Tech for the Planet (2021)

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Startups × Climate

Tech for the Planet 2021

08-11

14-18

32-35

In the fight against climate change, we need all chefs in the kitchen

All conceivable solutions must be on the table

Sustainability on land, at sea, and in the air

FOOD

ENERGY

TRANSPORT

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ConTech Lab er byggebranchens fælles udviklingsplatform. Her kan byggeriets virksomheder sammen udvikle og eksperimentere med nye måder at benytte data, digitalisering og teknologi på til at skabe fremtidens byggeri – et mere bæredygtigt og produktivt byggeri.

Digitalisering er afgørende for den grønne omstilling i byggeriet

Begrebet ConTech dækker over de forskellige typer af teknologi og digitalisering, som under ét betegnes Construction Technologies.

Det dækker over både software, hardware og anden teknologi, der kan effektivisere og forbedre selve byggeprocessen gennem hele værdikæden.

Byggeriet skal digitaliseres hurtigere og blive mere bæredygtigt,

ConTech Lab er byggebranchens fælles udviklingsplatform, og er netop

hvis det skal leve op til Danmarks klimamål. Med en ny bevilling på

nu i gang med at fastlægge pionerprojekterne for 2022 sammen

30 mio. kr. fra Industriens Fond og Realdania og vellykkede pioner-

med branchen.

projekter kan ConTech Lab nu for alvor accelerere den digitale omstilling af byggeriet gennem digitale arbejdsmetoder og ny teknologi.

Så kom, og vær en del af arbejdet. Læs mere på contechlab.dk

Tak til vores samarbejdspartnere på de første pionerprojekter: Per Aarsleff A/S, DTU, EG, COWI, Værdibyg, Wicotek Kirkebjerg, Lean Construction-DK, SiteHub, Jeudan, BUILD, Cobblestone, HD Lab, Dronetjek, NIRAS, Saint Gobain, CG Jensen, Pihl & Søn, 5E og Sensohive 2

27942_Contech_Lab_210x297.indd 1

Tech for the Planet

01/12/2021 12.18

About: Tech for the Planet Green startups are already working hard to solve the biggest global challenge of our time: Climate change.

Digitalisation and new technologies will most certainly play a crucial role in achieving climate goals. This applies to the development of radically new technologies, but also further refinement of the existing ones as well as the introduction of new business models. All with a need for swift scaling and implementation to the global market.

In this magazine, we zoom in on the technologies and the startups behind them who are doing their best to pull the planet in a greener direction. What solutions are emerging and what difference do they make for consumers and corporations? And what role do startups play in the vast, international challenge?

Enjoy!

Partners We would like to thank the following partners, sponsors and advertisers for making “Tech for the Planet” possible:

“Tech for the Planet” is produced by TechSavvy Media.

Editor in Chief: Sebastian Kjær | Journalists: Anna Bernsen Jakobsen, Erik Lillelund and Sebastian Kjær Layout: Vratislav Pecka Contact: sales@techsavvy.media

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12.18

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Inside the magazine, you will find...

05 06-07

Where do we go from here!?

08-11

FOOD: In the fight against climate change, we need all chefs in the kitchen Meat, eggs, avocado. Much of the food we have been accustomed to eating has a major impact on the climate, and if we are to combat contest global warming in the future, it will require innovation in food, technology and value chains. No stones can be left unturned in the transition to a more sustainable society.

12-13

Expert Panel: Can we rely on startups for the green transition?

14-18

ENERGY: If the growing energy hunger is to be satisfied, all conceivable solutions must be on the table Green energy is a key concern in the green transition. So far, nothing has successfully reversed or even affected the trend: the concentration of carbon in the atmosphere is rising steadily. Therefore, all conceivable solutions in all conceivable sizes and shapes are needed.

19 20-22 23

4

Editorial: The green solutions are already out there. They just need global scaling!

We need green, global solutions fast - and that’s exactly the ambition behind elite accelerator “GreenUP”

On the journey to internationalisation, it is crucial to know your target market

CONSTRUCTION: Denmark must be a frontrunner in sustainable construction

24-27

CONSTRUCTION: Green construction starts with digitization The construction industry plays a significant role in achieving Denmark’s climate goals, as the industry accounts for 30 per cent of carbon emissions. Digitization is already moving construction in a greener direction - but will be absolutely crucial when it comes to turning the industry sustainable on a global scale.

28-29

Engineers and tech startups are joining forces to push the green agenda

30-31

Investors with green fingers: “We need to get the green transition to meet good business”

32-35

TRANSPORT: Sustainability on land, at sea, and in the air: Companies incorporate climate friendly solutions in their businesses Getting from A to B can be done in a lot of different ways and with big differences in the carbon footprint. Three companies have incorporated sustainability into their businesses in an attempt to be as climate friendly as possible. But how big is the impact really?

Tech for the Planet

Editorial

The green solutions are already out there. They just need global scaling!

A wealth of innovative solutions and products that can limit climate change has already been invented. The problem is, that they don’t scale fast enough on a global level.

Written by Mia Grosen, Founder of Canute

D

enmark is often seen as an innovative frontrunner when it comes to sustainability.

However, the climate challenge is global, and if Danish solutions should have any measurable impact on an international level, startups and companies have to scale their solutions beyond the Danish border.

Unfortunately, international scaling isn’t the Danish startup ecosystem’s strongest discipline - sustainability or not. It’s expensive to scale into new counties and often the founders will be surprised by the complexity that follows when moving into a new, bigger and culturally different market.

This doesn’t mean, that it’s impossible.

Numerous startups are currently proving the demand for green, Danish solutions outside the home market: Fresh.land’s platform is already available in four markets and looking to scale into 10 more. Nordic Harvest is on its way into four countries with a massive investment behind it. And not least Too Good To Go which is present in 15 markets and has helped save 100 million bags of surplus food from ending their days in a garbage bin.

In other words, the solutions are already out there - across technologies and industries. The same goes for the demand. And according to International Energy Agency (IEA) we already have all the technologies needed to accomplish the reduction goals for 2030. They just need to be implemented and scaled - and

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rather sooner than later. Only through international scaling are green solutions able to move the needle on the global challenge.

To fulfil the international ambitions, the Canute program has helped Danish startups scale into new markets since 2018. And the questions and challenges for scaling startups are often the same across industries and SDGs. For that reason, it’s all about establishing a community where entrepreneurs can share their insights - so those who are about to scale can learn from those who have already done it.

Knowledge sharing only becomes more important when looking toward 2050, where half of the desired reduction is supposed to come from new technologies that are only in development or on a prototype stage right now.

During the next decade, startups and innovative companies have a huge responsibility to push technologies to their edge and introduce new, interesting business models to make them successfully scale all the way.

Luckily, startups don’t stop when facing a seemingly impossible challenge. They are already working on the solutions - and we should all root for their success!

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Where do we go from here?

We kind of know the problem. But climate change is complicated.

As in really, really complicated. So what is the solution?

The outcome of COP26 is a compromise. It reflects the interests, the contradictions and the state of political will in the world today. It is an important step, but it is not enough.”

António Guterres, UN Secretary-General

It isn’t true, that we need new technologies to come and save us. We basically have the technologies needed to achieve the goal of a maximum temperature rise of 2 degrees. We will probably not achieve it anyway, but it is not a technological bottleneck, but a challenge in terms of implementation and financing.”

Joachim Almdal, Founding Partner, Green Innovation Group

Danish Climate Law, adopted 18-06-2020:

The proposal contains a target of a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions of 70 per cent in 2030 compared to 1990. The proposal also contains a long-term goal of climate neutrality by 2050.”

CO2 emissions pr. Capita (2018)

Greenhouse gas emission based on sector (2016:) 32.4

18,4% Agriculture, Forestry and Land Use

73,2% Energy In industry: 24,2% Transport: 16,2% In buildings: 17,5% Unallocated fuel combustion: 7.8%

15.2

Emissions from energy production: 5.8% Agriculture and fishing: 1,7%

4.5 0.7

5.8

3,2%

7.4

Waste

5,2%

1.8

Direct Industrial Processes Cement: 3%

Nigeria Source: World Bank

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India

World

Denmark

China

United States

Qatar

Chemicals: 2,2%

Source: Outworldindata.org / ICPP

Tech for the Planet

We have chosen to make a goal that is actually more ambitious than we have the means to achieve today.

And that is why we need to scale up and streamline and develop technologies. If we do not do that, we can not reach the goal.”

