Climate Action

Climate Action that supports social and environmental entrepreneurship delivers market-based solutions which are inclusive of the people most impacted by climate change. Small and growing enterprises – with environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive business models – adopt low carbon technologies and offer products and services that empower communities to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change.

Syndicate for Renewable Energy Infrastructure Financing | Climate Finance, Uganda 2018

Published: 09 July 2019Authors: Alina Weiss, Maggie Sloan
The syndicate for renewable energy infrastructure financing solution contracts a community of interested debt and equity lenders to finance household RE projects. It enables and leverages syndication effects to increase the number of new financial partnerships, raise debt in the RE sector and multiply returns on investments. Investors are legally bound in the syndicate, which finances RE infrastructure projects based on comprehensive project analysis, due diligence and evaluation. High ROI potential projects receive financing through insurance, blended financing or otherwise, depending on the financing service offerings of member financiers. The syndicate supports RE infrastructure projects to plan project implementation and schedules payments accordingly. Read more
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Irrigation System Microleasing for High-Value Crops | Climate Finance, Uganda 2018

Published: 08 July 2019Authors: Alina Weiss, Maggie Sloan
The irrigation system microleasing for high-value crops solution mitigates investment risks for both farmers and financial institutions. The irrigation system financing model directs financing for climate-smart irrigation technologies through technology providers to agribusinesses that produce (or have the potential to produce) commercial crops that generate higher profits at market. The financing mechanism for irrigation systems engages the private sector to maximise returns on investment in productive farm assets (specifically irrigation) in the agriculture sector. Read more
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EcoAct Tanzania wins at 2019 Le Monde Cities Urban Innovation Awards

Authors: Par Marion Douet Source: Le Monde
2018 SEED Low Carbon Awards winner EcoAct Tanzania wins "Habitat" award at the 2019 Le Monde Cities Urban Innovation Awards. The Awards was presented on June 28 in Paris, France. EcoAct recycles and transforms plastic waste into sustainable building materials as an alternative to wood with the aim to preserve forests and mitigate negative climate change effects. [Article in French] Read more
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Daily Dump featured at VAM's Food: Bigger Than The Plate exhibition

Authors: Victoria and Albert Museum Source: Victoria and Albert Museum
SEED Low Carbon Award Winner 2018 Daily Dump (India) features their home-compost products at the Victoria & Albert Museum (London) exhibition on innovative individuals, communities and organisations who are radically re-inventing how we grow, distribute and experience food. The Exhibition is on now until Sunday, 20 October 2019. Read more
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Services SETA ECDi shares outcomes of BDS Standard presentation

Authors: Source: Services SETA ECDi
Dr Tsiliso Tamasane – Services SETA and Mr Div de Villiers – SEED SA, presented the draft Discussion Paper on “Improving the Quality of Business Advisory Services (BAS) in South Africa” at the Annual SEED South Africa Symposium on 03 April 2019. The Discussion Paper was jointly issued by the Department of Small Business Development (DSBD), SEDA, SEED and the Services SETA ECDi. Read more
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Cool clean tech to tackle climate change

Authors: Source: Green Times
As showcased during the SEED South Africa Symposium 2019, South African entrepreneurs are taking climate change seriously: Water filters made from macadamia nut shells, a mobile solar-powered kiosk for charging phones in off-grid areas, vegetable growing systems using recycled plastic bags, and a machine that turns any type of waste into energy (gas) or diesel. Read more
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SANEDI & SolarTurtle develop next generation of green enterprises for grassroots communities

Authors: SolarTurtle Source: SA Innovation Summit
The South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI) has partnered with the Department of Science and Technologies (DST), and SolarTurtle to development the next generation SolarTurtle solar energy kiosks – The BabyTurtle. Read more
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Policy pathways for eco-inclusive enterprise support in South Africa | Policy Landscape Paper

Published: 01 April 2019Authors: Camilla Shearman, Christine Meyer, Maggie Sloan
The transition to a green, inclusive, and climate-smart South Africa requires collaborative efforts from the public sector, civil society, and private sector. As small and growing enterprises are an essential driver of growth, particularly in emerging economies, cross-sector partnerships to co-create an enabling environment for enterprises with inclusive and climate-smart business models are critical.

