Sustainability Challenge.
Testbed for Innovation
6 Months | Berlin
To promote sustainability and enhance employee wellbeing, EDGE and Vattenfall partnered with us to run an international Sustainability Challenge for startups—transforming their headquarters into a pioneering testbed for circularity and carbon capture technologies.
We worked with experts to assess the most promising startup solutions and coached the teams through the implementation phase.
Context
Vattenfall, one of Europe’s largest utilities, partnered with sustainable real estate developer EDGE to create the most sustainable building in Germany. Our mandate was to complement the building's smart and sustainable features with state-of-the-art technology from startups across the globe.
Our Role
We designed and promoted a challenge that would attract the very best sustainability startups, leveraging our urban tech networks and our client’s social media channels. Our role extended to organizing a live pitch event, mentoring the finalists, and ensuring the solutions' smooth implementation.
Results
The winning ideas include an innovative way of utilizing coffee waste (Ecobean) and an HVAC carbon capture system inspired by International Space Station technologies (Sally R). These solutions are currently being integrated into the building and are lighthouse projects for the startups that implemented them.
1 building
The most sustainable building in Germany
65 applicants
Over 500 live views on Pitch Day
2 winners
Ecobean and Sally R
About the building
EDGE Suedkreuz
EDGE Suedkreuz Berlin is a two-building office ensemble, one of the largest modular wood-hybrid constructions in Germany, designed as an open ecosystem using nature-based architectural elements. As the new headquarters of energy provider Vattenfall, the building sets a new standard of its own.
Watch the Pitch Day Event
Urban Impact was proud to present and host the Sustainability Challenge Pitch day at the construction site of Edge Suedkreuz.