Dan Jørgensen, Danish Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities

The green transition is urgent. We have to make all the wise decisions we can now. But if you decide the path to the 70 percent reduction on the basis of the known technological solutions today, then it will have far too great consequences.”

Mette Frederiksen, Danish Primeminister

The question is which specific elements of change and instruments the government will use, and then it is crucial that the government puts in place a clear strategy as soon as possible with e.g. schedules, processes and milestones for the development and implementation of the technologies and instruments” Peter Møllgaard, chairman of the Danish Climate Council

Change in temperature: +1.5 °C

+1.0 °C

+0.5 °C

0.0 °C

-0.5 °C 1880

1900

1920

1940

1960

1980

2000

2020

Source: NASA

Investments in Nordic impact startups:

€ 1.58B

€ 1.68B

€ 498M € 232M € 65M

2010

€ 18M

€ 35M

€ 46M

€ 70M

€ 99M

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

€ 362M

2017

2018

2019

2020

Source: Starte of Nordic Impact Startups 2021, Danske Bank.

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7

FOOD

In the fight against climate change, we need all chefs in the kitchen Meat, eggs, avocado. Much of the food we have been accustomed to eating has a major impact on the climate, and if we are to combat global warming in the future, it will require innovation in food, technology and value chains. No stones can be left unturned in the transition to a more sustainable society.

Written by Erik Lillelund

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A

t the Technical University of Denmark, just like every other university, students drink a lot of beer. But when the world’s breweries supply beverages to parties and events, it generates almost 40 million tonnes of residual product mash annually.

A DTU startup has set out to change that. Science Brew is a circular food consortium working with new and sustainable food technology. By minimizing raw material consumption and utilizing and reusing the by-products for new types of food, the goal is to change the imprint of beer production on the world’s resource accounts. The key words are circular thinking, energy reduction and intelligent use of resources.

“With our approach, we make ‘zero waste beer’ through a circular process, where we recycle the waste products associated with making beer. After brewing a batch of beer, most breweries are left with large amounts of the residual product mash, which contains protein, sugar and antioxidants. We run it through a patented filter press developed at DTU, which divides it into a liquid and a dry matter part, which we use

to make various snacks - such as our Beer Tapenade or our ‘Beerchos’,” says Anca Elena Onciu, who is a co-founder of Science Brew.

The startup has also had local collaborations. When Sticks’n’Sushi in Lyngby had large amounts of rice left over every night for a period of time, it was delivered to Science Brew. Through their patented technology, the rice was recycled into a beer that the sushi chain’s guests could afterwards enjoy.

It was called Gohan Biiru, which means rice beer in Japanese, and is only available on draft, which is the most sustainable choice. Nothing is lost. The circle is completed.

According to the people behind Science Brew, it is good circular stories like the sushi beer that will eventually make people make more sustainable choices.

“For us, it’s both about the unique taste and about the story behind it. We work so experimentally that each beer can vary. I think that appeals to people who increasingly appreciate that the products are natural and sustainably produced.”

“In addition, we must continue to talk about the green transition. When I talked about using waste for beer a few years

Tech for the Planet

ago, people thought it was weird. But today, more and more people think it’s cool that we can recycle residual products to create new value,” says Anca Elena Onciu.

The company already has many ideas in the pipeline. Among other things, one about incorporating mash in high-fiber muesli bars and another one about replacing part of the meat in sausages with the residual product.

Science Brew Science Brew is a circular food consortium that, with new and sustainable food technology, utilizes and recycles by-products from beer production to new types of food.

The goal of changing the imprint of beer production on the world‘s resource accounts with circular thinking, energy reduction and intelligent resource use.

Science Brew’s ‘Gohan Biiru’ made from recycled rice

Science Brew’s patented filter press developed at DTU

Science Brew was founded in 2019 and has 4 founders.

Coke, fries and an insect burger, please Many people get chills just at the thought of having to eat an insect. But in the future, we will have to get used to it, according to the foodtech startup Hey Planet, which produces and sells climate-friendly snacks, protein bars, crispbread and meat alternatives - all made from beetles and insects.

The company was founded in 2016 by insect researcher Malena Sigurgeirsdottir and social entrepreneur Jessica Buhl-Nielsen with a mission to create a more sustainable food culture by integrating insects into the general diet.

But why beetles and insects?

“Insects are an absolutely fantastic food that we do not use enough. It is extremely nutritious, high in vitamin B12, iron, calcium, protein - generally many nutrients that we get from animal sources today. In addition, they are very sustainable to produce. They emit about 100 times less CO2 than meat from cattle and are on an equal footing nutritionally. The UN has named them among the world’s most sustainable foods,” Jessica Buhl-Nielsen says.

It takes 20 kilos of feed to produce one kilo of beef. With insects, the ratio is 1:1.

The two entrepreneurs primarily use

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Snacks made from insects and dates by Hey Planet

buffalo beetles for their snacks and meat - but only after the insects have been ground to powder.

“The insect we use the most are buffalo beetles. We get them from farms in the Netherlands, where they are raised vertically in a kind of shelf system, so they take up as little area as possible. Here, they are fed with the residual product mask, so it is a very climate-friendly and

circular production,” says the Hey Planet founder.

According to the food startup, taste must speak for itself if we are to change our eating habits to more sustainable alternatives in the future. No one gains anything by having ‘the right choice’ imposed by others. They have to try it themselves.

“When hearing about insects, most people think of something they do not

9

FOOD

Snacks made with the ‘cashew apple’ from Casju

immediately feel like eating. But our experience is that as soon as people are allowed to taste it, the mental barrier is broken down.”

“Hopefully at some point it will become a completely ordinary food. In particular we are working in order for our patented meat alternative one day to be considered on par with, for example, a chicken burger or a beef steak. In the future, we think it will become completely normal to eat insects,” says Jessica.

Hey Planet Hey Planet wants to promote edible and sustainable foods by offering healthy and tasty snacks and meat alternatives made from insects.

The company regularly supplies to Irma as well as supermarket in Germany. In addition, they provide snacks and meat alternatives to businesses and canteens.

Hey Planet was founded in 2016 and has three employees.

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The fruit no one wanted On a thesis trip to Tanzania, Marianne Dujim from the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) experienced a huge waste of cashew fruits in the cashew nut value chain. Farmers would simply not use it. That could not be right, she thought, and set out to make sustainable caramels out of the wasted fruit that usually stands in the shadow of the nut.

The nut that grows on the outside of the fruit makes up only five percent of the total crop and every year about 16 million tonnes of cashew fruits are wasted on the African continent alone, where on average 40 percent of fruit and vegetable crops on or around farms never reach the consumer.

“In many places in Africa, farmers just dispose of the fruit, throw it on the ground and let it rot. Therefore, I started thinking about how to use all that fruit in a better way. Because it simply could not be right that this just went to waste,” says Marianne Duijm, founder of Casju.

The cashew apple, as it is also called,

Tech for the Planet

is light red or yellow with lots of pulp and juice and an astringent, slightly sour and sweet taste. And after several experiments in the kitchen, Marianne decided to make caramels out of a paste from the fruit. A successful crowdfunding campaign later the production company Casju was established.

According to the entrepreneur, the transition to sustainable alternatives is very much about accessibility and about interest and curiosity for the entire origin story behind the food.

“Most people are surprised when they see the fruit - and especially the size ratio between the fruit and the nut. So for me, it’s about creating an understanding of the food, which does not just land by itself, ready to eat on a plate. To tell the story of all the stages that precede the final product that we put in our mouths,” The Casju founder says.

And people have opened their eyes to the exotic fruit. Casju has already entered into supply agreements with Irma, Social Foodies, Økoskabet, Verdens Skove, Frøken Øko, Greenliving and received support from the Innovation Fund and the One life Foundation. A few months ago, Marianne had sold so many units that she had run out of packaging to wrap the candies in.

“Right now it’s about consolidating the caramels on the market. But in the long run, I could easily imagine making new types of snacks, because even though it is taken for granted in many places, the cashew fruit can really be used for many things,” says Marianne Duijm.

Casju Casju sells plant-based snacks made from the cashew fruit, which in most places is otherwise wasted in the harvest of the cashew nut.

The company has entered into delivery agreements with Irma, Social Foodies, Økoskabet, Verdens Skove, Frøken Øko, Greenliving and received support from the Innovation Fund and One life Foundation.

The company was founded in 2019 and have one employee.

Everyone deserves a kitchen assistant with artificial intelligence Mathematics and long equations are not immediately something one associates with great gastronomy and big, culinary arm movements.

