GreenTech Forum Takes Place in Run Up to Startup Booster
The GreenTech Forum, the forerunner to GreenTech Startup Booster, took place on Thursday, September 2. The forum ran from 10 am to 16:30 and comprised plenary sessions covering new technologies for a low carbon economy, industrial environment in difficult climatic regions, technologies for a circular economy, environmental monitoring, and restoration and bioresources development.
The GreenTech forum and accelerator aim is to attract technologies that apply to low carbon, sustainable, and environmentally friendly economics to the fore. Representatives from industrial partner companies such as Gazprom Neft, Sibur, Severstal, Yatec, 3M, etc., attended the forum. They discussed climate change, the impact of industrial activity on the environment, and what solutions they are looking for to reduce their impact on the climate and the environment.
Opening the forum was Oleg Dubnov, the vice president and deputy director of the energy-efficient technologies cluster at the Skolkovo Foundation, who stated:
“This is not the first time that we have come together. Last year was the first Greentech Startup Booster. We received applications from all over the world, even though that was not the initial goal. Our number of partners has since increased, and the program has received new support and requests for new technologies. We could not have achieved this without so many partners and the number of applicants. I hope that this will be successful and that new partnerships form.”
Oleg Dubnov, the vice president and deputy director of the energy-efficient technologies cluster at the Skolkovo Foundation. Photo: Sk.ru
The first talk, titled “New Technologies for a Low Carbon Economy,” was moderated by one of the event’s main organizers, Mikhail Tykuchinsky, and comprised a panel of speakers from Accenture, the Russian Environmental Society, Yatec, Severstal, 3M, Gazprom Neft, VEB.RF, and Bolshaya Troika (Big Three). The motivating factors for some of Russia’s largest industrial corporations cutting emissions or capturing CO2 vary. However, one of the critical factors is emerging EU policies regarding single-use plastics and the prospect of carbon taxes on imports. Given that the EU is the largest importer of Russian gas, this could prove detrimental to gas producers, not to mention Russia’s state budget, which derives a significant portion of taxes from gas revenues. In addition, polymer (plastic) producers would also be affected as single-use plastics are being phased out in the EU market. This has spurred companies to produce recyclable polymers.
GreenTech Startup Forum. Photo: Sk.ru
While many industrial partners have already taken steps to reduce their emissions and environmental pollution, there is a renewed need to make further improvements. That is where partnerships with startup projects will play a role in fulfilling these goals.
Yateс’s CEO, Andrey Korobov, stated:
"This accelerator is an excellent 'sieve' for technology and eco-friendly startups. By supporting the Skolkovo Foundation, we hope to reach new technological solutions, the main goal of which is to modernize production methods, improve the environment, and, as a result, our overall quality of life."
Matt Freiburg, the vice president and CEO of 3M Russia and CIS, emphasized that the reason for 3M partnering with GreenTech is to find solutions that will help the company reduce its footprint further.
During the afternoon, the forum split up for parallel talks titled “Industrial Environment in Difficult Climatic Zones,” “Technologies for a Circular Economy – new opportunities or additional expenditures,” “Environmental Monitoring – transparency could be profitable,” and “Restoration and Development of Bioresources – unifying business interests and society.”
The topics focused on exploration in the Arctic while protecting the environment, permafrost monitoring, the economic advantages of a circular economy, business models for recycling, the need for environmental regulation, etc.