Winners Of Ideas4Change For UN Sustainable Development Goals

Inventions to contribute to the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals have been rewarded. A reactor which converts carbon dioxide into ethanol, a method for the detection of pesticides and contaminants in food, and renewable leather created from bacteria won the heart of the jury.

After the adoption of the 2030 SDGs (17 goals), the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) sought to show how innovative enterprises can contribute to address today’s social and environmental challenges.

UNECE launched its “Ideas4Change for the SDGs Award.” A previous edition was set in 2015. The initiative is a call to startups in the 56 member countries of the UNECE for innovative ideas and solutions to address the 17 SDGs, according to UNECE website.

Today, the winners of the award were announced among the five finalists.

The jury prize goes to Catalytic Innovation and Inspecto, while the popularity prize goes to DeBatelier.

Catalytic Innovations is developing a reactor that converts carbon dioxide into ethanol, for use in consumer products, and as a renewable fuel source. According to the UNECE website, components of the process that further improve its efficiency were discovered previously at Yale University and are under exclusive license to Catalytic Innovations.

Inspecto developed a method for the detection of pesticides and contaminants in food. According to the finalist webpage, “with more than 85% of our food supply carrying pesticides residues it is no surprise that 29 different types of pesticides are in the average human body according to the Center for Disease Control & Prevention in the U.S.”

“DeBatelier is a collaborative research venture exploring new materials and techniques for the development of good and impactful design for all, with a focus on unfolding the potential of low-profile materials and simple techniques,” according to the UNECE website.

In the corridors of the Nations Palais in Geneva on 25 April, the finalists presented their projects. DeBatelier was displaying renewable leather created from bacteria. The soft-to-the-touch material comes in different thicknesses, textures, and colours, and can be used to manufacture clothes, bags, shoes, and many other items, the inventors told Intellectual Property Watch.

According to the UNECE website, winners will receive an official Award Certificate, and “will participate in the MassChallenge Israel global accelerator where they will be among 48 highly vetted teams gaining access to a world class program, mentors, investors, multinational corporations and other stakeholders.”

 

Image Credits: Catherine Saez