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The Plant Jammer App

But maybe you should. Because with artificial intelligence and technology, the Danish company Plant Jammer has created an ‘infinite cookbook,’ which creates new recipes through an algorithm based on the ingredients the user has lying around. Plant Jammer comes up with suggestions for other ingredients that work well with the ingredients, and from there composes a tasty dish. The goal is to support the vegetarian wave and focus on food waste.

But it is important that the green transition never becomes a judgement of anyone, says Michael Haase, CEO of Plant Jammer.

“People are different and need to be treated accordingly. I am convinced that we do not need to polarize so much. Especially on the food part, where everyone has their own religion, that they reinforce every night. One of the most difficult things is to change eating habits. Because people are so hardworking, it takes a lot before they change their minds. Many people think the best dish is the one that tastes like it used to taste. And there is nothing wrong with that,” Haase says.

By running a database of three million recipes through the algorithm, Plant Jammer has found patterns in complimentary flavor profiles and created a ‘flavor landscape’ that helps the user put ingredients together. From there, the company has taught the artificial intelligence to work with the gastronomy’s two main premises: to balance the five basic tastes - salty, sweet, sour, bitter and

umami - and contrast textures - al dente, soft, crunchy and mouthfeel.

In collaboration with American chef Mark Bittman, Plant Jammers has mapped out about ten basic recipes, that they believe all dishes are in reality just a variation of. And it sits well with the now 130.000 weekly users. “Convenience is king” in this field, says Haase.

“Surveys show that most Danes alternate between only ten different dishes a year. And we do not have an ambition to change that. It’s more about working with people’s existing behavior than having everyone become vegan tomorrow. It is important that you are not at A and suddenly have to go to Q. Instead, I think that the change will be more successful if it happens in small steps. It will not be one brilliant idea, but 100 good ones that make the difference,” Michael Haase says.

Plant Jammer With artificial intelligence and technology, Plant Jammer has created an ‚infinite cookbook,‘ which creates new recipes through an algorithm. Based on the ingredients the user has lying around, Plant Jammer comes up with suggestions for other ingredients that work with the ingredients, and from there composes a tasty dish.

The goal is to support the vegetarian wave and focus on food waste. 130,000 use the app weekly.

The company was founded in 2016, has 21 employees and has just won a major collaboration with the supermarket chain Aldi.

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Sponsored: This article is made in cooperation with Contech Lab, Niras Green Tech Hub and DTU Science Park

Expert Panel:

Can we rely on startups for the green transition?

Innovative startups are already bringing new, tech-driven solutions to market in the name of sustainability. But how much of the problem are they going to solve?

We’ve asked some of the experts and amazing partners who have made this magazine possible:

Steen Donner CEO, DTU Science Park

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What role do technology and startups play in the green transition?

I think there is a broad consensus that we simply won’t achieve the climate goals without new technologies.

What does that have to do with startups then?

They have the ideas and are willing to take risks.

Combined with their skills and drive they can get new technologies of the launch pad much faster.

And we don’t have 10, 15 or 20 years to act - the time is now and it’s often startups who will find the great solutions fastest.

How do we scale the solutions globally?

First of all, we need to create a huge market and demand for the technologies so innovators have an incentive to develop them. The public sector is among future customers so better public procurement is one lever to pull. Another is a carbon tax. We have a huge wind industry in Denmark and that would not have been possible without subsidising the industry in the early days of its development.

At the same time, it must be easier for startups to expand internationally. The help they can get today isn’t quite sufficient. They need more concrete and practical help when entering the international markets.

Tech for the Planet

Christina Hvid CEO at Molio and Contech Lab

Sophie Bech Hub Director at NIRAS Green Tech Hub

Mikkel Skott Olsen Head of Digital Platforms and Insights at Danske Bank Growth & Impact

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What role do technology and startups play in the green transition?

Technology and digitization are important for the sustainable future of the construction industry both in relation to software and hardware that can streamline and improve the processes throughout the fragmented value chain in the industry. The potential is significant, as the construction industry accounts for 30% of the total Danish CO2 emissions, and the digital transition of the industry is seriously accelerating these days. Among other things, due to a very diverse and strong Danish startup ecosystem within ConTech.

How do we scale the solutions globally?

The good news is that new, sustainable and market-ready technologies already exist, but the development and implementation of the known solutions do not happen by itself - it requires something across several stakeholders.

A joint effort is needed, which involves all parts of the construction value chain in creating a more digital and sustainable construction industry with optimized processes, less waste and increased circularity.

If we succeed in a joint effort, it will put Denmark at the forefront of sustainable construction.

What role do technology and startups play in the green transition?

The other day, I met with a bunch of entrepreneurs, all working with regenerative agriculture, to walk the Amarmino (hiking trail near Copenhagen) and in a joint effort try to devise solutions to issues in everything from slow public funding to regulation and which politicians to approach. From here it moved fast. Big thoughts translated into concrete actions put into practice the following Monday.

That we can have those conversations and soon after follow up with the courage and methods to execute and push the norms, that is the most important thing. The challenge is not the slowness of the big

mastodons. It is to create the most optimal framework for developing and maturing more talented founders, as it is those founders who must execute on all the insanely wonderful ideas for the green transition that are out there.

What role do technology and startups play in the green transition?

Startups will be crucial. We desperately need solutions that scale fast. The International Energy Agency (IEA) asses that almost half of the emissions reduction in 2050 must come from technologies that are currently only in the demonstration or prototype stage - and this is where startups and technology are going to play a key role. Agile and continuous validation with customers as well as focused execution has shown to be a great recipe for finding innovative solutions that fit the problem and move

from prototype to scale in a very short timeframe.

How do we scale the solutions globally?

There is a lot of money out there, but they are aimed at a few specific cases. And that, of course, is a problem. But if I may say only one thing, it is: People.

The people who are in and around a team and the access the team has to the international network of knowledge and money. The right people mean everything.

How do we scale the solutions globally?

There’s a great deal to learn from how tech startups have shown how to scale - and apply the same experiences and skills to impact startups. The great news is, that impact startups are not that different from ordinary tech startups. Actually, we see impact startups move more successfully from seed to series A, and they have a great basis for hiring an amazing team, as they get 25% more applications for their job postings.

13

ENERGY

Artificial sun, salted nuclear power and community software:

If the growing energy hunger is to be satisfied, all conceivable solutions must be on the table

14

Tech for the Planet

Green energy is a key concern in the green transition. So far, nothing has successfully reversed or even affected the trend: the concentration of carbon in the atmosphere is rising steadily.

Therefore, all conceivable solutions in all conceivable sizes and shapes are needed.

Written by Sebastian Kjær

T

he dream of a Danish-built nuclear reactor began to take shape six years ago. Simply because a team of young physics and engineering profiles saw it as the only path to carbonless power on a large enough scale to do anything about the climate changes.

It was the start of the company Seaborg Technologies and a mission to bring a new, special type of nuclear reactor to market. A reactor, that is safer because it has molten salt at its core and can burn waste from traditional reactors. While it may sound science fiction-like, the concept is actually decades old.

“I do not see us as inventors, it is more about development and commercialization. But of course, it requires many small technological breakthroughs - and a few large ones - before we are on the market,” says Troels Schönfeldt, who is CEO of Seaborg Technologies and also holds a PhD in nuclear and neutron physics.

Today, the dream has grown into a company with 76 employees backed by several million kroner in investments.

Laboratories have been built, and most recently the company has also started building the first elements in steel. But even though they have been seven years in the making, Seaborg still has no product to show for it - not even a prototype. When the ambition is to mass-produce nuclear reactors, there is a long way to market.

“A couple of years ago, we struggled to get the first things done in the laboratory. Now we are struggling to get the first things done in a workshop. And once we have done that, we will struggle to get things done in the actual market,” says Schönfeldt.

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“By 2030, we expect to produce more electricity than all Danish offshore wind combined” Troels Schönfeldt, CEO at Seaborg Technologies

Today, however, the company has come so far as to test sub-components and systems for the reactor. And once the prototype is connected to the grid, the co-founder and CEO expects it to provide large quantities of carbonless energy fast.

“It takes a large amount of hard work and probably also a lot of luck. But our plan is to have the first reactor ready in

2026. From there, we can really move something on the large scale, and we can do it quickly: by 2030, we expect to produce more electricity than all Danish offshore wind combined,” he says.

Seaborg Seaborg Technologies is developing a socalled molten salt reactor, which can supply carbonless electricity in large quantities.