This policy landscape paper provides a snapshot of the ecosystem in which eco-inclusive, climate-smart small and growing enterprises operate. By identifying areas where further support is needed, this paper is connected to the SEED Policy Prototyping Programme, in which stakeholders across sectors collaborate to co-create policy instruments designed to build a more enabling ecosystem for eco-inclusive entrepreneurs. Read more
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Policy pathways for eco-inclusive enterprise support in Malawi | Policy Landscape Paper

Published: 01 April 2019Authors: Benita Rose, Christine Meyer
The transition to a green, inclusive, and climate-smart Malawi requires collaborative efforts from the public sector, civil society, and the private sector. Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) are important drivers of growth in Malawi, particularly in emerging economies, andmaking cross-sector partnerships are critical to co-creatinge an enabling environment for enterprises with inclusive and climate-smart business models.

This input paper provides a snapshot of the ecosystem in which eco-inclusive small and growing enterprises operate. By identifying areas where further support is needed, this paper serves as an input to the SEED Policy Prototyping Programme, in which stakeholders across sectors collaborate to co-create policy instruments designed to build a more enabling ecosystem for eco-inclusive entrepreneurs. Read more
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BioAfriq Energy Limited, SEED Starter Alumnus, wins TOTAL KENYA STARTUPPER OF THE YEAR AWARD

Authors: Source: Startupper of the Year
BioAfriq Energy Limited (SEED Starter participant) has been awarded the TOTAL KENYA STARTUPPER OF THE YEAR AWARD. The enterprise provides affordable dehydration services to small and medium farmers, cooperatives and agricultural processing plants most of which do not have adequate funds to purchase food dehydrators and so incur huge post-harvest losses. Read more
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Kick-Off Lab | SEED Practitioner Labs Policy Prototyping

Published: 19 February 2019
The SEED Practitioner Labs Policy Prototyping programme in Malawi will include three hands-on and highly collaborative Practitioner Labs, beginning with the Kick-Off Lab on 09-10 April 2019 in Lilongwe. Read more
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SEED-supported enterprises applauded as green economy innovators at PAGE

Published: 15 January 2019
The 2019 PAGE Ministerial Conference drew attention to "Advancing Inclusive and Sustainable Economies" on 10 and 11 January 2019. By participating in the conference in Cape Town, South Africa, SEED highlighted the importance of supporting small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to realising and strengthening inclusive and green economies. Read more
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Eco-inclusive enterprises get a stake in green economy agendas during GEC discussions

Published: 14 January 2019
SEED backed smaller eco-inclusive enterprises to #GetAStake in the Green Economy transition during action-oriented discussions at the Green Economy Coalition Global Meeting 2019. Read more
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Climate-smart innovation and how to adopt a polar bear

Published: 21 December 2018Authors: Kathrin Kirsch
Florian Rehm, participant from our Practitioner Lab Climate Finance in Thailand, developed the cutting-edge prototype for Last of Ours that merges digital innovation based on the blockchain, social entertainment and real-world impact for our planet’s endangered species and natural zones. Read more
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Wildchain: A Non-profit Conservation Innovation Lab | Climate Finance, Thailand 2018

Published: 20 December 2018Authors: Kathrin Kirsch, Marlena Kiefl
Wildchain brings people together to protect our planet’s endangered species and ecosystem by creating shared value between social entertainment and real-world impact. Wildchain lets people digitally adopt and raise some of earth’s rarest species within a digital sanctuary they can call home. Users are passively contributing to conservation and reforestation projects solely by participating in this entertainment ecosystem. Users may also actively allocate where their donations go on a fully transparent kickstarter-like platform which will represent the impact they have created. Read more
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GROVE: Blockchain-based conservation plaform for regenerative mangrove forestry | Climate Finance, Thailand 2018

