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Global innovation spotlight: Tunisia – Springwise
CategoriesSustainable News

Global innovation spotlight: Tunisia – Springwise

By Zarkon Group,

Global innovation spotlight: Tunisia

Global Innovation Spotlight

Reflecting our global Springwise readership, we explore the innovation landscape and freshest thinking from a new country each week. This week, we’ve headed to North Africa…

Tunisia Innovation Facts

Global Innovation Index ranking: 71st

Climate targets: a ‘conditional’ emissions reduction target of 45% below 2010 levels by 2030, an ‘unconditional’ target of 27% below 2010 levels over the same period. 

Sustainability challenges:

Waste Management – Tunisia’s waste management system struggles to cope with the 2.5 million tonnes of waste the country produces each year. Region-wide issues, such as high temperatures, are compounded by issues specific to Tunisia, such as a proliferation of illegal dumpsites for industrial and domestic waste. And Tunisian landfills do not meet the sanitary standards found in other parts of the world.

Pollution in the Gulf of Tunis – Marine ecosystems in the Gulf of Tunis are heavily impacted by domestic and industrial waste. In late 2021, about 3,000 people protested along the four most polluted beaches in the southern suburb of Tunis. Around 95,000 m3 of wastewater is treated in the suburb each day, with a significant proportion being discharged directly into the sea.

Vulnerability to climate change – Although it has improved its resilience in recent decades, Tunisia remains highly vulnerable to climate change, and is expected to experience negative impacts from rising temperatures and lower precipitation. The country is particularly vulnerable in regards to water security, agriculture, and livestock health.

Sector specialisms:

Software and data

Fintech

Social and leisure

Source: StartupBlink

Three exciting innovations from Tunisia

Photo source Pixabay

SOFTWARE AND ROBOTS HELP SMALL FARMERS IMPROVE AGRICULTURAL MANAGEMENT

The world will face increased water shortages and food supply challenges in the coming years. And Tunisia is particularly vulnerable to tensions for water resources between agriculture and humans. Ezzayra provides software and hardware solutions that allow farmers to get the most out of their fields. Their products include software and hardware to improve irrigation and fertigation, and a field robot able to perform the same tasks as a tractor. Read more.

Photo source Boba Jaglicic on Unsplash

BEEHIVE MONITORING TECHNOLOGY FOR HEALTHIER BEES

It has been over 170 years since the modern beehive was introduced, and beehive management hasn’t changed significantly since. And while apiculture has changed little, honeybee populations have been in decline in due to disease, pesticides, and habitat loss. As a result, farmers are increasingly relying on man-made methods of pollination. But these are unlikely to be sustainable in the long run. Iris Technologies has developed sensors that measure temperature and humidity to optimise bee health and honey production, while also tracking bee movements and foraging patterns. Read more.

Photo source Wattnow

IOT SYSTEM TRACKS REAL-TIME ENERGY CONSUMPTION

It’s often easiest to understand something when it is made visible. Tunisian company Wattnow is using that premise to help businesses and individuals maximise the efficiency of their energy usage. The Wattnow platform provides a visual monitoring system for all energy points in a building. This system makes it easy to see where the most use is occurring. Read more.

Words: Matthew Hempstead

To keep up with the latest innovations, sign up to our free newsletters or email info@springwise.com to get in touch.

6th May 2022

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Global innovation spotlight: Portugal – Springwise
CategoriesSustainable News

Global innovation spotlight: Portugal – Springwise

By Zarkon Group,

Global innovation spotlight: Portugal

Global Innovation Spotlight

Reflecting our global Springwise readership, we explore the innovation landscape and freshest thinking from a new country each week. This week, we’ve headed to the Iberian peninsula…

Portugal Innovation Facts

Global Innovation Index ranking: 31st

Climate targets: at least 40 per cent domestic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 1990, carbon neutral by 2050.

