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In the event review of episode 4, we tell you about our visit to the Creative Quarter and the Creative Lab currently under construction. The Creative Quarter on the site of the former Luitpold Barracks is being gradually transformed into a new urban district by the City of Munich. In addition to housing, the focus is on creating space for the creative industry. Once completed, the Creative Lab will provide space for offices and workshops.
The World Economic Forum’s “Future of Nature and Business” report
The main part of the podcast (minute 7:30) is about a greener future for the global economy. “Future Of Nature And Business”As the World Economic Forum's report shows, a green economy by no means means a loss of prosperity or jobs. The transformation of the three largest economies alone, which are responsible for 80 percent of nature loss, is expected to generate an estimated $10 trillion in business opportunities. Furthermore, the new green economy could create 396 million new jobs worldwide by 2030. This contrasts with the loss of $44 trillion in economic value added—over half of global gross domestic product—due to the destruction of nature, on which the economy actually depends.
The World Economic Forum's report is divided into three sectors: food production and the associated use of land and oceans; infrastructure and urban development; and finally, energy and raw materials. In this podcast, we focus on the first part and search for Munich-based startups committed to more environmentally friendly food production or land and ocean use.
About microplastics and insects
To ecologically transform food production and land use, the World Economic Forum has divided this sector into six sections. The report's "Ecosystem Restoration and Avoidance of Land and Ocean Use" section includes measures such as reforestation of forests and mangroves, improved spatial planning in agriculture, and the conservation of natural resources. Carbon pricing is also included here, as it increases or makes visible the costs of environmental destruction. Ecofario and Wisefood Here we present two Munich startups that are working on keeping the oceans clean (minute 10:15) by filtering microplastics from the water and reducing society's plastic consumption.
The startup Farminsect (Minute 16:55), which enables farmers to produce protein feed for animals from insects, operates in an area that the World Economic Forum calls "creating productive and regenerative agriculture." This involves increasing agricultural productivity while simultaneously improving the health of the surrounding ecosystem. Examples of measures include the use of new biopesticides and microbial fertilizers instead of conventional chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Other ways of operating an ecological economy include greening areas between fields to increase biodiversity and improve the water system. The breeding of new grain varieties and gene editing also fall into this area.
Ecological economy thanks to forest management and sustainable consumption
Land use isn't limited to fields and arable land; forests are also an important part of the economy, providing important raw materials like timber. Therefore, "sustainable forest management" is also part of the World Economic Forum's considerations. This includes the protection of important forests. The Munich-based startup Ocell (Minute 19:40) is taking a pioneering role here: With the help of pilots, the company captures high-resolution images of forests, which are then analyzed by artificial intelligence. This allows foresters to better manage their forests and protect them from threats.
According to the World Economic Forum, economic transformation also requires a change in human consumption behavior. Not only must diets become more diverse – currently, 75 percent of the world's food comes from just 12 plant and 5 animal species – but the consumption of animal products must also be reduced to reduce the burden on soils, oceans, and the climate. One contribution to this is Happy Ocean Foods (minute 22:10), a startup working on beyond-fish products made from plant-based raw materials such as soy and algae. Since consumption is not only about nutrition, we also look at Jesango (Minute 24:15). The Munich-based company has declared war on fast fashion and created a shopping community for fairly produced and sustainable fashion.
Other areas of the Food Production, Land and Ocean Use sector include the sections "Healthy and Productive Ocean," which includes sustainable fishing, restricted fishing zones, and sustainable mariculture and aquaculture, as well as "Transparent and Sustainable Supply Chains." This section addresses the topics of raw material procurement and processing, illegal fishing, illegal logging, and reducing food waste.
10 million euros for Tubulis
In the second part of the podcast you will learn more about Tubules and their investors. We reveal who invested in the Series A and introduce the new investors, Occident and Biomedpartners, in more detail. Starting at minute 26:50.
