, and Energy Recovery.
Leader in the production and commercialisation of disposable aluminium packaging for more than 40 years. Develops its activity in: cash & carries, food industry, patisseries/bakeries, catering and take away industries, including stores and supermarket chains.
Swiss multinational food and drink processing conglomerate corporation, present for over 150 years now. Nestlé unlocks the power of food to enhance the quality of life for everyone, today and for generations to come.
Urban hotel with a sustainable tourism concept, certified according to standards ISO 9001, 14001, and 45001, and the Green Key certification. Open since 2011, it has also won the We Care and We Share seals from the AHP, the Green Project Award, and the Zero Carbon Certification.
Projects, produces and commercializes a complete set of solutions for temporary waste containerization and related services. As the Iberian market leader of recycling containers, it has approximately 200 thousand units of its star product, CYCLEA, installed.
Founded in 1934 as a major beer seller company. Nowadays part of the Heineken company, SCC is a leading company in terms of innovation in the drinks market, and aware of its potential as a driving force for growth and development.
Major Portuguese soft drinks company with a multi-brand, multi-market strategy, whose core business is based on its operations in the Beer and Bottled water businesses. Includes soft drinks, wines, malt production and marketing and tourism.
Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM) company. Responsible for integrated management of municipal solid waste produced in the municipalities of Cascais, Mafra, Oeiras and Sintra, in Portugal.
Vidrala (founded in 1965) produces glass containers for a wide range of food and beverage products. It is the 4th largest manufacturer in Western Europe, with eight complementary production centers located in different countries (Spain, Portugal, Italy and UK) and around 3500 employees.
It’s very exciting to have all these pilot partners on board.
The selected startups and innovators will be able to work together with a varied range of experts to disrupt the packaging waste system. Startups and innovators can apply to re_source until May 16, 2021.
by cristina | Apr 30, 2021 | Corporates, Featured, Startups
Now in its fourth edition, The Journey returns to help disrupt the tourism industry, especially in demanding and urgent times like 2021.
The Journey – innovation for tourism
As every sector, Tourism has always had to adapt to external variables. The year of 2020 in particular, due to the covid-19 pandemic, has proven that adapting to challenges is key for the success and sustainability of the whole sector.
Taking Portugal’s case, tourism represents the sector with the largest economic export activity in the country – accounting in 2019 for 52.3% of services exports and 19.7% of the total exports, and tourism revenues contributing 8.7% to the Portuguese GDP. This reveals its innovation and strategy to be even more crucial.
Following the lead, The Journey program rises once again to its fourth edition, to find the most innovative solutions for the sector, focusing on its recovery and revamping.
This edition is 100% online, yet gathering international startups and the program’s partners to collaborate together into developing pilot projects that will be all about rapid test and implementation. These Pilots should be solving challenges felt in Hospitality, Parks & Monuments, Tours & Activities and Payments. This means that startups from all industries can take part in this innovation journey, given that the most varied technology will be creating positive impact.
The good news is that the Top 14 startups were already chosen for the bootcamp, where they will explore and establish pilot projects between them and partners. Here are the mighty fourteen:
Manages guided visits content used on the visitor’s mobile device and allows the analysis of usage data.
Travel tech company that provides Hotels, Airlines, and OTAs a scalable, white-label product to plan unique and personalized travel itineraries.
The first Cloud-driven tour guide system in app format and an alternative solution to traditional radio group guiding devices.
Transforms the way the world gets together in real life in a post COVID world.
Smart settlement / automation system for the hospitality industry.
AI-powered platform that converts any screen in the public and business domain into a smart, real-time engagement and performance measurement asset.
Frictionless payment through QR codes with no apps, emails, signups or contacts involved.
The google analytics for the physical world. Enables brick & mortar chains to make decisions based on the movement, behavior and interests of millions of people.
Order-and-pay solution for the hospitality industry. Restaurants, Pubs, Hotels, Arenas, and Resorts are made more efficient, while their guests are kept safe and secure.
Using data to help cultural spots (museums, restaurants, stores, and local brands) to understand the purchasing behavior of Chinese audiences.
Multifunctional product able to recognize a huge number of documents and barcodes with minimal energy consumption and maximum security.
Interactive virtual tours that increase only visibility thanks to the partnership with Google.
Solution to help companies/departments/teams to manage shifts to better fit the customers flows.
Digitalize in-person transactions for verticals such as hospitality, health care, retail, access control and ticket vending solutions for attended and self-service transactions.
After agreeing on a fit and work plan, startups and partners will be collaborating together. We’re looking forward to sharing some of those collaboration results in the near future.
Keep up with The Journey!
by cristina | Apr 19, 2021 | Corporates, Featured, Startups
Beta-i carried out an Ecosystem Survey to understand the evolution of the innovation market over the past 12 months among players in Portugal’s tech community.
The survey’s results show a growth in innovation and digital transformation projects during the pandemic.
One year after the beginning of the pandemic, these were the main takeaways:
- 71% of respondents say that the number of innovation projects developed between startups, companies, universities, and research centres has increased between March 2020 and March 2021;
- 50% show an increase in their number of innovation partners to find new solutions to the pandemic’s challenges;
- 47% of respondents give greater preference to seeking local partners rather than entities outside of Portugal;
- Collaboration has also gained new strength, with over 70% of the community upholding the growth of this belief;
- Innovation and digital transformation as agents of change increased 47%;
- 52% of the respondents’ optimism about the future remains similar to the pre-pandemic period, being a more skeptical or pragmatic stance based on issues that go beyond the pandemic context – such as diversifying innovation funding models and reducing bureaucracy and public procurement rules;
- At Beta-i, we also saw our number of projects increase compared between March 2020 (15) and March 2021 (22 projects) and a 22% revenue growth in the first quarter of 2021 compared to 2020.
Alisson Avila, our co-founder and Communication and Knowledge Expert, explained that “the survey was conducted with people who work with innovation and digital transformation, during a year where this was paramount. A year later, this 12 month survey was undoubtedly crucial for the ecosystem to understand the way it deals with uncertain environments and, above all, rethink the way it approaches innovation.”
“However, we must understand the context of the data before assuming a positive correlation. The results show a solid upcoming scenario at a digital level; nevertheless, it may not represent higher revenue generation. It will be essential to align this through 2021, to confirm the trend that collaboration for innovation is a culture and process for generating results in the market,” adds Alisson.
The survey had the participation of 54 players from the technology community, including founders of startups, leaders, large companies’ executives, researchers, and investors, mostly of Portuguese nationality. The answers were collected between February and March, 2021.
