Impact
Changes, improvements or additions to business processes, services, product or R&D that reduces the negative impact on the environment, further sustainable business practices or creates long-term stakeholder value by focusing on the environmental dimensions of doing business.
FINALISTS IN LARGE & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES
Locally produced energy from renewable sources only for households and businesses
In 2020 Enefit Lietuva started the private customer segment journey by educating the market and onboarding the customers towards local, Lithuania produced energy from renewable sources only. Enefit is the only player in the Lithuanian market offering local green energy at an average market price, without any price add-on for the end-user.
WINNER
Connected mobility solutions for people, cities, and companies
By providing cities and companies with the world's-leading MaaS (Mobility-as-a-Service) technology, Trafi encourages the global shift to shared mobility systems. Some of the most complex cities in the world such as Berlin, Munich, Zürich, Bogota, or Jakarta are powered by their MaaS technology already.
Electric city buses DANCER & DANCER Mobility - a service package for transport operators
Vėjo projektai develops, designs, and manufactures original constructions, the lightest by weight, electric city buses DANCER and presents a unique service package, Dancer Mobility, offering transport operators new electric vehicles, their maintenance, and constant readiness for work required for charging.
FINALISTS IN SMALL ENTERPRISES
Sustainable products and materials made by 100% recycled hardwood skateboards
Commune DIY collects old, broken Canadian Maple hardwood skateboards that have lost their original purpose. Reclaimed wood is used to create sustainable products and new materials. These products are sold in markets that are not related to skateboarding.
Herbal teas in biodegradable, plant-based tea bags & black tea made of wild fireweed herb
PLŪKT is the first company that serves Northern European herbal teas in biodegradable, plant-based tea bags made of corn starch that is plastic-free, GMO-free, and compostable within 30-60 days. The company also produces black tea that is caffeine-free, made of locally-sourced wild fireweed herb.
WINNER
Solution that monitors the rice fields in Vietnam using satellite data to reduce methane emissions
Novel rice-growing technique, "alternate wetting-drying" (AWD), helps farmers reduce methane emissions by 50% and water use by 30%. This technique requires constant monitoring - the rice fields in Vietnam are monitored 100% remotely using Sentinel satellite data.
FINALISTS IN NGOs & PUBLIC SECTOR
Sustainable urban drainage systems that manage stormwater runoff
Viimsi municipality has created sustainable urban drainage systems that imitate rainwater's natural circulation and promote a nature-like environment. These systems ensure an ability to manage stormwater even in future climate scenarios.
WINNER
An open platform that encourages sustainable energy idea implementation in Vilnius
The city of Vilnius, partnering with Vilniaus Heating Company, has initiated an open platform – the Intelligent Energy Lab (IEL). Its mission is to implement sustainable energy ideas involving companies, universities, and associate structures that care about efficient energy use, sustainability, and the city's modern energy sector.
Innovation
The most promising cutting-edge innovation in sustainability or GreenTech area developed by an enterprise or startup. Innovation by an enterprise or a sustainability startup itself that has a positive environmental impact at its core that aims to use technology and science to create solutions to global sustainability problems, from plastic waste to renewable energy.
FINALISTS IN ENTERPRISES
WINNER
The world’s first hybrid biomethane and electric tractor for professional farm use
To achieve a sustainable food value chain and emissions neutral production of everyday food, AUGA group has developed the world's first hybrid biomethane and electric tractor for professional farm use – AUGA M1. By replacing a conventional tractor with AUGA M1, up to 100 t of CO2 emissions per year can be saved.
Industrial upcycling: manufacturing clothing from production leftover fabrics
To minimize the ecological footprint of the fashion industry, AUS DESIGN uses industrial upcycling: clothing is produced from pre-production leftover fabrics using scientific core methodology UPMADE®. Since no extra material is used, produced clothes are carbon neutral.
