By 2050, 2.5 billion more people will live in cities, demanding more food, products and conveniences than ever before.
But the ongoing climate crisis will lead to food security challenges. Changing weather patterns and a decline in arable land for farming will threaten the nutritional status of millions of people, while agricultural production continues to contribute 11 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Is the answer found in non-traditional farms and labs in cities?
Meanwhile 91 per cent of all plastics ever produced—mostly used for packaging—have not been recycled. This is only the tip of the iceberg for packaging waste, a symptom of the modern economy’s obsession with a take-make-waste society that has created a waste problem of epic proportions in societies around the world. Can the world find new ways to package and consume goods?
Keeping global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius will not happen without a strategy to actively remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. Although carbon capture, storage and utilisation technologies are nascent, costly and space intensive, it represents a huge trillion-dollar business opportunity.
Do you have a solution? From 14 January to 17 April, The Liveability Challenge is welcoming proposals to make cities in the tropics sustainable and future-ready. The winner will secure up to S$1 million in funding for project development.
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The Liveability Challenge is back to close the financing gap between the ideas that will make our cities better and the investments that will make these solutions a reality.
Between 14 January and 17 April 2020, we’re looking for the most innovative and ground-breaking solutions in Urban Food Production, Circular Packaging and Decarbonisation.
Finalists will be unveiled in May.
Up to 8 finalists will get to pitch their most innovative, groundbreaking solutions at The Liveability Challenge Finale before some of Asia’s sharpest and most sought-after investors.
At this high-stakes showdown held during the annual Ecosperity Week organised by Temasek, finalists will have to convince the judges that their innovations will not only change the face of the city but are also a rare—and profitable—business opportunity.
The best solutions will be selected by our judges to win up to S$1 million in funding and other opportunities.
Following a successful three-month global call for innovative, ground-breaking solutions in clean energy and circular economy, over 300 submissions from 51 countries around the world were filed and the six most promising ones selected.
On 7 June 2019, six finalists took the stage at The Liveability Challenge 2019 Grand Finale and pitched their innovative solutions to make Singapore a more liveable city in an exciting showdown to secure up to S$1 million in funding and other exclusive opportunities. Some of these solutions included a 3D printer that uses organic materials, a low-energy air conditioning unit, a drink cup rental service, an energy-efficient data centre, and a system that converts diesel engines to hydrogen. Finalists Finalists included Chitonous, Cloud&Heat Technologies, Biomass Energy Systems Inc, Dewcon Instruments Inc, Flexi Systems Singapore, Sophie’s Kitchen, Neuto HEEV and Revolv.
Sophie’s Kitchen emerged the winner of S$1,000,000 in The Liveability Challenge 2019 with sustainable plant protein made with microalgae. Revolv was granded a crowdfunding campaign worth S$500,000 with FundedHere. Neuto Heev was awarded a six-month mentorship with GoImpact. Also awarded a six-month mentorship programme with Circular Economy Club was Chitonous, a company that 3D prints furniture from organic material. The final winner was an idea for an energy-efficient airconditioner, which was a collaboration between three firms: Besi, Flexi Singapore, and Dewcon USA. fundraising campaign worth S$1 million and a place in the GoMassive Bootcamp Incubator Programme.
Director of Sustainability, Sealed Air APAC
Chief Executive
Temasek Foundation Ecosperity
Executive Chairman and Co-founder, Padang & Co
Head of Sustainability & Communications, Food Industry Asia
Senior Sustainability Strategist, Forum for the Future
Deputy Managing Director, Eco-Business
Sophie’s Kitchen, a firm that makes a sustainable plant protein, is the winner of The Liveability Challenge 2019, a global search for ideas to make Southeast Asia’s cities more liveable and resilient. With the win, Temasek Foundation has awarded S$1 million to Sophie’s Kitchen to produce the protein, made with microalgae, can be used in anything from dietary supplements and cooking oil to biofuel, and will become part of a global market for alternative protein set to be worth US$16 billion by 2025.
RWDC Industries, whose proposal replaces single-use plastic straws with drinking straws made from a certified biodegradable biopolymer is the winner of The Liveability Challenge 2018 with biodegradable straws. With the win, RWDC Industries will produce biodegradable straws that would decompose under regular natural conditions into water and carbon dioxide.
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