SOLVE@Waterfront has launched its Circular Innovation Challenge for 2024 and is inviting entries from innovators, change-makers, and thought leaders active in the Circular Economy.
The Challenge is supported by the V&A Waterfront and the Vikāra Institute. This call for innovative thinking and sharing of ideas for the benefit of our planet is another way in which the Waterfront’s Our Better Nature sustainability platform comes to life. Our Better Nature is hinged on the insight that when we act from our better nature, nature gets better, and so collaboration and partnership is a big part of collectively solving for tomorrow.
“We believe that people are good,” said Heather Parker, a director of SOLVE. “When we understand the big picture, we default to doing the right thing. Equally, we believe that adopting a circular mindset is foundational to helping our beautiful planet, and all who live on it, to find our way back from this worrying state of climate catastrophe we’ve got to.
“The nature-positive and kinder choices that each of us can make in our everyday lives make a difference to the big picture.”
At its heart, the Challenge is based on the principle that the linear consumption patterns the world mostly defaults to are unsustainable. Partly, this is due to the environmental damage caused by the over-production that fuels and fulfils our appetites for consumption; and partly it is due to the escalating challenge of managing mountains of what is treated as waste.
Circularity proposes a different way of thinking. SOLVE is thus seeking entries of products, technologies and/or services which encourage the move from a linear to a circular economy. Our vision is a future in which everyday items such as textiles and plastics, food production and construction materials, and byproducts of living such as waste and blackwater, are produced, consumed, and/or managed in a circular and regenerative manner. Our vision, thus, is a world in which resources are conserved, waste is minimised, and ecosystems are preserved, leading to a thriving and sustainable society.
If you are based in Southern Africa and have developed an innovative solution that meets the definition of circularity, and have at least a prototype ready for testing, you’re eligible to enter; and we encourage you to make use of this opportunity to grow and develop your network and your business.
Our finalists will have the opportunity to pitch their idea to a panel of experts and make valuable international connections in the circularity field at Vikára’s annual conference (22 – 24 Oct). The winner will be awarded:
o a R200k cash prize,
o training to address any specific needs they may have, if required;
o mentorship and access to business contacts; and
o excellent exposure to other businesses and potential customers through testing their product or service at the V&A, if relevant.
Entries are open until September 13, 2024. Find all the details on SOLVE’s home page, here. If the work you do is in the circularity space, don’t miss this exciting chance to collaborate with us to make a difference and help shape a sustainable future.