Sustainability issues:

Air pollution – levels of the pollutant nitrogen dioxide are so high in three of Portugal’s air quality zones, that the European Commission has decided to sue the country. Emissions of the noxious gas come mostly from road traffic – especially diesel vehicles.

Energy poverty – Portugal has one of the highest proportions of people living in fuel poverty in the EU. This is because the country has some of Europe’s highest electricity and natural gas prices, as well as a high proportion of poorly insulated homes. 

Drought – There has been little rain anywhere in Portugal in 2022, with 95 per cent of the country facing severe or extreme drought conditions. This is making the growing season extremely difficult for farmers. Climatologists believe that climate change is playing a part in the current drought. 

Sector specialisms:

Hardware and internet of things

Energy and environment

Foodtech

Source: StartupBlink

Three Exciting Innovations From Portugal

Photo source Nasa on Unsplash

A SPACE DEBRIS TRACKING SYSTEM HELPS PREVENT COLLISIONS

Historically, the race to space has focused on getting teams and countries into orbit, with far fewer resources dedicated to cleaning up after missions. But with space traffic growing rapidly, there is a growing need to track the rubbish left behind in order to prevent dangerous collisions. Portugal’s Neuraspace, part of the European Space Agency’s Business Incubator programme, recently raised €2.5 million to bring its intelligent monitoring platform to market. Read more.

Photo source Shaun Dakin on Unsplash

A SENSOR MONITORS THE STRENGTH AND EFFICIENCY OF WIND TURBINE BLADES

Current wind turbine monitoring systems are not built to track the full length of the world’s largest blades, and updated materials technologies are also adding complexity to such oversight. Porto and Rotterdam-based Fibersail is piloting a shape-sensing wind turbine blade monitoring system that tracks the full shape and curvature of each blade – even the newest, longest blades. Such monitoring helps to identify the most efficient positions for each turbine. and also provides owners and maintenance managers with the means to detect when a part is working below capacity – much earlier than is currently possible. Read more.

Photo source Virtuleap

A VR BRAIN TRAINING APP TO TEST COGNITIVE SKILLS

Lisbon-based Virtuleap is a health and education startup using artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) to elevate the cognitive assessment and training industry. The company believes that VR brain training can add value to any healthy lifestyle as a frequent activity taking up less than 10 minutes per session. Virtuleap’s core product, Enhance, is a VR app with a library of brain training games that test and train various cognitive skills like memory, problem-solving, spatial orientation, and motor control. Read more.

Words: Matthew Hempstead

To keep up with the latest innovations, sign up to our free newsletters or email info@springwise.com to get in touch.

29th April 2022

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Global innovation spotlight: Chile – Springwise
CategoriesSustainable News

Global innovation spotlight: Chile – Springwise

By Zarkon Group,

Reflecting our global Springwise readership, we explore the innovation landscape and freshest thinking from a new country each week. This week, we’ve headed to South America…

Chile Innovation Facts

Global Innovation Index ranking: 53rd

Climate targets: Reduce black carbon emissions by at least 25 per cent by 2030 (from 2016 levels), carbon neutral by 2050.

Sustainability issues

Water scarcity – Underpinning many of the environmental challenges in Chile is the issue of water – or rather the lack of it. The country is currently suffering from a decade-long drought, which scientists believe is exacerbated by climate change. In total, around 1.4 million Chileans don’t have access to drinking water or sewerage – eight per cent of the population.

Deforestation and desertification – Chile suffered an 11 per cent decrease in tree cover between 2000 and 2020. And the country is similarly affected by desertification and land degradation – with two-thirds of the country’s territory affected or threatened by desertification and drought.

Impact of mining – Many of the raw materials driving technological progress—such as copper, lithium, and rare earth metals—are found in Chile. And their extraction has a significant environmental impact. For example, lithium—crucial for electric vehicle batteries—is found in abundance in the Atacama Desert region. The process for extracting lithium is extremely water intensive in a region that is one of the driest in the world.

