Calling innovators and Changemakers for a sustainability open innovation challenge — Loop

As a team fuelled by innovation to drive sustainability through improved circularity, reusability and recyclability, we have great news!

ESGRobo, a corporate sustainability firm, and IBC Media, an innovation management firm, have collaborated for a sustainability open innovation challenge that calls on startups and innovators to propose implementable and scalable solutions to pre-set problem statements within the sustainability agenda.

Closing the Loop

Businesses all over the world are transitioning from a linear take-make-dispose model to a circular model. As a multi-disciplinary group of sustainability and innovation practitioners, we firmly believe in sustainability being a bottom line force multiplier.

Loop will focus on a series of problem statements around one sustainability theme at a time, clearly articulated by industry experts, corporate leaders and companies. Each of these specific problem statements demands implementable solutions that solve them at scale.

The program will run for 6 seasons, with each season lasting 3 months.

Season 1 will be around Solid Waste Management. The following seasons will focus on topics such as Wastewater and Effluents, Emissions and Energy Efficiency, Water Management, Safety and Health and Biodiversity and Ecological Sustainability.

We have a multi-disciplinary board of advisors on our panel comprising leaders from various walks of life with extensive experience in stirring the corporate ruffle and spearheading the sustainability drive across organisations. The applying startups will be mentored and guided by Dr Shirish Sangle — Professor, NITIE, Dr Vaman Acharya — Founder, Sunrays Composts, Mr Dinesh Tiwari — Managing Director, Broad Peak Capital Advisors LLP, Mr Shrinath V — Product Strategy & Management Consultant, Sandeep Raghiwanshi — CEO, ESGRobo and Dr Ram Babu — CEO, RSM GC, .

What to expect?

The first season will focus on the theme Solid waste Management and will dive deep in several problem statements that were identified by the panellist after much discussion and calibration. Each problem statement has a potential to be solved individually by established players or in collaboration with innovative startups and research groups. This program is open to innovators from all parts of the ecosystem, to propose implementable solutions.

The various problem statements that will aim to challenge the innovators include -

• Sharps and other bio-medical waste in households and assisted living centers (Healthcare)
• Menstrual and other disposable sanitary waste in households (FMCG/ Pharma)
• Cigarette butts waste (Tobacco)
• Used tyres waste (Automotive and ancillary)
• Packaging waste in online sales (E-Commerce)
• Container packaging waste in food home delivery (E-Commerce)
• Grain waste in warehouses and silos (Food & Beverage)
• Bulk organic waste segregation and processing

Proposals are expected to be of complete solution implementability including use, disposal, collection, handling and processing. Winning solutions will have a chance to pilot with sponsoring companies, government bodies and regulators, who will participate in Loop.

More from the organisers of the program

Sandeep Raghuwanshi, CEO and Founder, ESGRobo is convinced that all sustainability challenges are solvable and answers are to be found through open innovation . “The Loop innovation program will provide a platform for all the innovators who want to take up the challenge to solve some of the biggest problems we face today as a society. Sustainable solutions, when implemented right, make the best business case and with Loop, we are providing a platform for corporates to open their doors and invite best ideas from all across to help them accelerate their journey towards circularity. We are excited to partner with IBC Media and work with some of the best minds in corporate India during this journey and ushering an alternative way of approaching innovation in sustainability.” said Sandeep.

Raghu Mohan, CEO of IBC Media also added, “As an organisation that empowers innovation, Loop is an exciting collaboration for us at IBC Media and we are stoked to join hands with Sandeep and ESG Robo to lead the way for sustainability to be fully baked in every corporate innovation program with the Loop Innovation Program. This is definitely the need of the hour and providing an incubation ground will help identify the best talents and solution from India.”

Here’s how you can participate

This program is open to innovators from all parts of the ecosystem, to propose implementable solutions.

Learn more about loop here — https://www.loopinitiative.com/

If you have any questions, you can tweet to us @EsgRobo or visit us at www.esgrobot.com