Renewable energy generated by heat pumps using heat from waste
The heat pump power plant ensures the reuse of heat, partially covers the Rokiškio sūris energy demand, and fully covers the heating needs of the buildings, so the heat supply from the external suppliers is not needed. Thermal energy is produced using heat from production wastewater.
FINALISTS IN STARTUPS
Technology to produce nanofiber scaffolds for cultured meat
Gelatex has invented the fastest, safest, and cheapest technology for producing bio-based nanofibers - it is 100x faster and over 90% cheaper. Novel technology and plant-based natural polymers create nanofiber scaffolds that support cell growth and differentiation, providing structure for cultured meat.
Innovative technology (HTLooP) for non-recyclable waste recycling
TERRAWASTE technology is based on hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) (pressure cooker in simple terms), which allows the transformation of organic and inorganic waste into bio-liquid under the influence of high pressure and temperature. Mixed waste is recycled and turned into bio-crude oil.
Changemaker
Aspiring individuals making a lasting effort for sustainability, bringing attention to the needed change, acting as an example to follow or educating and inspiring others to act.
FINALISTS IN ESTONIA
Diana Paakspuu, CEO at Re-use Center
Diana's mission is to contribute to the Estonian re-use sector and thus also to a cleaner environment by leading Re-use Center, the biggest social enterprise in Estonia. Re-use Center sends used items into circulation and makes re-use easily accessible for all people living in Estonia.
WINNER
Gary Urb, Co-Founder and CEO at UP Catalyst
Gary has founded a startup called UP Catalyst, which provides a sustainable alternative to the environmentally harmful production of raw materials. His company produces sustainable carbon nanomaterials out of CO2 and waste biomass, contributing to the transition towards carbon neutrality by 2050.
Kadri Piho, Co-founder at Beamline Accelerator
Kadri has vast experience in working with cleantech startups. Beamline Accelerator, ClimateLaunchpad, and Ida-Viru county green strategy plan is only a small part of her contribution to the sustainable development of the region. She has experience in the cleantech business and now is supporting others.
FINALISTS IN LATVIA
WINNER
Dagnija Blumberga, Climate neutrality ambassador, professor at Riga Technical University
Dagnija is a climate neutrality ambassador with a mission to show society that individuals can unite to do everything possible to eliminate the causes of climate change. She is an engineering representative, so her illustration of climate neutrality is based on data, data processing results analysis, and specific solutions that help reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Kristīne Nagle, Sustainability advisor, creator of Your Impact House
Kristine spends her days in Your Impact House, helping startups and scaleups understand, define, and communicate sustainability. She works as an extension of several teams all at once, helping them do the research necessary to understand the business opportunity sustainability offers for them.
Mairita Lūse, Environmental activist, councillor at Riga City Council
Mairita is one of the founders of Zero Waste Latvia and was a board member till 2020, when she took a break to concentrate on the councilor duties. She aims to highlight alternative ways for waste management, stop building a waste incinerator, and put Riga on a map as a zero-waste city.
FINALISTS IN LITHUANIA
Julija Maslinskaitė, project coordinator at Sunrise Valley Science and Technology
Julija works on projects dedicated to entrepreneurship promotion focusing on the positive impact. She has been a coordinator of the Futurepreneurs program, national lead of ClimateLaunchpad, and has worked with more than 100 teams developing environment-friendly solutions.
WINNER
Karolina Gurjazkaitė, environmental expert at Lithuanian Environmental Coalition
Karolina has been advocating for dam removals as a viable approach to manage the rivers since 2018. She has fueled discussions and brought experts together to find common ground regarding river restoration. In 2020, she removed the first barrier in Lithuania.
Nikolaj Martyniuk,
Co-Founder and CEO at WePower Network
Nikolaj believes we need innovations that yield immediate results. Has and WePower mission is to fight climate change through increasing the amount of renewable energy feeding into the grid, making green energy accessible and affordable for everyone, thus lessening reliance on fossil fuels.