The goal is to mass-produce the new type of reactor in 40-foot containers to keep costs down and effectively introduce the solution globally via floating power barges produced at shipyards in serial production.

Seaborg Technologies was founded in 2014.

Today, the company has 75 employees and expects to double that number during 2022. The company has recently received a million investment in double-digits from the Bestseller fund ‚Heartland‘.

15

ENERGY

In recent years, Seaborg Technologies has built several laboratories to accommodate their research.

Sunshine as a Service While Seaborg’s product is still years in the future, Second Sun has a solution ready now that helps football clubs save on their electricity bills. The startup wants the clubs to switch off the energy-intensive artificial light that keeps the turf green today.

As a replacement, the company has developed an advanced system of intelligent software and motorized mirrors that automatically adjust to the solar orbit so that the lawn can grow using reflected, natural light rather than artificial lighting. And it’s not only good news for the clubs green conscience.

“With our simulation tools and variables such as weather data and the stadium’s location and construction, we calculate how many extra hours of sunshine we can deliver. We compare this with their current power consumption for artificial light, and based on those calculations we can show that for an average football club in Europe it takes 3-5 years to return the investment,” says Nicolai Moustgaard, co-founder and CEO of Second Sun ApS.

16

The system will typically save a larger stadium 10M kroner and 2,000 tonnes of CO2 over a 10-year period. The startup currently has a development collaboration and a full scale installation with Brondby IF, but despite the good business case, the football clubs have not lined up to buy it.

According to the founder, the explanation for the hesitant approach is probably the fact that the climate challenge is not at the top of the football clubs’ agenda.

“The football industry is relatively conservative, and it also makes sense to prioritize their core business - they do not have to be specialists in implementing green solutions. But we all need to do something, and for clubs, the pressure is mounting from fans and sponsors. Some are moving faster than others, and I think the wave will quickly start moving in the right direction once we have proven the solution with the first couple of customers,” says Moustgaard.

For some, computer-controlled mirrors might simply be a too radical change.

Therefore, Second Sun has also evolved its funding model, making it even harder for clubs to say no to the green choice.

Troels Schönfeldt CEO of Seaborg Technologies

Tech for the Planet

“Our solution is relatively large capital projects, and this may stand in the way of a green decision at the clubs, even though the facility pays for itself relatively quickly. So we have made a collaboration with a financing partner to be able to offer ‘Sunshine as a Service’, where the clubs only pay for the sunshine we provide,” says Moustgaard.

Local empowerment by software The sharing economy was an important inspiration for the startup Enyday, which in 2018 started building a platform that would make it possible to share surplus solar power with the neighbours.

After a few pivots, the company is now selling its solution to property developers, housing associations and cooperatives, who use the platform for all the practicalities of getting a shared solar installation up and running. In fact, the easiest part is getting the panels installed. The difficult part of running an energy community is operations, the settlement between residents, sub-meter setup and the legislation itself as well as upcoming load management with EVs or storage. But Enyday has the knowhow and handles all the complexity for the energy communities - right down to details such as a smart app for users.

“Our platform makes it easy to start and operate energy communities in a smart and manageable way. With our service building owners do not have to think about anything else than whether they want to invest in solar or not,” explains Christopher Tolstrup, founder of Enyday, and continues: “We provide them with an energy community solution enabling them to have an attractive business case from their solar panel investment. In this way, we are an enabler for more green energy - and in some cases, this additionality of renewable energy means three times as many panels on the roof, because we make the buildings or cluster houses easier to operate.”

Enyday does not develop or sell carbon-reducing hardware itself. But the startups software makes it easier for large apartment buildings or housing associations to opt for solar on the roof.

At the same time, the startup is leading a demonstration project on virtual energy

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Enyday is currently working with energy communities across the country.

“The technology isn’t revolutionary.

The innovation comes from taking standards and solutions from the energy industry and utilize it to accelerate sustainability in the real estate industry” Christopher Tolstrup Rasmussen, CEO at Enyday

communities that will connect buildings, citizens and small businesses in Copenhagen neighbourhoods - and the founder believes this energy sharing will pave the way for a more decentralized renewable energy in urban areas.

“The technology isn’t revolutionary. The innovation comes from taking standards and solutions from the energy industry and utilize it to accelerate sustainability in

the real estate industry. This new type of green proptech solution, we make easily accessible through software,” says Tolstrup and continues: “In contrast to the very centralized approach to green transition with wind turbines, we work directly with local communities. It’s also about engagement, and we can accelerate the green transition locally in buildings and cities. We juggle the complexity so communities can discuss setting up batteries and solar panels instead of talking about how to operate it in practice,” says Tolstrup.

Enyday Well-meaning people in cooperative housing associations want to do good for the climate.

But even though they have 2M DKK readily available in their association, which can be invested in a shared solar installation, there are many practical and regulatory barriers to getting started. Enyday removes them with its services.

Enyday wants to make it easy to operate energy communities. This way, the startup hopes to increase the number of investments in green initiatives and at the same time engage consumers by keeping the efforts local.

The company currently employs 10 people.

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ENERGY

The computer-controlled mirrors from Second Sun installed at Brøndby Stadium. The startup is currently doing a development project with the famed, Danish football club.

Mount Regulatory Seaborg Technologies is in the process of climbing a development Mount Everest to get the new type of nuclear power ready for the market. At the same time, they have innovated on the business model: Instead of a large, central nuclear power plant, they aim at installing smaller reactors into 40-foot containers. As if that were not enough challenges, Seaborg also intends to install the reactor containers on barges (ships with no engines for propulsion) so that it becomes a fleet of floating, mobile power plants. A solution they are working on in partnership with one of South Korea’s largest shipyards.

The vision is thus a series-produced offthe-shelf product, so the system does not have to be re-approved every time it is installed. An important part of preparing for rapid and efficient scaling at an international level - without regulatory barriers - as soon as the technology is ready.

“Based on the market’s need to replace coal and gas as well as the supply chain we have through shipyards, our goal is to build 200 barges per year by 2035 - which will equate to 4.5 times as much as all offshore wind to date in annual production capacity,” says Troels Schönfeldt.

Therefore, there are almost no limits to how big a business Seaborg can become if they succeed: “It will not be easy by any means, and the most realistic outcome is that we do not get there at all. But if we break through the market barrier, it is likely that we will be 100 times as big as Vestas.

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“We do not make nuclear power because we think it is the popular solution. But I do not care - what matters is that it solves the problem.”

Troels Schönfeldt, CEO at Seaborg Technologies

I would like to insist that we will easily become Europe’s largest company if we succeed - it is not an unrealistic outcome,” he says.

All solutions on the table Providing climate-friendly electricity to a growing, global population with increasing, individual energy consumption is, of course, a huge challenge. At the same time, the optimist will call it a huge business opportunity. But regardless of point of view, it’s probably going to require a lot of different solutions if we’re going to achieve the climate goals.

“We will not change anything in the big picture. It is not like we are revolutionizing the world,” says Nicolai Moustgaard from Second Sun. Yet, he still believes the company has an important role to play:

“We are doing something for an industry that affects many people. Some have to take the lead, and if it can be the football world that has such a large interface with fans and sponsors, then it may move a lot in the end.”

Even when the covid pandemic stopped air traffic in 2020, it did not give any noticeable fluctuation in the amount of carbon in the atmosphere, states Troels Schönfeldt from Seaborg Technologies. Therefore, we should stop believing we are done if we just stop flying and start eating vegan. We have to do that, but we also have to do more.

Much, much, much more.

“We do not understand the extent of the problem at all. We must develop every available technology - no matter the stage. Both those that are close to the market, those that are far away and those that are only available as ideas on a piece of paper. And furthermore, we have to invent new things that have not been invented yet and that is outside our understanding of physics and chemistry we need some magic,” says Schönfeldt.

In fact, that feeling of a tremendous need for change is the very thing that causes him to develop nuclear power every day.

“Many great things are happening - just not enough to stop the amount of carbon in the atmosphere from increasing. The measures that are needed are so violent that it is difficult to grasp. Hence, Seaborg is also associated with a certain apathy: We do not make nuclear power because we think it is the popular solution. But I do not care - what matters is that it solves the problem.”

Second Sun Second Sun will reduce the football clubs‘ need for artificial light, which is typically used to care for the pitch between matches, using motorized mirrors that automatically move with the sun.

