Ben May’s Post

It is my pleasure to announce the publication of my latest article, in Cities. The article shows how involving civil society in innovation processes helps transform cities for the better. The culture of innovation can be transformed. We can help align innovations with societal needs, as opposed to corporate interests and antihuman ideologies. Keywords: co-creation; Quadruple Helix; urban innovations https://lnkd.in/e2meWRrE

🌿 The Intersection of Innovation and Opportunity: How the Western Sarnia-Lambton Research Park is Driving Canada’s Sustainable Future 🌿 At the heart of Canada’s clean-tech revolution lies the Western Sarnia-Lambton Research Park—a pivotal force driving innovation and opportunity. As one of the country’s largest clean-tech incubators, this incredible hub is not just a space but a launchpad for groundbreaking ideas and sustainable solutions. The Research Park is more than just a facility—it’s a community catalyst that nurtures collaboration and innovation across sectors. By providing world-class infrastructure and support, it accelerates research, fosters entrepreneurship, and prepares the next generation of leaders to drive meaningful change. Learn more https://lnkd.in/d_UGkr58 #AppliedResearch #LCPRIDE #ForWhatComesNext #Innovation #SustainableFuture #CleanTech

Comp Door had a start-up team of 12 when it launched in August 2021. Today it has 70 staff and has become the market-leading manufacturer of composite doors. From a standing start, monthly revenue is growing exponentially for the Newcastle-under-Lyme-based business. Manufacturing has already expanded into a second location nearly, with nearly all staff being recruited from within Staffordshire. The company is committed to Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire and to giving back to the local community. This includes sponsoring Stone Dominoes under-12s football team and becoming a business champion and supporting partner to The Hubb Foundation,. Comp Door says its success is built on innovation, including smart technology locking systems for doors which allow people to check, lock or unlock doors from any location. Sustainability is another key thread. Staff are encouraged to car share or cycle to work, there are on-site recycling points for consumables and factory waste and as much production waste as possible is recycled. Electric cars are encouraged with multiple charging points available for staff. Auto shut-off LED lighting is installed throughout the majority of the site and timber is ethically and sustainably sourced from Indonesia via FLEGT endorsed companies ensuring ethical and lawful working conditions and where tree replanting schemes are in place. To reduce energy consumption Comp Door has purchased numerous new pieces of equipment, technologies and machinery replacing more power-hungry older versions where possible. Comp Door has entered the Business of the Year (sponsored by RBC Brewin Dolphin) Growth (sponsored by GivEnergy) and Innovation (sponsored by SG Fleet UK) categories of the Staffordshire University Business Awards. #SUBA2024 #proudtobestaffs

Did you know the UK is a trailblazer in sustainable technology and green innovations, spearheading a shift towards a cleaner and more efficient future? 🌿💡 With a focus on eco-friendly solutions and sustainable practices, the UK's tech sector is revolutionizing industries and driving environmental progress. 1. Sustainable Tech Talent Pool: Drawing talent from around the globe, the UK attracts top engineers, developers, and visionaries dedicated to creating innovative green technologies and fostering sustainable solutions. 🌍🔌 2. Green Tech Incentives: The UK government incentivizes sustainable tech businesses through grants, tax credits, and funding schemes to support eco-friendly innovations and environmental initiatives. 💰🌱 3. Eco-Tech Hub: Positioned as a global leader in sustainable technology, the UK serves as a pivotal hub for green tech entrepreneurship, clean energy advancement, and eco-conscious development. 🌍🌿 Whether you're keen on launching a sustainable tech startup, expanding your green tech business, or pioneering eco-friendly solutions in the tech sector, the UK offers fertile ground for realizing your sustainable tech aspirations. Let's explore how we can collaborate to harness these green technology opportunities together! 💚🚀 #SustainableTechUK #GreenInnovation #CleanTechRevolution #TechForGood

Last week, I had the opportunity to interact with the entire management team of Mariasteen, a Work Integration Social Enterprise (WISE) in Flanders that is preparing to take next steps towards a circular transition of its activities. This session was moderated by VLAIO - Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship, and it was inspiring to listen to other contributions made by Thomas Vandenhaute, Esther Noëth, and Designregio Kortrijk. Maybe the most pleasant surprise for a researcher is that they contacted me because of an article we recently published in the Journal of Cleaner Production (https://lnkd.in/ehmJcz5y). It feels encouraging to learn that these journals are not only read by academic scholars, but also by professionals engaging in R&D and sustainability within companies, governments, and civil society organizations. Moreover, Mariasteen appears to have interesting illustrations of collaborating with circular start-ups. Also there, it was interesting to see how insights and recommendations from earlier research (https://lnkd.in/eXW9Z-Si) could be validated and enriched by evolutions on the field. Thanks a lot for the invitation and the interaction, Lisa Messely, Philip Vanneste, and Koen Staelens! Nancy Bocken Jan Brusselaers Lize Borms VITO Circular X #circulareconomy #startups #WISEs #socialeconomy #maatwerk #justtransition

