Articles
Supporting Project Innovations - from concept to sustainability
One of the key challenges for organisations involved in any research and innovation actions at a European level is the exploitation and sustainability of project and process innovations that emerge over the lifetime of the funded action. Having invested millions into projects it is natural that the European Commission (or any other project funder) wants to see concrete plans and the introduction of support for any new innovations that emerge from the project.
Connecting Nature Enterprise Platform(CNEP)
The demand for nature-based solutions has increased over the last few years. These types of solutions could contribute to climate change adaptation and mitigation, and to healthier, cleaner and greener cities. As cities all over the world demand more nature-based solutions, a new challenge has emerged: How to find skilled suppliers of NBS?
We developed the Connecting Nature Enterprise Platform (CNEP) with the aim to connect market demand with the supply of NBS by organisations and enterprises, and to support the transition to the nature positive economy.
Case studies
Support Strategies for Nature-Based Entrepreneurship
Finding skilled and experienced suppliers has been identified as a roadblock in the wider uptake of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS), particularly in cities. Nature-Based Enterprises (NBEs) can support cities, private sector and third-sector organisations in the planning, delivery and stewardship of nature-based solutions.
Connecting Nature Enterprise Summit
Each of the 3 summits was individually themed to align with key strengths of the host city: the Innovations at the Glasgow Summit, the related opportunities for Enterprise at the Poznan Summit and finally capturing Impact at multiple levels for citizens, cities and the wider community at Genk.
Innovation in Financing of Nature-based Solutions
The reality is that too often the focus is on financing the capital investment costs of nature-based solutions with not enough consideration going into planning long-term sustainable business models to secure a return on investment. Horizon Nua’s founder Siobhan, as part of her research work with Trinity College Dublin in the Connecting Nature project, has customised the well-known business model canvas tool specifically to help plan the business models for nature-based solutions.
With a wide and varied mix of entrepreneurial ideas, Isobel guided the 20+ participants through an interactive brainstorming, idea generating day where each entrepreneur created a framework and was armed with the required tools to develop their individual business plan.