The company currently has a development collaboration with Brøndby, but offers other clubs to buy their solution as “Sunshine as a Service’, where they only pay for the number of hours of sunshine the facility delivers to the turf.

Second Sun was founded in 2016 and currently has 6 employees.

Tech for the Planet

Sponsored: This article is made in cooperation with DTU Science Park

We need green, global solutions fast - and that’s exactly the ambition behind elite accelerator “GreenUP” During the comprehensive GreenUP programme, the entrepreneurs will get access to lawyers, accountants, marketing, sale, business development, management consulting and investors. All to the sound of carbon reduction which play an increasingly important role toward the scaling phase.

The “GreenUP Accelerator” wants to take a carefully curated batch of green startups from prototype to international scaling in just 20 months - with the help from a wealth of experts and a 1M DKK up-front investment in each startup.

This spring, 15 green startups were selected for the ambitious accelerator program “GreenUP” at DTU Science Park, which is supported by The Danish Industry Foundation. The first third of the 20-month program was spent refining the startups’ products and business plans, and now 10 companies have moved on to the next part of the program: The “gear up” phase.

“They have matured immensely, and it’s 10 super exciting companies that will move on to the next phase,” says Steen Donner, CEO at DTU Science Park, and continues: “Gearing up will be all about structuring the company. They have to figure out if their product/market fit is actually the right one, and they have to validate it internationally. Over the next 3-4 months

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they will prepare themselves for the last phase, where the companies need to start scaling.”

All participants in the program have been offered a 1M DKK investment in advance. During the first six months, the 15 companies have attracted +50M DKK in additional venture capital and have already started hiring.

Need for speed Every accelerator’s goal is to accelerate the growth of startups. For GreenUP this isn’t just true in a financial sense - it is just as much about making the startups’ carbon-reducing solutions scale for the sake of the climate.

“Green solutions have to happen quicker.

The shortest route between two places is a straight line, but that’s rarely possible on a startup journey. The way we will make it as fast as possible for them, is by helping them avoid too many detours - and we do that by giving them access to a whole bunch of resources in the form of knowledge, help and capital,” Donner explains.

Inspiring others With the first batch well on their way, Donner is more certain than ever that Denmark both has the ideas and skills to become a green growth nation. For the GreenUP Accelerator the ambition is for 7-8 of the 15 startups to scale and establish themselves internationally.

“Of course, they won’t all become unicorns, but if we are able to build a few, medium-sized, companies in Denmark with a few hundred employees, I’m more than satisfied,” Donner says.

The climate needs all the green solutions we can think of. For that reason, Donner hopes that GreenUP will inspire others.

“This programme won’t save the planet, but we hope to deliver a small contribution toward green growth in Denmark.

And we hope to see much more green startups applying for the program so we get even more successes with bigger and better footprints,” Donner says.

GreenUP Accelerator GreenUP is an ambitious accelerator, sponsored by The Danish Industry Foundation, aimed at startups contributing to reducing carbon emissions.

Participants get direct access to experts in everything from law and accounting to business development and sales.

Furthermore, the program offers an up-front investment so the entrepreneurs don’t have to spend too much time raising money initially.

The program is significantly longer than most accelerators. The aim is to take the participant all the way to international scaling and a Series A investment in 20 months.

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SCALING

On the Journey to Internationalisation, It Is Crucial to Know Your Target Market Scaling internationally is a goal for a lot of companies, and scaling is particularly important for companies selling green solutions, as they can play an important part in solving the global climate crisis. Before taking the leap, however, it is crucial that companies spend time selecting and researching their target market.

Written by Anna Bernsen Jakobsen

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G

oing abroad is a huge milestone for a lot of companies.

It is proof that the product, service, or solution is not just viable in the home market, but also has a broader reach. And a broader reach is needed if companies with green solutions are to play a key part in solving the climate crisis.

But there are quite a few things to take into consideration before scaling internationally, Lothar Krause explains.

He has his own business consulting and advising German companies looking to scale locally in their home market, as well as helping international companies build up a presence in Germany. Krause is also a partner in weGrow, a company that scales businesses as a service.

“I often see that companies have already made up their mind about scaling to Germany, simply because they have an employee who speaks German or

have a single paying customer living in Germany. But I think it is a good idea to spend time selecting which market to enter next, for example by researching thoroughly and doing interviews,” Krause says.

He explains further that building up a presence in the target market requires more than having a website in the local language. Companies need to really understand the market in order to acquire customers.

“Companies usually underestimate how much work it takes to enter a new market. Every single department, including finance, product development, legal, HR, sales, and marketing, needs to adapt to new regulations, culture, and customer behavior,” Krause says.

Lothar Krause Growth Consultant WeGrow

Fresh.Land starts light Danish Fresh.Land is one of those companies that has taken the leap, and is

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now present in several markets: Denmark, Sweden, Germany, and the Netherlands. The company is, in a way, born internationally, as Fresh.Land started out by selling Portuguese oranges to Danish supermarkets.

Fresh.Land has, however, changed course since its foundation in 2016. Today the company is a digital platform that connects private customers with local farmers in six European countries. The idea is that the fresh fruits and vegetables should not end up becoming stale in the supermarkets’ warehouses, but that customers should have their hands on the goods while they are still dew-fresh from the farm.

“When we enter a new market, we consider if it is a market that has similar trends as those we see in our existing markets,” says Mathilde Jakobsen, CEO and co-founder of Fresh.Land.

However, she points out that there can be crucial differences between the markets. For example, the Swedes are more interested in climate impact than organic products, and while the Danes shop many times during the week, the Germans shop only once a week.

To get to know the market, Fresh.Land creates a very light setup to begin with.

They do this in order to get feedback from the customers fast. Then they can begin to improve their services.

“At the same time, we have the advantage that we are a tech platform, and therefore we do not necessarily have to have boots on the ground in the new market. It is our partners who are responsible for the logistics, so we are incredibly scalable,” Jakobsen says.

The UK offers capital and talent For a lot of Nordic companies, the UK is a stepping stone to scaling their businesses to the rest of Europe, the US, or Asia, Alexander Goodwille explains. He is Development Director at Goodwille, a family-owned business that helps Nordic companies set up shop in the UK. Like Lothar Krause, Goodwille also urges the companies to learn about the new market they are scaling to. For the UK market, that usually includes having a strategy for competing with other compa-

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By shortening and digitizing the food supply chain, Fresh.Land gets fruits and vegetables directly from the farmer to the consumer.

nies in the same sector.

“The UK is quite competitive. There are usually a few players in every sphere that compete with the businesses coming from the Nordics. Because of this, we urge the scaling companies to let us handle things like customs, regulations, and accounting, so they can focus on creating a strong presence,” Goodwille says.

The UK might be more competitive

than the Nordics, but there are also several benefits to entering the market.

Goodwille highlights the access to capital and talent.

“We hear all the time that it is definitely easier to get capital, including risk willing capital, here in the UK. Further, having a presence in the UK market also gives the companies more kudos with the investors,” Goodwille says.

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SCALING

Alexander Goodwille Development Director at Goodwille

When it comes to hiring locally from the UK, Goodwille emphasizes looking at graduates from prestigious universities that every year produce talented people.

He believes that companies with a sustainable aspect have an advantage with the younger generation.

“The great thing for green and sustainable tech companies is that young graduates and professionals are drawn to these industries with their overriding passion for making the world a better place. This is leading to an abundance of talent for these growing fields.” Goodwille says.

Bootstrapped growth Fresh.Land has reached its current size by bootstrapping. Every six months, the company has entered two new markets, after which it has taken another six months to reach breakeven.

The next markets on the agenda are Norway and Belgium, but Fresh.Land has also been contacted by a group of people in Switzerland who would like them to set up shop there.

“We want a different gear, and therefore we are in the process of fundraising 100 million DKK. The money will be used

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to turbocharge our expansion plans, so it does not have to take six months to launch two markets,” Jakobsen says.

Fresh.Land has created a platform that benefits the farmer, the consumer, and the environment. At the COP26 climate summit, Fresh.Land was presented as one of 20 companies with the potential to contribute to the goals of the Paris Agreement, which include a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and keeping global warming below 1.5 degrees. It is very much a pad on the back for Fresh.

Land and its model, Jakobsen believes.

However, she also has a set of strong beliefs on this point: “If Denmark wants to continue being a leading country when it comes to green entrepreneurship, we must also create a culture where it is okay to take chances and to make mistakes. Innovation happens when we dare to take risks and challenge the status quo, and that is what is needed to solve the challenges in the world. The challenges are not solved by the companies that introduce a number of sustainable initiatives and get their CSR department to communicate about it. The core business itself must be sustainable,” Jakobsen says.

