Tackling climate change, how you can help, by Ron Immink

Latest guest post from regular contributor Ron Immink maverick, speaker, business book geek, entreprenerd, author, blogger, innovator, strategist, CEO and co-founder.

It is funny how things go.

Social entrepreneurship

For a long time, I have been a firm believer that social entrepreneurship and “normal” entrepreneurship will merge into one. The same will start to apply to larger organisations as technology, organisational design and the attitudes of generation Y, G, Einstein, and N will force companies to embrace what “Exponential organisations” calls transformative purpose. CSR and HR at the heart of every company. Doing things that matter.

4.0 economics

Then I read “Leading from the emerging future”, which is about 4.0 economics. We leave an ecologic footprint of 1.5 planets. Our current economic model is no longer sustainable. We need to move to what the books calls collaborative conscious consumption. A co-creative ecosystem model. From inflexible, centralised control to a spontaneous, decentralised grassroots movement. From GDP to GNH (Gross National Happiness). From economy to social economy.

Frugal innovation

Not long after followed “Frugal Innovation”. Doing more with less, creating significantly more business and social value while minimising the use of diminishing resources such as energy, capital and time. And as with defining your transformative purpose, you don’t have as long as you think. Frugal competitors are already on the market. Particularly rivals from emerging markets.

Climatelaunchpad

And then I was asked to help run Climatelaunchpad. And idea competition on anything to do with tackling climate change through entrepreneurship. A combination of all the above.

• transformative purpose
• 4.0 economics
• frugal innovation

I took the opportunity with both hands. A trend hotspot and an opportunity to do something that truly matters. Had a ball and we got one of the Irish ideas into the last  20, competing with hundreds of start-ups from 25 countries across Europe. The added bonus was that the final was in Amsterdam.

Sustainable as the new normal

My prediction that the next wave will be a combination of those three. Green will become the new normal. And it will be again quicker than you think. COP2015 will drive it, consumers will demand it and an 85 trillion dollar investment in this sector will drive it further.

Entrepreneur in residence

Since then I move from (just) Climatelaunchpad to being the entrepreneur in residence for SustainableNation Ireland. Even better. The programme is about to kick off for this year. Which will include Climatelaunchpad (finals in Estonia), a scaling programme and a number of internal awareness programmes for large corporate focusing on ideas, value chain mapping and creating potential spin-offs.

The ask

I need you help. I am looking for large companies that want to get involved and run an internal ideas programme for their staff. I am looking for entrepreneurs that want to play with us and help those idea develop and make an impact.  I am looking for anyone that has an idea that tackles climate change.

If you know anyone, if could spread the word, or if you want to support to programme in any other way, please get in touch.

In return

Our job in SustainableNation Ireland then is to make those ideas a roaring success. Given the state of our climate, it is too important not to.

Tackling climate change through entrepreneurship, I need your help https://t.co/po45p1AYyc

— Ron Immink (@orangemanta) March 12, 2016

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