At the Forum “Ecoinnovations and green entrepreneurship: made in Ukraine”, the winners of the fourth wave of the Climate Innovation Vouchers program were awarded. This is the largest grant program for climate and low-carbon technology companies provided in Ukraine. It is launched as a part of the EBRD program “Finance and Technology Transfer Centre for Climate Change” (FINTECC), funded by the European Union. In Ukraine, the program is implemented by the NGO Greencubator. The winners are: AGK Ukraine, Istrim, V.A.Solution, BIOsens, Charge Group, Meest Express. What kind of technologies are to form Ukrainian green exports with the European partners’ support — find out in this article.
International support for Ukrainian cleantech
Six Ukrainian companies, which got granting for green technologies, represent a wide variety of industries, from pharmaceutics and diagnostics of agricultural crops, to postal logistics and indoor ventilation systems. Electric mobility products couldn’t stay behind — these innovations take part in every wave of the Climate Innovation Vouchers program and that’s a good sign. The rising number of companies, creating EV-charging stations and other products indicates Ukrainian movement towards cleaner personal transport.
However, winners of this program receive more than just financial support. As the Ukrainian entrepreneurs point out, cooperation with the international institution proves their trustworthiness for Ukrainian and foreign investors. In addition, participating in EBRD programs helps to promote Ukrainian cleantech on the global market. As Ukraine became the first country among those where EBRD operates, in which the Climate Innovation Vouchers program was launched, European partners have been monitoring its implementation thoroughly. And the fact that Sergiy Maslichenko, Associate Director, EBRD Ukraine, have announced the fifth wave of the program is the best evidence of effective cooperation between Ukrainian companies and European partners.
Winners of the fourth wave
According to the Principal Economist, Martin Pospisil, EBRD (London), Ukrainian green exports is estimated at $350 million and growing, at the same time green imports is already $700 million. The expert noted that Ukraine does not use the full potential for increasing green exports, although the country has many more opportunities. So who are these Ukrainian companies which have received international experts’ support for the development of their climate technologies in Ukraine as well as around the world?
IV wave winners
AGK Ukraine and its spray-pack for medicines, to store it safely without a refrigerator
AGK Ukraine has developed a new packaging for medicines that allows to store it safely without a refrigerator during transportation, at a drugstore or at a customer’s home. The package is intended for those medications, the substances in which can be stored for a long time in a dry undiluted condition, but have a short term of use after mixing with the liquid. In this format, the dry active substance is separated from the liquid and the patient can independently mix the drug right before injection. To deliver and store drugs in this new packaging no fridges required. The reduce of refrigerators’ use also reduces the carbon footprint of the pharmaceutical industry.
The Climate Innovation Voucher will allow developers to get a proper technological consulting, provide testing of the prototype model, which meets the requirements and good manufacture practice (GMP).
Prototype of AGK Ukraine product
Istrim and its micro controllers with a sensor for air control
The company Istrim received a Climate Innovation Voucher to develop its URBAN smart window micro controller that defines basic air parameters. The product is mobile compatible, has a warning system on critical air pollution features, is able to collect data and inform state and public authorities through open data systems. URBAN device will allow you to control the indoor air quality and receive statistics on its status. In addition, this device can be integrated into the network and collect data for further analysis. Developers also plan that in a long term URBAN micro controllers will allow to implement administrative actions to reduce air pollution in a certain region.
With a Climate Innovation Voucher company will complete MVP and move forward to a production stage.
Scheme of the URBAN gadget built in
V.A.Solution and its real estate energy efficiency monitoring for companies with an extensive branch network
V.A.Solution develops software for the automation of real estate management, and now the company is working on an energy efficiency management module for already existing products. There are only highly-specialized products on the market nowadays, so companies either use several products which is inconvenient or do not implement energy efficiency management of real estate objects at all, precisely because of its hard integration into existing business processes. The V.A.Solution product allows complex automation of energy efficiency management: to collect the information on energy consumption, to form equipment register, to analyze and control levels of energy consumption according to the basic indicators, as well as to form and make payments automatically, choose investment priorities, etc. According to preliminary estimates, this product will save 10-15% on the consumption of energy in large commercial and industrial facilities — shopping malls, business centers, logistics centers, retail chains, warehouses, etc.
In order to develop a better software, the company intents to involve an energy efficiency expert — for this purpose it will use a Climate Innovation Voucher.
BIOsens and its portable lab for detecting mycotoxins in crops and feeds
BIOsens has developed a prototype device for rapid diagnosis of food toxins using Biosens Myco biosensors. This gadget provides a quick and cheap test for mycoses and detects contamination in maize, wheat, peanut, feed, and other crops. The analysis is carried out with one device only. The results are stored in a cloud storage and that data cannot be changed afterwards. Early detection of contamination in agricultural crops will save resources for extraction, detoxification and reprocessing, in such a way reducing the emissions of CO2 and other environmental pollutants. Analysis of feeds will help to reduce the cost of processing low-quality silage, which also affects the methane emissions concentration from the cattle’s living.
A Climate Innovation Voucher will help to implement pilot testing and develop an MVP. Certification and getting a patent is also around the corner. In addition, this device can be used to diagnose pesticides, antibiotics and pathogenic microorganisms in agricultural crops.
Charge Group and its integrated EV charging station controller with billing system and Wi-Fi spot
The Charge Group has received Climate Innovation Voucher for the electric mobility growth. The company has developed OCPP-compliant cloud service and billing for charging stations with VISA / MasterCard payment systems support.
The first charge station with OCPP protocol support, certified according to European standards, was made out of metal. But now, thanks to the Climate Innovation Voucher, metal to be replaced with plastic. Among the advantages of a plastic case: 67 times less weight, which is important for logistics and installation; 24 times lower cost of production, as well as its higher productivity, which will reduce the human component and improve quality control. All this provides a huge competitive advantage, saving resources, as well as a significant reduce of CO2 emissions during the production of charging stations.
Charging station is working
Meest Express and its software for optimizing highway routes and loading trucks with postal cargo
Meest Express introduced a software for highway routes that refines loading of postal cargo into trucks. The system works in real time mode and helps the human operator to make the best decision on how to build the loading schedule for vehicles. Also it is responsible for the further control of trucks’ actual location. Implementation of the system reduces significantly the number of involved trucks. A smaller number of transport units, used to deliver the same amount of cargo, means a significant reduce of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere.
With the help of Climate Innovation Vouchers program, company optimizes software to provide more automation in order to avoid mistakes and miscalculations. As a result, the quality of information for decision making will rise.
Better logistics reduces carbon footprint
About Climate Innovation Vouchers Program
The variety of the fourth wave winners confirms: cleantech innovations are possible in any industry. Businesses that implement environmental solutions thus gain tangible economic benefits and support from the international market. The Program Climate Innovation Vouchers is implemented by the NGO Greencubator, launched as a part of the EBRD program “Finance and Technology Transfer Centre for Climate Change” (FINTECC), funded by the European Union. Its total fund is 1 million euro. Follow the news to find out when the fifth wave is coming!
