Asia’s largest sustainability innovation challenge received over 1,000 submissions from more than 100 countries across the world, with selected projects set to win S$2.5 million at Ecosperity Week.
Singapore, 12 March 2024 – Seven innovations have been unveiled by The Liveability Challenge (TLC) after a rigorous selection process involving a record number of over 1,000 submissions from more than 100 countries.
The seven teams – four under the Climate Change track, three under the Food & Nutrition track – which were chosen for their potential for positive impact in addressing climate change and food security, are:
Finalists for the theme of Climate Change
- bound4blue (Spain)
Solution: Wind-assisted propulsion suction sails to reduce fuel consumption for ships by 40 per cent.
- GAFT (The Netherlands)
Solution: Scaling the supply of carbon negative sustainable aviation fuel by producing clean ‘used cooking oil’ substitute from carbon dioxide.
- Green COP (Singapore)
Solution: Decarbonising maritime transport by 50 per cent with high energy density drop-in biofuel blend produced from agri-waste.
- Nandina REM (Singapore)
Solution: Producing industry-grade, circular carbon fibre materials recovered from aircraft with more than 70 per cent carbon emissions reduction.
Finalists for the theme of Food & Nutrition
- Cricket One (Vietnam)
Solution: Scalable nutritious superfood that has a carbon footprint 100 times lower than beef.
- Terra Bioindustries (Canada)
Solution: High-value proteins and sugars production at 50 per cent lower emissions from the valorisation of agri-food side streams.
- tHEMEatCompany (Singapore)
Solution: Vegan ingredient that makes alternative protein products look, cook, smell and taste like real meats.
Presented by Temasek Foundation and organised by Eco-Business, TLC is a global platform that convenes investors and innovators to scale disruptive solutions tackling sustainability challenges.
Since its first edition in 2018, TLC has become Asia’s largest sustainability solutions platform, bringing together an ever-growing ecosystem of private and public sector partners. In 2024, more than 50 partners have offered their networks to crowdsource start-ups and solutions across the world relevant to this year’s themes.
The seventh edition of TLC will see a grand catalytic funding of S$2 million from Temasek Foundation – with S$1 million to be awarded to the winner of each track, and an additional S$500,000 in investment prizes to be awarded by our strategic partners: Enterprise Singapore, impact investment fund Octave Wellbeing Economy Fund, and venture capital funds AeraVC and TRIREC.
This global challenge seeks out innovative solutions from around the world features two tracks – Climate Change and Food & Nutrition.
- Climate Change
Disruptive innovations that can capture and utilise carbon at scale to create products for the global market and innovations that generate cost-effective renewable energy. TLC is also looking for adaptative solutions that strengthen and protect our ecosystems, societies and infrastructures from the effects of climate change.
- Food and Nutrition
Solutions that create urban, circular food production systems in the space of agriculture, aquaculture and alternative nutrition. TLC is looking for breakthrough innovations that maximise production efficiency while minimising resource requirements to improve the key nutrition for current and changing demographics.
This year, TLC attracted a record number of submissions from the highest number of countries to date. The seven finalists specialise in areas such as sustainable aviation fuel, aviation and aerospace component manufacturing, propulsion systems, agri-food upcycling, and alternative food production.
The shortlisting panels are represented by ADM Ventures, Engie Factory, National Climate Change Secretariat, New Energy Nexus, Nurasa, Singapore Food Agency, SMART Innovation Centre, The Yield Lab, Vertex Ventures, Wavemaker Impact, Temasek Foundation, and Eco-Business.
“We are so encouraged to have received over 1,000 stand-out submissions from more than 100 countries across the world despite the shorter submission window due to Ecosperity being earlier this year. This represents the incredible momentum we are seeing in climate tech globally and underscores our need to scale financing to fund these solutions that address specific hard to abate sectors so they can reach commercial markets. The final seven teams selected by our steering committees this year bring a diverse range of practical solutions that can decarbonise the economy and strengthen the region’s food and nutrition systems and we are excited to present them at the TLC Grand Finale at Ecosperity this year,” said Jessica Cheam, founder and managing director of Eco-Business.
The Liveability Challenge 2024 Grand Finale will take place on 17 April 2024, hosted alongside Ecosperity Week at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, where the seven finalists will pitch their solutions to a team of Asia’s most sought-after investors.
For more information, visit The Liveability Challenge website at www.theliveabilitychallenge.org.
-Ends-
Notes to Editors:
All media coverage should include a mention of The Liveability Challenge, presented by Temasek Foundation and organised by Eco-Business.
For enquiries or photos, contact:
Gabrielle See, Eco-Business
gabrielle.see@eco-business.com
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About Temasek Foundation
Temasek Foundation supports a diverse range of programmes that uplift lives and communities in Singapore and beyond. Temasek Foundation’s programmes are made possible through philanthropic endowments gifted by Temasek, as well as gifts and contributions from other donors. These programmes strive towards achieving positive outcomes for individuals and communities now and for generations to come. Collectively, Temasek Foundation’s programmes strengthen social resilience, foster international exchange and regional capabilities, advance science, and protect the planet.
For more information, visit www.temasekfoundation.org.sg
About Eco-Business
Established in 2009, Eco-Business is Asia Pacific’s leading media organisation on sustainable development. Its independent journalism unit publishes high quality, trusted news and views that advance dialogue and enables measurable impact on a wide range of sustainable development and responsible business issues. Eco-Business is headquartered in Singapore, with offices in Manila, Beijing, and correspondents across major cities in Asia Pacific. Visit www.eco-business.com
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