Last week, EADA was pleased to host a series of conferences and entrepreneurial pitches presented by Think Beyond Plastic, a leader in addressing plastic pollution. The 2-day event was organised through the Accelerator Program at the Think Beyond Plastic Innovation Center, which brings together industry, innovators and investors to support the transition towards a circular economy for plastics.
This marks the 3rd edition of the Accelerator Program, although this is the first year that EADA has collaborated. “An important part of the learning experience at EADA is based on drawing inspiration from top industry practitioners,” explains Mireia Serres, programme manager of the International Master in Sustainable Business & Innovation. “We are committed to collaborating with industry leaders not only to provide meaningful experiences for our participants, but also as a means of promoting sustainable and responsible business practices in the larger EADA community.”
The Accelerator Program launch took place at the beginning of October at EADA, and the focus was on the detrimental effect of plastics on the ocean. The event included informative conferences presented by industry experts combined with entrepreneurial pitches by the companies in the 2019 Accelerator cohort. Participants in EADA’s International Master in Sustainable Business & Innovation attended the Accelerator Program launch over a series of two days.
The conference portion of the event included speakers from Unilever, the Food Packaging Forum Foundation and the Plastic Pollution Coalition. These experts tackled issues like how to work together with industry on the plastics problem and the opportunities offered by the lean startup business model.
During the second part of the launch, EADA participants were able to connect with the entrepreneurs at the heart of the ideas revolutionising the industry: eliminating single-use beverage bottles, converting plants into raw materials for use as bioplastics and biofuel, the design and production of bio-based plastics and the local carbonization of waste at a local level.
Students watched a series of 3 pitches from each entrepreneurial team, accompanied by feedback from expert panels, during which they were able to witness first-hand how the feedback was integrated into the business plans.
The Accelerator Program launch at EADA was just the first step for the companies pitching. The entrepreneurs will present their polished business plans to investors in two months’ time to see which ideas receive the funding to become a reality.