Liquor Converter, BBQ Logs Win 20K Prizes at UK Innovation Showcase
Summary
The sell-out Cleantech Innovate 2014 event, held at the headquarters of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in London on 12 February, featured a key-note speech by Greg Barker, Minister of State for the UK’s Department of Energy & Climate Change.“We are thrilled to have won – the financial and mentoring support will assist us with developing our prototype system.” Fivelman received his prize from last year’s winner, satellite and ground data start-up Rezatec, which “have had a great year, signing a number of major customer contracts and recently graduating to the final stage of our programme,” said Climate-KIC UK director Richard Templer.“We are looking forward to working with Climate-KIC and its partners to further expand our business and deliver what is a game changing product to the world – to help us make a difference one fire at a time,” said David Scott, Straw Fuels CEO.The organisation is also represented in the European regions of Valencia, Spain; Central Hungary; Emilia Romagna, Italy; Lower Silesia, Poland; Hessen, Germany and the West Midlands in the UK.The company will get access to Climate-KIC experts to refine, test and develop their product portfolio.“We are looking forward to working with Climate-KIC and its partners to further expand our business and deliver what is a game changing product to the world – to help us make a difference one fire at a time,” said David Scott, Straw Fuels CEO.After identifying the right partner within Climate-KIC’s community, Straw Fuels will be able to redeem a €20.000 Climate-KIC SME Voucher to exchange knowledge in small business development projects.Straw Fuel markets its product as a clean, easy and convenient alternative to burning wood, which is suitable for all types of burning including open fires, wood burners, chimineas, fire pits, stoves and BBQs.Start-up supportClimate-KIC operates through centres across Europe to support start-up companies, to bring together partners on innovation projects and to educate students to develop products and services that help mitigate and adapt to climate change.The initiative consists of over 200 large companies, small and medium sized enterprises, academic institutions and the public sector, including world leaders such as Bayer, Imperial College London, KLM, the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, ETH Zurich and GDF Suez.Climate-KIC is one of the first three Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) created in 2010 by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), the EU body tasked with creating sustainable European growth while dealing with the global challenges of our time.Pan-European footprintClimate-KIC has centres in France, Germany, The Netherlands, Switzerland, the UK and a Nordic centre in Denmark.The organisation is also represented in the European regions of Valencia, Spain; Central Hungary; Emilia Romagna, Italy; Lower Silesia, Poland; Hessen, Germany and the West Midlands in the UK.Though its regional outreach programme, Climate-KIC works with partners in Slovenia, Cork/Dublin, Ireland; Helsinki/Uusimaa, Finland; North Portugal (and Lisbon); South Moravia, Czech Republic and Timis, Romania.