Mathilde Jakobsen CEO and co-founder of Fresh.Land

Tech for the Planet

Sponsored: This article is made in cooperation with ConTech Lab

The ConTech Lab team collecting data from a building site for the pioneering project that quantifies resource consumption.

Denmark must be a frontrunner in sustainable construction The construction industry needs to digitize faster and become more sustainable. The industry’s common development platform, ConTech Lab, will continue to support this, and with a new grant of 30M DKK from the Danish Industry Foundation and Realdania, the transition can now be accelerated further.

If Denmark is to achieve the ambitious climate goals of reducing its CO2 emissions, the construction industry plays an important role. The industry accounts for about 30 percent of total emissions.

One of the keys to reducing emissions and ensuring sustainable construction is an increased focus on digitization and use of technology. That is the opinion of the Danish Industry Foundation, Realdania and Molio, who are behind ConTech Lab, the construction industry’s common development platform, where construction companies can develop and experiment with new ways of using data, digitization and technology to create the construction

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industry of the future together - a more sustainable and productive construction industry.

Digitization must increase sustainability As an industry, construction faces a major challenge in ensuring future competitiveness, and here digital transformation is key. To be able to increase sustainability, it is absolutely crucial that we spread digital tools that benefit the hundreds of SMEs in the construction industry who do not themselves have the resources to initiate the transition. ConTech Lab’s application-based approach ensures testing of technology and digital working methods in practice and then translates the results into scalable solutions for the benefit of the broad industry Practical pioneer projects together with the industry In the past year, ConTech Lab has created the first strong results with a broad involvement of construction companies.

One focus has been on the sustainable

construction site. We know for example that 6 percent of the total energy consumption comes from the construction process worldwide and 14 percent of all waste from the same place.

The latter is a topic closely connected with the Danish voluntary sustainability classification, where requirements are set for resource consumption on the construction site. So far, as stated in the name of the classification, it is voluntary to document these requirements, but from 2023, the classification will be mandatory for all new buildings of more than 1,000 sqm.

It is an important step towards the green transition, but the challenge remains that there is no single common framework for documenting the requirements - this is one of the things ConTech Lab set out to do something about.

The sustainable construction site as an example of a pioneer project One of the keys to reducing emissions and ensuring sustainable construction is an increased focus on digitization, which can more accurately measure consumption and activity using digital sensors connected to the Internet - also known as IoT. At the construction site, as we know it today, it is virtually impossible to identify which actors use how much power. The pioneering project focuses on resource consumption on the construction site and documentation requirements in a collaboration with Sensohive. Digital sensors have been set up on three construction sites operated by CG Jensen, Pihl & Søn and 5E with the aim of setting a precedent for how data related to power consumption in the execution phase is collected, stored and analyzed. We can only begin to change behaviour and reduce CO2 emissions through analyzed data. And ConTech Lab wants to get closer to the method so it can be shared and benefit the whole industry.

Now the people behind ConTech Lab’s data collection are looking forward through several practical projects and in collaboration with the entire construction industry - to break down the barriers that stand in the way of creating a digital and future-proof construction industry. A Danish construction industry that is a frontrunner in sustainable construction.

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CONSTRUCTION

Green construction starts with digitization

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Tech for the Planet

The construction industry plays a significant role in achieving Denmark’s climate goals, as the industry accounts for 30 per cent of carbon emissions. Digitization is already moving construction in a greener direction - but will be absolutely crucial when it comes to turning the industry sustainable on a global scale.

Written by Sebastian Kjær

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A

t a glance, the tailor-made furniture from Stykka looks like an expensive item from a housing magazine. That’s just not the case. The startup does customize furniture for large construction projects around the country. They just manage to do it at a low price because they utilize modern techniques such as 3D scanning, laser cutters and a value chain that manufactures their creations ‘on demand’.

First and foremost, this provides the developer and future residents with a tailor-made solution at a great price. But at the same time, the solution stands on a foundation of sustainability. Stykka has made sustainable materials attractive in large projects through clever digitisation.

At the same time, the startup supplies all the furniture with a QR code and a socalled digital twin, so that a kitchen from Stykka can easily be repaired or updated without having to change everything. The resident just orders a new set of fronts in fresh colours - while the old ones are sent back and recycled by the startup.

“The dream is to make the world’s biggest CO2 sinner part of the solution to the climate challenge. And if we are to succeed in a green transformation in the construction industry, we must be able to compete on market terms: It must be both cheaper and better. It must be good business for customers to buy our products, and we have shown that it is,” says Rasmus Taun, head of business development at Stykka.

While the company offers a very tangibly product, it started as a classic tech startup: They invented a digital tool that accurately calculates resource consumption and emissions already in the design process. And that, in fact, is the key to their growing success as a furniture manufacturer.

“We use technology to afford better materials that last much longer. And

with technology, we have the ability to effectively repair things when they break or is worn. It is sustainability in an oldschool sense,” says Taun.

A 3D printed alternative In a factory hall in Glumsø, the startup Wohn is also in the process of moving the construction industry in a more sustainable direction. Here they have built a giant 3D printer. 4 x 4 x 6 meters. A huge printer that will be used to print so-called ‘tiny houses’ of 20 square meters in plastic waste, which will be ready to move into when they leave the factory.

Stykka utilized digital technologies to deliver customized furniture solutions in sustainable materials at a competitive price.

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Focus on CONSTRUCTION

The startup Wohn has built its own mega-3D print capable of printing tiny homes.

“We provide a significant CO2 reduction in construction by replacing concrete and steel with plastic waste. This way, we reduce the amount of plastic waste in the world, as we turn it into a resource and upcycle it into our key raw material.

As the end result, we provide affordable housing in a world where urbanization is on the rise,” says Morten Bove, CEO and founder of Wohn, who himself calls it a bit of a superhack that solves three problems at once.

Wohn expects to have the first full-size prototype ready by the end of the year, while the first real homes will be delivered to the first customers in the beginning of next year. Initially for students and holiday homes. But later, the small homes will be stacked like bricks until they reach five stores high 3D-printed complexes. In the long run, Bove sees a global and sustainable response to the increasing urbanization.

“Urbanization is something that happens globally, and cities have a hard time absorbing all the newcomers. So there’s a megatrend at stake that we can

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not change. We can just offer an alternative that is cheaper and more sustainable than traditional construction,” he says.

Programming for the existing system In the past year, in particular, Stykka’s business has been growing rapidly, as they have sold and delivered kitchens for projects with up to 1,000 new apartments at a time. But the sales process has been long, and the founder Jarl Engelbrecht believes they could have made a viable

Stykka Stykka supplies tailor-made furniture for larger housing projects, which are carried out in sustainable materials and easy to repair. The company expects revenue of over 35M DKK this year.

The digital furniture manufacturer is driven by three crucial elements: • A design tool that Stykka has developed itself, which makes it possible to calculate price and CO2 footprint into the project already in the design phase.

• A network of subcontractors, so that Stykka does not have to invest in production facilities, but can send the design out for efficient, local production in the materials they have designed with.

• A so-called ‘digital twin’ of their designs, where all information about the kitchen is stored digitally, which makes the bespoke kitchens easy to repair, change or upgrade - and thus more long-lasting.

Tech for the Planet

Rendered versions of Wohn’s sustainable and affordable tiny houses.

business faster by focusing on sales directly to consumers, who are not as price-sensitive as the developers of larger projects. It just did not fit the ambition of making a big difference.

“We want massive impact quickly, and to get that we have focused on doing the most difficult thing in our field: We go for the segment with over 100 homes at a time. It is much more competitive, but if we can win it, then we can always go the other way. We have started in “hard mode” to ensure that we build the right thing because otherwise, we will never get the impact we want,” says Engelbrecht.

To compete, he believes it has been crucial to adapt to the industry, rather than insisting on radical innovation tomorrow.

“The world is running on some operating systems, and for sustainability to happen on a large scale now, we need to build some code that works in that operating system. The sustainable choice must be the only choice because then you have a scalable solution that everyone can afford to buy into,” says Engelbrecht.

Digital enables scalability Stykka and Wohn both want to produce locally for the sake of the climate - no matter where in the world their solutions are in demand. This can, however, be done rather quickly, as they both combine digital processes with modern manufacturing methods - even without having to build large and expensive factories first.

