Three entrepreneurs from Egypt, the United Kingdom and Indonesia took home the top prizes for this year’s Top Ten Innovators Competition, a global competition which highlights and rewards businesses that demonstrate excellence in innovation as well as giving entrepreneurs a chance to shine on a global platform.
The competition is run by Shell LiveWIRE, the global energy giant's program that has been advancing entrepreneurship for nearly 40 years.
Egyptian enterprise Baramoda won first place in the Food & Agriculture category for using recycled agricultural waste to produce a bio-organic compost. Indonesia’s Jember Futura Energi’s biogas reactor produces energy and organic fertilizer while minimising waste, winning them the Energy & Mobility prize. Finally, U.K.-based AEROPOWDER won the Sustainable Future category for creating a sustainable thermal packaging material out of waste feathers.
These three will each receive $20,000 while the two runners-up from each category will receive a prize of $10,000. The judges also chose an Outstanding Achievement Award winner. Malaysia-based BENAK RAYA ENTERPRISE will receive $10,000 for a rice-based, edible straw that can be used in place of plastic drinking straws. The award package for all ten includes mentoring support by a Shell expert, the opportunity to benefit from market linkages, and the possibility to be considered as a vendor to Shell or Shell’s customers.
This year, Shell LiveWIRE partnered with Shell Global Commercial, which supplies lubricants, aviation fuels, bitumen, sulphur and related services to one million business customers in 150 markets, to deliver a competition focused on the circular economy. Shell aims to reward entrepreneurs that help move the world away from the linear economy model – taking, using, and disposing of products –towards an economy that designs waste out of the system.
“It’s been incredibly inspiring to see such passionate entrepreneurs across the world helping to tackle and eliminate waste,” said Huibert Vigeveno, Executive Vice President of Shell Global Commercial. “Transitioning to a circular economy requires us to think creatively and do things differently. Working with innovators like these winners, will allow businesses, communities and society to move faster towards a truly sustainable future.”
For a full list of the Top Ten winners, see the Shell LiveWIRE announcement.