NUR-SULTAN – Nazarbayev University recently hosted the national finals of the ClimateLaunchpad 2019 green technologies entrepreneurship ideas international competition, reported science-fund.kz.
One of the winners, HydroPlat team and their project. Photo credit: climatelaunchpad.org.
“ClimateLaunchpad provides a great opportunity to get the knowledge needed for the development of new cleantech ideas into successful business projects. Participation in ClimateLaunchpad will help entrepreneurs to check the feasibility of their ideas and to develop an ability to communicate it to potential investors and prospective customers,” Yelena Shevchenko, Kazakhstan’s ClimateLaunchpad national lead, told climatelaunchpad.org.
The competition’s goal is finding the best green technologies ideas and helping to develop them into sustainable start-ups.
The committee considered 80 applications and selected 11 teams. The groups enrolled in boot camp classes July 15-16 to prepare them for the finals. Taking part in the event helped participants become acquainted with projects aimed at reducing negative impact on the environment and climate by introducing developments in renewable energy, sustainable food production and technology, as well as waste processing and environmental protection.
The two teams selected will be entered in November’s international finals in Amsterdam. First place was awarded to the HydroPlat project, which works to obtain nanomaterials needed to produce hydrogen cars. The dECO project, which develops a platform for the creation and subsequent sale of unique items made from used ones, took second place.
The TopyraQ project team proposed an idea for processing food waste and turning it into compost. The project was involved in an online poll with other selected participants from 55 countries.
The international competition winners will receive cash prizes to develop their projects, as well as opportunities to accelerate their business ideas.
The competition’s main organiser is Climate-KIC, a European Union initiative regarding climate and innovations. The Kazakh National Final organisers are Astana Business Campus, NU Green Campus and Science Fund.