Sector specialisms

Energy and environment

Foodtech

Fintech

Source: Startupblink

Three Exciting Innovations From Chile

Photo source Pixabay

COUNTERTOP DEVICE CREATES PURIFIED WATER FROM AIR

Designed explicitly for communities living in remote areas that lack a consistent source of clean drinking water, Chilean company Fresh Water Solutions’ Urban device captures tiny water particles suspended in the air. By gathering the particles together, the moisture becomes heavy enough to form a rain cloud. The device then pools the water in preparation for filtration. Read more.

Photo source Carlos Muñoz on Unsplash

TURNING WIND, WATER, AND AIR INTO GREEN FUEL

Chile’s largest and southernmost region has been chosen as the setting for an innovative, $55 million (€50.6 million) facility that is exploring the commercialisation of synthetic fuel. The project—called ‘Haru Oni’—is an initiative of startup Highly Innovative Fuels (HIF). The first-of-its-kind facility is designed to convert three ingredients,—wind, water, and air—into a green fuel that could play an important role in the energy revolution. Read more.

Photo source Protera

USING AI TO BUILD ANIMAL-FREE PROTEINS AND PRESERVATIVES

Lab-grown food is no longer science fiction. As alternatives to traditionally farmed ingredients, cultured meats can replace almost any animal product with a more sustainable version. Now, Chilean biotech startup Protera is using artificial intelligence (AI) to copy the amino acid structures of naturally occurring proteins – such as those in flowers. Once a complete protein is built, the company uses fermentation to produce the ingredient at scale. Read more.

Words: Matthew Hempstead

To keep up with the latest innovations in sustainable investment and beyond, sign up to our free newsletters or email info@springwise.com to get in touch.

21st April 2022

Reference

Global innovation spotlight: South Korea
CategoriesSustainable News

Global innovation spotlight: South Korea

By Zarkon Group,

Global innovation spotlight: South Korea

Global Innovation Spotlight

South Korea Innovation Facts

Global Innovation Index ranking: 5th

Climate targets: reduce emissions by 40 per cent below 2018 levels by 2030, carbon neutral by 2050.

Sustainability issues:

Air quality – Air pollution is a significant issue in South Korea. In one survey by the Ministry of Environment, 97 per cent people of people said that air pollution was causing them physical or psychological pain. Some of this pollution is home grown, but experts estimate that around 60 per cent of South Korea’s air pollution is blown into the country from China.

Coal power – South Korea’s continued reliance on coal power contributes to the country’s homegrown air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Coal accounts for nearly 30 per cent of South Korea’s total primary energy supply, and nearly 45 per cent of the country’s electricity supply is generated from coal

Water management – South Korea suffers from both high population density and water scarcity – which is exacerbated by pollution from livestock and storm water run-off. Moreover, the country faces a higher risk of flooding than other developed countries. As a result, the country faces significant water-related risks, which makes water management a critical issue.

Sector specialisms:

Transportation

Health

Social and leisure

Source: Startupblink

Three Exciting Innovations From South Korea

AI device translates images and webpages into Braille
Photo source Dot

AN AI-POWERED DEVICE TRANSLATES IMAGES AND WEBPAGES INTO BRAILLE

With only around three per cent of the world’s accessible texts available in Braille, people living with sight impairments have an extremely limited library from which to choose. Set to transform this situation is South Korean assistive device company Dot. With its new artificial intelligence (AI) powered software, the company is making more content—including images—available to Braille readers. Read more.

Partnership creates sustainable plastic recycling eco-system
Photo source Innerbottle

A PARTNERSHIP CREATES A SUSTAINABLE PLASTIC RECYCLING ECO-SYSTEM

LG Chem, the chemical unit of South Korea’s LG Group, has joined forces with a local reusable plastic bottle manufacturer and a leading logistics company to establish a more efficient and sustainable recycling system for plastic cosmetic containers. The move comes as part of the company’s wider efforts to tackle the global issue of plastic waste. Startup InnerBottle produces reusable plastic bottles with a replaceable elastic silicon inner layer, while CJ Logistics collects used bottles from customers. LG Chem itself sources materials for the production of the reusable bottles. Read more.