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“It is in many ways well-known technology - 3D printing - that we just put together in a new way and adjust. That does not mean that it is not insanely difficult, as we adjust on a thousand different parameters.

But as soon as we are done dialling in all the details, everything is in the code - and then we can scale very, very easily,” says Morten Bove from Wohn.

Like Stykka, he does not want the 3D-printed homes to become an exclusive offer for the rich. The mission is to provide affordable housing for the masses in a carbon-friendly way. Which calls for scale.

“Our goal is to become a global company with a global impact. It requires us to supply thousands of housing modules every year. But even if we deliver 10,000 homes a year, we recycle only 60,000 tonnes of plastic waste. That is a drop in the ocean against the 270M tonnes of waste produced each year, but a larger drop compared to sunglasses in recycled plastic. And that’s why we are also a global concept: We can move it around the world just with our 3D code,” says Bove.

Wohn Every day, 200,000 people move to the city worldwide. It creates an explosive need for new housing options and Wohn will meet that need with cheap tiny houses that are 3D-printed out of plastic waste.

The actual figures behind their triple superhack: 20 m2 home saves 15 tonnes of CO2, which corresponds to an 90 per cent reduction compared to similar housing. At the same time, 6 tonnes of plastic waste is upcycled with each house.

When the small homes from Wohn are to be demolished, floors, windows and insulation are removed. From there, the shell is grinded so the plastic can be recycled to print a new home.

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Engineers and tech startups are joining forces to push the green agenda With 5.000 square meters of ambitious, green entrepreneurial hub, NIRAS invites green tech startups inside. The goal is not just a new scene for innovation, but a strong synergy between the entrepreneurs and the engineers, that will increase the innovation capacity of the well-established company in the long run.

A

wonderful mix of variegated interior design and industrial rawness makes up the new “NIRAS Green Tech Hub” north of Copenhagen. In the 5,000 square meters hub, green entrepreneurs don’t just get an office space but also studios for audio and video production, a drone workshop, maker space with 3D printers and storage and production facilities. And with a six-meter headroom, there should be plenty of space for ideas both practically and figuratively.

“This is the mindset everyone should be affected by when they step inside: inspiration for creative solutions and high ambitions,” says Sophie Bech, who is the director of the new, green entrepreneur hub.

At the same time, she wants to ensure that the impressive surroundings do not merely end up as a far-fetched CSR strategy for impact and innovation in the international consulting firm. The place must

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lead to superclass professional content and partnerships, where entrepreneurs and NIRAS bring new, concrete and green solutions into the world in a joint effort.

Solutions that can support both parties’ future business - and in the long run become a core part of the well-established company.

“The concept is, that entrepreneurs who reside in the hub work in the same areas as NIRAS. In that process, we need to ask ourselves: What is it that the startup needs from us - not what NIRAS needs from them. Because in the long run, it is two sides of the same coin,” says Bech.

Validation through partnership One of the new residents of NIRAS Green Tech Hub is the startup BuildCode. With a combination of 3D scans and a digital platform, the startup’s core product ‘SiteMotion’ is a shared tool for construction managers, architects and engineers who

Tech for the Planet

Sponsored: This article is made in cooperation with Niras Green Tech Hub

use it to track the entire process on a construction site in real-time.

“Today, total registrations of an entire construction site are too expensive, but with our technology, we make it possible to make the registrations on an ongoing basis at a manageable price. It almost creates an X-ray of the buildings with all the specific data available in the future - which becomes particularly relevant when the construction industry enters the circular economy,” says Martin Haurballe, founder and CEO of BuildCode.

In the hub, he has received valuable coaching from both his co-entrepreneurs and experts from NIRAS. At the same time, the new office space has helped establish a partnership with the large consulting firm.

“We have become a part of some projects where NIRAS sees an advantage in using a system like SiteMotion. A collaboration that has come as an extension of us residing in the hub,” he says.

For a young startup, a partnership like this validates the solution. A validation that can help the new software platform make its way into, even more, major construction projects. However, Haurballe does not see the partnership as a freebie given to him simply because he is a resident. Sure, it has made the dialogues with the consulting company easier, but the partnership has only become a reality

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because it adds real value for both parties.

“As entrepreneurs, we benefit from using each other in the hub, but we also get something from NIRAS, and NIRAS gets something from us - and that’s exactly how it should be if sustainable business is the aim,” says Martin Haurballe.

Engineers and entrepreneurs move the needle together As part of the concept behind ‘NIRAS Green Tech Hub’ the residing entrepreneurs get 30 hours of free advice from the company’s experts included in their lease. An important first step in ensuring the experts’ involvement in the startup residents, so the hub does not become its own silo next to NIRAS, but an integrated part of the company.

“The idea is that we should start merging more and more. Either by hiring the entrepreneurs in the hub as subcontractors for some of our projects, use our experts in their solutions, or maybe even by building something together,” says Sophie Bech.

What the next step in bringing the two parties closer together will be, she does not yet know. Perhaps an accelerator based on customer challenges. Maybe a program for international startups. Or maybe NIRAS’ employees should also be able to make an internal startup in the hub, where they can be exposed to the entrepreneurial mindset. The overall

vision, however, is crystal clear: NIRAS Green Tech Hub has to become a part of NIRAS’ core business. This way, the entrepreneurs do not only inspire each other but also influence the company.

“I believe that the link between the company and startups, with their innovations and design thinking and LEAN mindsets, can move something on the green agenda; it is riskier to work with startups, but they are also the ones who can push our boundaries,” says Sophie Bech.

Niras Green Tech Hub NIRAS Green Tech Hub can accommodate up to 100 entrepreneurs on its total of 5.000 square meters. 2,500 square meters is for storage and assembly with the possibility of easier production and technical work while the other 2,500 square meters is an open office landscape with common facilities and networking areas.

The lease is 1200DKK or 2200DKK (depending on the startups generating revenue or not) incl. coffee and administrative costs. 30 hours of free consulting assistance from domain-specific NIRAS engineers is included in the lease.

NIRAS works with the following sectors: Construction, Data & Digitization, Energy, Food, Ports & Coasts, Infrastructure, Environment, Pharma & Life Science, Planning & Mobility, Development Aid and Water. All entrepreneurs with tech solutions related to these areas can apply for a seat in the hub.

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Investors with green fingers: “We need to get the green transition to meet good business” The green wave has almost reached every shore. Including the investment world, where CO2 reduction and climate footprint are increasingly becoming key metrics on par with returns and valuation. But how do you invest truly sustainably? We have asked two green investment funds about the way they work.

Written by Erik Lillelund

W Michael Zöllner Director of Denmark’s Green Investment Fund

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e need to “look at all the business lines and the operations in which we are engaged in order to tackle climate change. Because at the end of the day, money talks,” Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank, told Financial last summer Times. She warned that the green transition is inextricably linked to capital market investments.

In Denmark, capital and climate are also increasingly connected. Last year, the Danish Financial Supervisory Authority announced that climate change and sustainability were now “central aspects of the Authority’s core task” in the supervision of the financial sector.

And that is only positive, says Michael Zöllner, director of Denmark’s Green Investment Fund (DGIF); an independent

government loan fund established in 2015, managed by Vækstfonden with a mandate of DKK 8 billion and the ambition to offer risk capital to promote green and socially sustainable change.

“We are in this world to accelerate the path to a sustainable use of the earth’s resources. Because we have to transform the way we are present on the planet.

And to that end, there is no way around the market. We need to get the green transition to meet good business if we are to make a change at the scale and speed we need both nationally and internationally,” says Zöllner.

Still, it is not straightforward. How do you calculate something as un- certain as CO2 reduction or impact precisely - and without letting it count twice in another account?

The key word is transparency. And in

Anders Hammarbäck Partner in the global VC-fund Antler

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the long run a common standard, according to Denmark’s Green Investment Fund.

“It is well known that there are many dilemmas in the way sustainability, reduction and impact are calculated.

We are constantly working on this ourselves as well. That is why we need more common standards, clarity and transparency. Right now, a lot of capital is being sought after in green projects and technologies, and we need to have precise impact ratios - just like we have on the financial side after many years of development. In the long run, impact will be crucial in raising capital,” says Michael Zöllner.

Common scales must pave the way for green capital It is excactly those common standards that the EU is trying to address, if the

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objectives of the Paris Agreement are to be met. In March, the union introduced a new taxonomy with classification of environmentally sustainable economic activities depending on six different environmental objectives, criteria and added new corporate disclosure obligations. The ambition is to make green key figures more transparent and pull capital in a more sustainable direction.

