Innovation in the name of sustainability never ceases to amaze and this year’s SEED Awards winners are no exception – having produced everything from a solar device that turns waste heat into electricity to a bicycle made from bamboo.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has recognised these innovative entrepreneurs from across the globe who aim to meet sustainable development challenges with their inventions.
Among the 30 winning entries for the SEE Awards, which recognise social environmental entrepreneurs and help them scale-up their activities were a solar powered heat to electricity device, from rural China, a business that creates stationary from agricultural waste from Uganda, as well as a bamboo bicycle from Ghana, and biomass briquettes from Burkina Faso.
Tackling poverty
The SEED Initiative, which is hosted by UNEP, aims to boost local economies and tackle poverty, while promoting the sustainable use of resources and ecosystems.
Winners will receive a package of individually tailored support for their business.
The SEED initiative was largely focused on Africa this year and was part of a larger project linked with UNEP’s Green Economy Initiative which was largely funded by the European Union.