Sustainable flour alternative from barley
Photo source Olga Kudriavtseva on Unsplash

UPCYCLING BARLEY BYPRODUCTS INTO HIGH-PROTEIN FLOUR

Seoul-based food upcycling startup RE:Harvest has created a new flour alternative made from upcycled barley from the production of beer and sikhye – a traditional sweet Korean beverage. The powder is not only more sustainable than traditional flour – it also has a higher protein content. As society moves towards plant-based diets, protein-rich nutritious flours could be an important part of the solution to feeding the world sustainably. Read more.

Words: Matthew Hempstead

To keep up with the latest innovations in sustainable investment and beyond, sign up to our free newsletters or email info@springwise.com to get in touch.

14th April 2022

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Global innovation spotlight: Finland – Springwise
CategoriesSustainable News

Global innovation spotlight: Finland – Springwise

By Zarkon Group,

Global innovation spotlight: Finland

Global Innovation Spotlight

Finland Innovation Facts

Global Innovation Index ranking: 7th

Climate targets: Carbon neutral by 2035.

Sustainability issues:

Forestry – More than 75 per cent of Finland is covered by forests, making it one of the most forested country in Europe. With so many trees, it is little surprise that forestry is big business – accounting for over 18 per cent of the country’s exports. But commentators point out that the industry has a negative impact on carbon emissions, biodiversity, and the native Sami people. This has led to vigorous debate over government plans to increase logging by more than 30 per cent.

Biodiversity – `Finland is home to around 45,000 plant and animal species, representing 29 per cent of the known species found in Europe. But biodiversity loss has been a key challenge for the country. For example, 35 per cent of Finnish birds are under threat. However, there have been signs in the last few years that, for the first time, Finland has a chance to reverse biodiversity loss.

Baltic Sea pollution – Nutrient run-off, urban litter, and industrial chemicals make the Baltic Sea one of the most polluted bodies of water in the world. With a catchment area spanning nine countries, change requires action by multiple countries, and 1974 saw the ratification of the Helsinki convention for the protection of the Baltic Sea. Thankfully, progress has been made with nutrient pollution in the sea reducing by around 50 per cent over the past 30 years.

Sector specialisms:

Digital Health

AI, Big Data, and Analytics

Gaming

Source: Startup Genome

Three Exciting Innovations From Finland

Photo source Pixabay

USING MICROBES TO CLEAN CONTAMINATED SOIL

Contaminated soil from polluted sites, such as old industrial facilities and petrol stations, causes problems across the globe. Until now, the main method for cleaning these sites has been the physical removal of contaminated soil to a landfill site, where it is used as a filling material. Fresh soil must then be brought in as a replacement. This is an extremely expensive, time-consuming, and emissions-intensive process – potentially requiring thousands of truckloads of soil to be transported over many kilometres. Now, a Finnish company has developed a bioremediation additive made from agricultural waste that stimulates microbial activity to break down soil contaminants on-site. Read more.

Photo source SolFoil

HEATING FOOD WITH A PORTABLE SOLAR HEATER

Finnish startup SolFoil has created solar-powered pouches that cook or heat food and non-food items. Cool to the touch, even after hours in the sun, the packages absorb 90 per cent of the available sunshine. Cooking times vary due to time of day, strength of sunshine, and outdoor temperature, and the pouches can be left for hours without overheating. They connect to a gauge that indicates the internal temperature, making it easy to track cooking times. The technology has the potential to help vulnerable communities living in insecure housing and inhospitable locations, and the company plans to develop the product further for use in humanitarian emergencies.

