We are looking for an organization that would like to crowdsource solutions to cut GHG emissions – Help us find one and get $500.

Climate Pioneers No 12 explores a new way to innovate for climate.

Dear Climate Pioneers

In this number we kindly ask for your advice in order to launch an open innovation competition.

1. Concept: What do you think about a competition to solve sustainability challenges?

2. Introduction: Can you help us find a first partner organization? Get a $500 reward.

Thanks for your support & Enjoy the summer!

Sam

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1. Can we source solutions and knowledge from anywhere to solve decarbonization challenges everywhere? An open innovation competition for corporate climate action.

I have been fascinated by open innovation for a long time. Most recently I came across 1729.com, a newsletter that pays readers for completing tasks. What if we apply the same concept to source solutions for reducing GHG emissions? Can we match the toughest questions to the brightest answers? 

To begin, we need one challenge sponsor. An organization that specifies a task to be solved. Let’s walk through an example. The scandinavian furniture retailer IKEA has committed to “becoming climate positive by 2030 by reducing more greenhouse gas emissions than the value chain emits, while still growing the business”. To reach their climate target, the company has already identified a number of challenges. For example, the company has found that “Fossil-based glue represents 6% of the total IKEA climate footprint”. Now, what if IKEA launched an open innovation competition to find solutions? Kind of like Elon’s $100M Xprize for carbon removal, but to answer a different question: “Can you help us make a carbon neutral glue? Solve the challenge and win prizes worth $100’000” – Wouldn’t that be cool?

The benefits for participants and organizations to engage in a competition are manifold:

• Organizations can make problems visible and tap the knowledge from sustainability enthusiasts and experts all over the world. A simple way for organizations to make actual progress on their road to net-zero emissions.

• Participants get to solve real-world problems and connect and collaborate with other participants. Their solutions can accelerate the decarbonization of the economy and win juicy rewards.

We want to start such a competition with one organization. The organization can be much different or smaller than the furniture giant, ideally a company with physical products or production. But basically any organization that would like to cut GHG emissions within their supply or value chain: A factory that wants to redefine an inefficient process, a multinational that aims to reduce CO2-emissions from transportation, a brand that looks for ways to lower a product's carbon footprint, a manufacturer that needs to replace a material or a city that wants to optimize waste management.

There are two things you can do to help us make it happen:

1. Would you like to contribute your knowledge to transition to a clean economy? What is something you would enjoy participating in over the long term? What’s your advice for the concept, how would you approach it? Any thoughts and ideas you want to bring in? Anything you would add or remove?

2. Help us find a partner to launch an open innovation competition and get $500 for a successful introduction. Find more details below.

2. Do you know someone who knows someone? Make a successful connection and get $500.

Connect us to someone working at a company that is open to explore the opportunity to open source solutions to cut GHG emissions. All you need to do is send a short intro email with the subject “Introduction to Climate Pioneers Open Innovation”, put hi@projectoasis.ch in cc and a link to this post to the person in question. If your introduction turns into a collaboration you get $500 in the currency you want. Here is an example:

From: me
To: tim.cook@apple.com
Cc: hi@projectoasis.ch

Subject: Introduction to Open Innovation Competition from Climate Pioneers

Hey Tim

Hope you are doing fine. I came across an interesting opportunity in the last Climate Pioneers issue (link). It’s about crowdsourcing viable solutions to cut a company's GHG emissions. 

I believe this could be a low risk opportunity for you to get great returns. Sam from Climate Pioneers would be more than happy to talk to you and provide further details.

Let me know how it went,

Satya

The recent catastrophic floods in Europe underlined that we need collective efforts in the fight against a changing climate. Some victims of the floods in Germany literally said it is “worse than a bombardment" and "a state of emergency like World War II”.

I’m thinking a lot about how this publication can be useful in this context. What if we become a place to exchange challenges and knowledge to initiate and implement the development of low-emission products and processes? At this moment I’m exploring the opportunity with decision makers and would be very happy to get your support in this endeavour. Thanks for your help!

Legal disclaimer: The reward is given to the person/group at the origin of the first competition realized through this publication. It is possible that multiple prizes are awarded, depending on the success of introductions (launches of competitions). At the moment we will reward up to five introductions that result in collaborations with the identical reward. We keep the right to end or continue the call at all times. The decisions are final, there is no recourse to legal action permitted.