And according to DGIF, they ‘lean on’ the EU’s latest taxonomy. Five criteria in particular apply when the fund provides new loans.

“First and foremost, the effect of our funding must be at least 20 percent greener than the alternative. In addition, the project must not harm other environmental objectives, it must comply with all minimum standards and rights issued by the OECD and the UN, and then there

must be a sensible action plan for how the solution can be scaled sustainably.”

“A simplified example is a solar park where we have to calculate the relative effect of our funding. That is: How many more solar panels has our loan made possible, how much coal and fuel-based energy does the share displace and what is the relative effect in relation to the alternative,” explains the DGIF director.

When Denmark’s Green Investment Fund settles the sustainability estate for 2020, the saving will be approximately 0.7 million tonnes of CO2, thus bringing the accumulated expected savings to 1.38 million tonnes for the entire loan portfolio since 2015. This corresponds to the annual CO2 emission of around 77.000 Danes.

The scalable solutions in particular are interesting for many venture capital funds. And here Denmark is far ahead, says Anders Hammarbäck, who is a partner in the global VC-fund Antler that have just set up a Danish division with the aim of linking Danish green and sustainable projects with international ambitions.

“In Antler Denmark, we work on the basis of a thesis that initially there does not have to be a balance between return and impact when we invest. We do this because we believe that green technology will ultimately become dominant in the market - and thus also the best investment in the long term,” says Hammarbäck.

In recent years, the venture capital fund has streamlined the portfolio to be in line with the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. And with the new offices in Denmark, Antler hopes to help establish between 10-20 green and sustainable technology companies every year. Nevertheless, the fund calls for a common calculation model if the sustainable agenda is to really take off.

“We ourselves are working on getting sharper and sharper to calculate CO2 reduction and footprint. But it is clear that we need a common ‘framework’ so that not everyone has to invent the wheel every time they have to measure impact.

It will be crucial for capital heading towards the greens solutions,” Anders Hammarbäck says.

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TRANSPORT

Sustainability on land, at sea, and in the air:

Companies incorporate climate friendly solutions in their businesses

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Tech for the Planet

Getting from A to B can be done in a lot of different ways and with big differences in the carbon footprint. Three companies have incorporated sustainability into their businesses in an attempt to be as climate friendly as possible. But how big is the impact really?

Written by Anna Bernsen Jacobsen

T

o Richard Burger, it is a liberation to sit on a bicycle, instead of being stuck behind a wheel in a traffic jam. Like many other people in Amsterdam, he therefore jumps on his bike, when he leaves for work in the morning.

Richard Burger is the founder of Dutch Swapfiets, a so-called bicycle as a service company, which rents out bikes on a monthly basis. The company was founded in 2016 and is today present in nine markets. Scaling to new markets is not, however, on the agenda for Burger at the moment.

“We want to be fully circular by 2025.

That means that everything in the production of our bikes should be made from recycled materials or bio-based materials, and that there is no waste in the bike’s life cycle. And with no waste, we mean that nothing will be incinerated or end up in landfills,” Burger says.

Swapfiets will therefore spend the coming years until 2025 on improving the bikes in collaboration with their suppliers. Because even though bikes are already a climate-friendly mode of transport, Burger believes that Swapfiets can do even more to reduce the company’s carbon footprint.

“Ultimately, the bike still needs to be produced, which requires resources, and we still throw parts out at the end of the bike’s life cycle. If we can reduce the costs associated with that, we can reduce our carbon footprint even more,” Burger says.

GoBoat sails on electricity If you have taken a walk by Copenhagen’s canals on a sunny summer day, you are probably familiar with the dark blue boats with the wooden table in the middle. The boats belong to GoBoat, and can be rented on an hourly basis.

“GoBoat is part of the experience economy, and our ultimate goal is

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The Swapfiets-bike with its trademark blue front wheel.

to democratize the water so that it becomes accessible to all,” says Eric Ziengs, CMO of GoBoat, and continues: “We try to create an experience that has as little impact on nature and the environment as possible, and therefore our boats sail on electricity.”

Swapfiets’ customers want convenience and flexibility According to Swapfiets’ founder, Richard Burger, it is better to rent a bike than to own it, as renting is both more convenient and flexible compared to ownership. Included in Swapfiets’ bicycle subscription are both service and insurance, so the help is never far away if the bike gets a flat tire or is stolen. The flexibility comes from the fact that customers can change their subscription to another bike at any time - if your commute gets longer, you can switch to an electric bike.

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TRANSPORT

GoBoats wants to make hanging out on the water as sustainable an experience as possible.

The power that drives the electric motors comes from the solar cells that sit on GoBoat’s pavilion at Islands Brygge.

If the sun has not delivered enough power, GoBoat buys electricity from, for example, wind turbines. In addition, the boats are made of sustainable materials, while the pavilion and dock are made of sustainable wood.

“We do not speak loudly about our sustainable initiatives, because in many ways sustainability is more of a means than an end. If we did not take proper care of the water, the experience would be worse and fewer people would sail with us,” Ziengs says.

Drones assist the wind industry At the moment, Airflight is working hard to test the company’s drones in real life.

Once the drones are ready to fly, they will help the wind industry repair and maintain wind turbines by transporting spare parts and tools from land or sea level to the turbine.

It is especially service technicians, who

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work on offshore wind turbines, who can benefit from the drones, says Mikkel Sørensen, CEO of Airflight.

“The drones can fly spare parts and tools from a boat at sea directly and in a straight line to the wind turbine, as the drone can land on the wind turbine’s helipad. It is much faster than the service technicians having to use the internal lifts and cranes. In the end, we can make the time the technicians spend at the wind turbine more efficient,” Sørensen says.

When the drones are ready in 2023, Airflight will focus on three customer segments in particular: energy companies, wind turbine manufacturers, and

GoBoat is on a mission One of GoBoat‘s missions is to instill respect for the water - this also applies to the boat‘s smallest passengers. That is why GoBoat has created the concept Garbage Pirate, which equips children with a fishing net they can use to fish garbage out of the water. As a thank you for their efforts, they get a licorice treat when they are back on land.

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With the capability to lift up to 200 kgs, the massive drone from Airflight.io functions as a flying crane.

service operators. According to Sørensen, energy companies in particular are interested in reducing their CO2 emissions by involving drones in the maintenance.

“The boats and mobile cranes emit a lot of CO2, so if we can use battery-powered drones charged with green power instead, we can save a lot of carbon in the process,” Sørensen says.

How big is the companies’ impact?

All three companies have incorporated several sustainable initiatives in their solutions. The question then is, how big are the companies’ impact really in terms of carbon footprint?

Richard Burger from Swapfiets points out that 60 percent of the company’s customers change their mobility after buying a Swapfiets subscription. This means that customers either bike more, or walk, drive, or use public transportation less.

“It differs from city to city and country to country in terms of where customers come from. In Milan, Paris and Lon-

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don we see, to a large extent, that our customers have previously used cars or public transport, but that they are now choosing a bike,” Burger says.

GoBoat’s competitors include the canal tour and the red double-decker buses, which sail and drive around Copenhagen on sightseeing tours. However, both are petrol-powered, and it can therefore be argued that GoBoat’s carbon footprint is smaller.

Finally there is Airflight. According to CEO Mikkel Sørensen, the boats, which are mainly used in connection with the maintenance of wind turbines, emit up to 1.8 tonnes of CO2 per hour.

“If we can save an hour in process time, we can save a lot of tons of carbon per drone,” Sørensen says.

Green transportation is more than Swapfiets, GoBoat, and Airflight each show in their own way that green transportation is more than just electric cars.

Because if the electric car is not produced responsibly or does not run on electric-

The founders of Airflight.io: Travis James Mathers and Mikkel Kærsgaard Sørensen

ity from sustainable sources, we have not moved an inch. Sustainability must be included throughout the ecosystem before it has an impact.

At the same time, Swapfiets, GoBoat and Airflight also prove that although transport is often about getting from A to B as quickly as possible, it can also be a way to exercise, have an experience or solve a bigger challenge.

Airflight’s flying car Airflight started out by wanting to create a flying vessel for passenger transport. It actually went quite well too. The quadcopter, as the vessel is called, went flying with a sandbag in the driver‘s seat, which several media outlets reported on in the summer of 2020. But then Airflight was contacted by the wind industry, which had a different vision for the powerful drones. Airflight therefore pivoted, and the quadcopter project is, at least for now, on hold.

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