Becoming an Resilient, Innovative, Entrepreneur: A Path to Sustainable Development In a world increasingly aware of environmental and social challenges, the concept of social entrepreneurship has emerged as a powerful force for change. I introduce the Sustainability Lens, as a practical tool developed over 18 years to guide individuals and organizations toward sustainable development. This tool is versatile and applicable in classrooms, businesses, and communities worldwide, encouraging everyone to incorporate sustainability into their daily choices and operations. What is Sustainability? Sustainability involves maintaining a balance that avoids harm to others and grows resources . When combined with development, it becomes a long-term model that protects the environment, builds community, and secures the interests of both current and future generations. Sustainable development creates a closed-loop system where resources are continually transformed and reused. Nature as a Model for Sustainability Nature offers an excellent example of sustainable development through its complex, symbiotic relationships. Consider an apple tree: it produces energy through photosynthesis, supports pollinators like bees, and feeds other animals with its fruit. This interconnected system benefits all participants and maintains balance over time. Indigenous cultures have long understood and practiced this form of sustainable living, emphasizing decisions that benefit future generations. The Sustainability Lens draws on various historical models and practices: Permaculture: This method, developed in the 1970s, leverages natural systems to meet human needs while minimizing labor and environmental impact. Social Solidarity Economy: Since the 1980s, this approach has promoted collective efforts to meet needs through diverse economic methods, such as barter and cooperatives. Suma Qamana: An Andean concept rooted in pre-Inca wisdom, focusing on community collaboration and shared humanity. Circles of Sustainability: A method from the 1990s that quantifies sustainability in specific environments. These models collectively form the modern-day Sustainability Lens, a tool for fostering resilient, innovative, and fun enterprises and sustainable development. The Importance of Collective Action No enterprise can achieve sustainability in isolation. The interconnectedness of our world means that even the greenest organizations are affected by broader environmental issues. Therefore, widespread use of the Sustainability Lens can help align enterprises towards common sustainability goals, making the collective impact significant. As global challenges intensify, the need for unified, sustainable approaches becomes more urgent. By embracing the Sustainability Lens and fostering beneficial entrepreneurship, we can work towards a more just and sustainable world. This journey requires both individual efforts and collective action, ensuring a viable future for generations to come.

What can a business gain from participating in DUT projects? Check out our article below to hear from companies that have joined us and discover how collaboration within DUT projects can drive innovation. 👉 https://lnkd.in/d5hpYG5y Find out how you can get involved: https://lnkd.in/dumStqSS #DrivingUrbanTransitions #sustainability #innovation 

🔍 Circularity’s greatest strength is in its ability to drive innovation as it reshapes how we view processes, systems, and question existing methodologies. Proyectos Maf –a construction services company is driven by the need to generate new ideas and solutions to build structures that are both aesthetically valuable and environmentally conscious. 📚 If that isn’t inspiring enough, they are also on a mission to provide access to educational resources on effective waste management to their communities. Find out more in the full video of our CirculUP! Embedding Circularity series via https://lnkd.in/dAk2UJH2 #ImpactHubNetwork #EnvironmentAndHealthNGO #EuropeanUnion #CircularEconomy #Entrepreneurship #Sustainability #CircularDesign

Join us in the #ImpactCircle meeting: 23rd April at 12:00 PT time (13:00 in Amsterdam) Some may know, others may not: I'm in sort of transition from living in the Netherlands to living in Portugal. And looking outside my Amsterdam window and checking the Algarve webcams it is a big difference. In my plans for Portugal I'm working on some great plans together with Mark - on the subject of #sustainability and #circularity and #entrepreneurship. Cliffhanger: we show more information soon. Sustainability, circularity and entrepreneurship also come together in the Impact Circle meetings of the CCPH - Dutch Portuguese Chamber of Commerce that I am happy to host together with Alexander, supported by António and of course Marjon. The first session of the Impact Circle we deep dived into the concept of circularity in urban (and rural) development (with Karin / LACO Business Hub Tjeerd / Space&Matter). The second we indulged ourselves in doing business right from the start ànd into the legal ways to protect ourselves from our own greed in case of succes and money is threatening your circular and impact ambitions (with Ion / Hyphae - mycelium solutions and Gijsbert / We Are Stewards) . This third session we have three guests, representing two companies with a bigger scope: Bas Roelofs is joining us from the Netherlands. Bas is co-founder of Sustar, a Dutch strategic design firm helping companies to design and build distinguishing value propositions that integrate sustainability as one of 4 core deliverables (additional to the classical feasibility, viability and desirability). But, Bas is also international trainer for CIRCO, an international network organisation originated in the Netherlands with a Portuguese hub (in partnership with LNEG, APA, Fundo Ambiental & IAPMEI). 
CIRCO activates entrepreneurs and creative professionals to improve and/or generate business through circular design. In Portugal, Circo has supported over 100 companies since 2022.    Our second guest is Air France KLM - one of the active members of CCPH and a long time supporter of the Dutch Portuguese network. Being a frontrunner in sustainability in the commercial aviation sector, we would like to know how they’re facing its accomplishments, goals and challenges in this domain. Our guests are Verónica Braz and Nuno Ferro. With these speakers, we have an interesting line-up, especially on these topics, and I think some good reasons to join the meeting. The sessions are officially for member only but: let me know if you want to attend because I know people who people, so I'm sure you'll get in. https://lnkd.in/dfWATHsu

🌍💡𝐋𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐀𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟔𝐭𝐡 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐮𝐦! Seats are filling up quickly, and we have limited availability. Don’t miss out on being part of our event that promises to inspire and drive real change. 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐓𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐍𝐎𝐖: https://lnkd.in/exB8rh4b #GreenEconomy #Sustainability #Innovation #CircularEconomy #GreenEntrepreneurship #ClimateAction #Zero_Carbon #Green_Future #Climate_Action #Green_Hydrogen