Photo source Pexels

AN EXPERIENTIAL SPACE TO RELAX AND RECHARGE

Workers’ daily stress levels reached a record high in 2020 according to a global survey by Gallup, with 43 per cent of respondents in over 100 countries claiming to have experienced stress. Designed by Finnish designer Pekka Kumpula, Silmu is an experiential space for focus and relaxation. The single-person pods are designed to be installed in places that lack privacy – such as workplaces and public spaces. Combining a natural design language with state-of-the-art technology, the idea is that Silmu can act as the perfect setting, either for a ‘micro-break’ during the most hectic periods of the day, or for highly concentrated work that requires maximum focus. Read more.

Words: Matthew Hempstead

To keep up with the latest innovations in sustainable investment and beyond, sign up to our free newsletters or email info@springwise.com to get in touch.

1st April 2022

Reference

Global innovation spotlight: Costa Rica
CategoriesSustainable News

Global innovation spotlight: Costa Rica

By Zarkon Group,

Global innovation spotlight: Costa Rica

Global Innovation Spotlight

Costa Rica Innovation Facts

Global
Innovation Index ranking: 56th

Climate targets: Become a ‘decarbonised economy’ with net-zero emissions by 2050.

Sustainability issues:

Tourism
– Costa Rica is home to around 5 per cent of the planet’s biodiversity, and the
country’s exotic plants and animals are a major draw for tourists. Over a million
people visit the country each year so responsible tourist practices are
essential. Fortunately, tourism has largely been a positive catalyst for
conservation in the country, with the government implementing a hunting ban and
researchers mapping the country’s wildlife.

Deforestation
– In the 1940s around 75 per cent of Costa Rica was covered by forests, but,
by 1987, the country had lost between a half and a third of its forest cover. Since
then, Costa Rica has successfully managed to stop and reverse deforestation through
globally admired environmental policies and innovations.

Transportation – With an over-reliance on fossil fuels, poor public transport, and haphazard urban growth, Costa Rica’s transport network is the most polluting in Central America. In fact, 84 per cent of the hydrocarbons consumed in the country are burned by vehicles. Cleaning up the transport sector is therefore an important priority as Costa Rica attempts to become a zero-carbon country.

Sector specialisms:

Telecommunications and tech

Education

E-commerce

Source: Statista

Three Exciting Innovations From Costa Rica

Photo source angel olaya on Unsplash

UNMANNED CROP MONITORING HELPS SMALL FARMERS IN COSTA RICA

We are in the era of genetically modified crops, AI, and all things automated, yet one in ten people around the world go hungry. And one third of all food produced is wasted every year. Indigo Drones is on a mission to help farmers at the production end of the chain. The company helps farmers monitor crops and spot potential issues during growing seasons through the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and internet of things (IoT) devices. Read more.

Photo source Marek Studzinski on Unsplash

PELLETS MADE FROM AGRICULTURAL WASTE REPLACE FOSSIL FUELS

Each year, Costa Rica produces more than 1.2 million tonnes of wood, of which around 40 per cent ends up as waste. Much of this wood waste is disposed of improperly with decomposition releasing methane – a greenhouse gas that adds to global warming. Now, renewable energy company Pelletics is putting waste to work fighting climate change. The company takes wood and agricultural waste from sawmills and cassava cultivation and turns it into pellets that constitute a high energy density fuel. Read more.

Photo source Tadeu Jnr on Unsplash

SUSTAINABLE STRATEGIES FOR COMBATTING CROP PESTS

Each year, 3 million farm workers experience extreme pesticide poisoning, and 600 million people get sick from eating foods contaminated with agrochemicals. This is a particularly pertinent problem in Costa Rica – a leading global exporter of pineapples, bananas, and coffee. Costa Rican startup ClearLeaf is rising to this challenge with a range of innovative solutions to replace harmful toxic pesticides. Read more.

Words: Matthew Hempstead

To keep up with the latest innovations in sustainable investment and beyond, sign up to our free newsletters or email info@springwise.com to get in touch.

25th March 2022

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