The fourth edition of the Green Energy Champion (GEC) competition has moved into its final phase with the launch of the ‘Demo Day’ where the winning five green energy innovators – namely Ecosteem, Sanota, Rhoda, Route Sonar and Eco Tech Base – presented their solutions to an audience comprising local and international industry leaders, investors, business executives, and several other dignitaries.
The Green Energy Champion competition is set to identify the most promising ideas and innovations from the thriving Sri Lankan start-ups and small and medium enterprises. The winning innovations ranged from smart mobility solutions like route optimization and the first Sri-Lankan e-bike, affordable solar powered rooftiles and hot water systems to a household-based organic fertilizer and biogas solution.
GEC’s Demo Day was livestreamed on 3rd February 2022. After the welcome by Country Director of GIZ Sri Lanka, Christiane Einfeldt, the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, H. E. Holger Seubert, and the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority, Ranjith Sepala, addressed the gathering as guests of honour.
In his keynote address, Mr Sepala, highlighted the ambitious goals Sri Lanka has set: “Sri Lanka has begun an important journey towards completing carbon neutrality by 2050. In this journey, we have set a goal to realize 70% of electricity generated by renewable energy sources by 2030. We are delighted that the Federal Foreign Office of Germany joined hands with us by commissioning the Green Energy Champions initiative which is certainly a timely landmark project for Sri Lanka. I congratulate the five green energy startup innovators and their renewable energy ideas and solutions towards a greener Sri Lanka.”
Ambassador Seubert in his address pointed out that the new German government has put climate change action at the forefront of their agenda. Congratulating the five winners, he added: “Green Energy Champion shows us every year that there is huge, untapped potential for creative ideas in the renewable energy sector here in Sri Lanka. Entrepreneurs and private sector are vital in the shift towards a greener economy. It is the innovations driven by companies which – enabled by the right policy frameworks – can scale sustainable solutions within very short timeframes.”
The founders of Ecosteem, Sanota, Rhoda, Route Sonar and Eco Tech Base pitched their business solutions to the investor and partner network gathered at the event, concluding Demo Day with a networking session aimed at facilitating alliances and partnerships among key green energy stakeholders.
During 2021, the five local green energy innovators had participated in a six-month accelerator programme with Hatch and Good Life X (GLX), which helped them fine-tune their business model, develop their products and build strong local and international business relationships in the Green Energy ecosystem. After intensive capacity building and mentoring by renowned industry experts, the five teams are equipped with the knowledge and skills to develop their businesses further while simultaneously creating a positive impact on the environment, the community, as well as the economy.
The ‘Green Energy Champion’ is a programme that supports innovators who are driven to lead the Green Energy revolution. The project is commissioned by the German Federal Foreign Office and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH together with the State Ministry of Solar, Wind and Hydro Power Generation Projects Development, the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority and the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Sri Lanka.
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