SEED announced the SEED Low Carbon Award Winners 2018 on 16 July during a SEED side event as part of the UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development at the UN Headquarters in NYC. The 2018 SEED Low Carbon Award Winners innovate solutions for climate change adaptation and mitigation.

The SEED Awards for Entrepreneurship in Sustainable Development is an annual awards scheme designed to find the most promising and innovative locally led start-up eco-inclusive enterprises in developing and emerging economies. This year we received an unprecedented number of high-quality Awards applications from enterprises across Colombia, India, Tanzania, Thailand, and Uganda. From around 250 enterprises that applied, the independent SEED International Jury of experts selected five exemplary eco-inclusive enterprises that actively contribute to climate change adaptation and/or mitigation.

The SEED Low Carbon Award Winners 2018 offer closed-loop, circular economy innovations which span from a mobile app that eases waste management and green consumption, decentralised organic fertilizer production, urban composting solutions, upcycled and durable construction materials, to eco-efficient cooking fuel and appliances. 

SEED invites supporters of eco-inclusive entrepreneurship to celebrate the success stories of this year's winners, and learn about how they are leading the transition to a green, low-carbon economy.

Amazóniko offers a collaborative recycling WebApp that incentivises users to recycle through a collection service and rewards scheme. The enterprise helps to formalise recyclables collection in association with workers groups and provides sustainable employment to the waste management sector. Read More

 

Corporación Acción Semilla collects organic waste from its foodservice industry and landscaping services clients and converts the waste into fertilizer for agricultural activities at local smallholder farms. The enterprise charges clients a fee for its services and earns profits from the sale of crops and plants. Read More

 

Daily Dump is a brand, a service and a set of products and stories of new habits that enable urban households, communities, and businesses to separate and compost their waste; and become more conscious and responsible for resource consumption and disposal in a decentralised manner. Read More

 

EcoAct uses environmentally friendly, energy-efficient plastic extrusion to upcycle plastic waste into durable, affordable plastic timber for construction. The enterprise mitigates climate change not only by reducing plastic pollution, but also by reducing wood dependence and deforestation. Read More

 

Khainza produces high-purity methane from organic waste obtained from farms and households and distributes it in affordable, recyclable cylinders along with cooking appliances. Khainza incorporates local women, farmers, and youth along its distribution channels, creating value for consumers as well as local communities. Read More

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Each SEED Award Winner will receive a customised SEED Support Package, which includes the tools and guidance required for an enterprise to emerge from the start-up stage and effectively scale-up. Winners receive capacity building workshops and advisory services; toolkits for business development planning; profiling and network building through SEED's vast national and international networks; and financing of USD 5,000 towards the winners' most pressing needs.

The SEED Low Carbon Awards 2018 in Colombia, India, Tanzania, Thailand, and Uganda are sponsored by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU).

Download the official Press Release here.