Published: 20 December 2018Authors: Kathrin Kirsch
GROVE – the Global Reforestation Objective Virement Ecosystem – is set up by the Global Mangrove Trust (GMT). GROVE is a digital platform that runs as a decentralised foundation utilising smart contracts and satellite verification to crowdfund forest growth. Read more
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Smart-Irrigation-as-a-Service Financing Vehicle | Climate Finance, Thailand 2018

Published: 20 December 2018Authors: Kathrin Kirsch
The Smart-Irrigation-as-a-Service Financing Vehicle directs deal flow for drip-irrigation systems to improve productivity and climate adaptation capacities to small and growing agri-enterprises. This financial instrument offers microfinancing solutions to lower investment risks in agricultural process improvements for both farmers and financial institutions. Read more
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Joining forces for eco-inclusive Climate Action at COP24

Published: 19 December 2018Authors: Maggie Sloan
As global leaders joined together in Katowice to determine the future of our planet, our SEED team was present at COP24 to demand that Climate Action takes the lead of SEED-supported small and growing enterprises. Read more
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SEED exhibits innovation in Climate Action at COP24

Published: 19 December 2018
This year at COP24 in Katowice, SEED showcased the success stories of SEED-supported enterprises across sectors and urged stakeholders from private, public and social sectors to acknowledge and bolster the transformative role of entrepreneurship in combatting climate change and furthering sustainable development. Read more
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Green Products for Health and Sanitation: Replicator Workbook

Published: 18 December 2018
This Green Products for Health and Sanitation: Replicator Workbook preview provides insights and tools to entrepreneurs seeking to start-up an enterprise that explores converting organic material into health and daily sanitation products. Our SEED Replicator Workbooks were developed to guide entrepreneurs through the process of transferring a proven successful business model to another geographic location using hands-on SEED tools and business model insights. Read more
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Irrigation Solutions For Smallholder Farmers: Replicator Workbook

Published: 18 December 2018
This Irrigation Solutions For Smallholder Farmers: Replicator Workbook preview provides insights and tools to entrepreneurs seeking to start-up an enterprise in the market for irrigation technologies. Our SEED Replicator Workbooks were developed to guide entrepreneurs through the process of transferring a proven successful business model to another geographic location using hands-on SEED tools and business model insights. Read more
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SEED Practitioner Labs Climate Finance | Uganda 2018

Published: 18 December 2018
The 2018 SEED Practitioner Labs Climate Finance series in India, Thailand and Uganda brought together around 200 leading practitioners to jointly prototype tangible solutions to major climate finance challenges. This report summarises the innovative climate finance products developed as part of the SEED Labs process in Uganda in primary partnership with Swisscontact, UNFCCC Regional Collaboration Centre – Kampala, and FSD Uganda with UK Aid. Read more
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SEED Practitioner Labs Climate Finance | Thailand 2018

Published: 18 December 2018
The 2018 SEED Practitioner Labs Climate Finance series in India, Thailand and Uganda brought together around 200 leading practitioners to jointly prototype tangible solutions to major climate finance challenges. This report summarises the innovative climate finance products developed as part of the SEED Labs process in Thailand in primary partnership with Global Mangrove Trust with KX, Last of Ours with KX, South Pole and RCC UNFCC/IGES with UNDP. Read more
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SEED Practitioner Labs Climate Finance | India 2018

Published: 18 December 2018
The 2018 SEED Practitioner Labs Climate Finance series in India, Thailand and Uganda brought together around 200 leading practitioners to jointly prototype tangible solutions to major climate finance challenges. This report summarises the innovative climate finance products developed as part of the SEED Labs process in India in primary partnership with TARA with Grameen Capital, New Ventures and GIZ with VNV Advisory. Read more
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Your Eco-Inclusive Gift Inspiration INSIDE!

Published: 11 December 2018Authors: Sonya Ong
In this gift-giving holiday season, whether you are simply looking for stocking fillers or after something meaningful for a special someone, why not multiply the impact of your giving with gifts from eco-inclusive enterprises? Read more
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