Lab of Tomorrow Austria: Opportunities in the biogenic waste sector in Serbia

The productive use of biogenic residues in Serbia is not yet advanced and therefore its economic and ecological value is unused. Furthermore, no separate collection and recycling system is in place. There are numerous challenges along the value chain, starting with waste collection and separation or productive use e.g. in the form of energy generation. Improving the value chain for biogenic residues and finding innovative solutions for the beneficial use of biogenic waste can open up new income opportunities for the local population or, for example, generate access to renewable energy sources and is therefore a lever for achieving the SDGs. Additionally, companies with existing know-how in this field can find new opportunities by entering the Serbian market. To address the challenge of how to improve the value chain of biogenic waste in Serbia, ICEP’s think tank corporAID in collaboration with the Austrian Cleantech Cluster started the Lab of Tomorrow Austria.

The aim of the Lab of Tomorrow is to create joint ventures or other forms of cooperation between Serbian and Austrian companies that address different challenges along the value chain of biogenic waste in Serbia. The goal is to create profitable businesses and ensure sustainable impact at the same time.

Did you know?

… about 40-50 percent of the collected waste is biogenic and remains unused to this date

… the biogenic fraction of waste needs to be addressed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from landfills and fulfill international environmental standards

… organized recycling of waste in Serbian landfills is practically non-existent as 160 of them (97.6 percent) have no waste processing in any form

… biogenic residues can be part of a renewable energy transition, e. g. biogas plants can create renewable energy

… biogenic waste has an economic potential in terms of usages of biogenic waste that has not been exploited so far in Serbia

… therefore, the biogenic waste sector continues to offer good business opportunities in almost all segments

Actionable Challenges in Serbia

Subchallenge 1: Storage and collection of biogenic waste

How might we develop an efficient solution for the storage and collection of biogenic waste for different customer groups?

Subchallenge 2: Decentralized uses of biogenic waste

How might we use biogenic waste productively at the place of accrue?

Subchallenge 3: Separation and homogenization of biogenic waste

How might we provide an efficient solution for the separation and homogenization of biogenic waste for further use?

Subchallenge 4: Value-added products from biogenic waste

How might we create value-added products from biogenic waste for different customer groups?

About the Lab of Tomorrow

The Lab of Tomorrow (LoT) is an incubation program for new sustainable businesses in developing and emerging countries. To this end, the Lab of Tomorrow acts as a catalyst for the development of tailor-made, innovative business solutions for local SDG challenges over a period of 9 to 12 months, and facilitates profitable joint ventures or start-ups owned and driven by participants. The special feature of the process is the strong cooperation with the private sector. The LoT was originally initiated by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation BMZ and so far, 16 promising projects emerged from this incubation process.

The Lab of Tomorrow….

… aims to kickstart business- and sustainable development in emerging markets,

… tries to solve a local development challenge with new sustainable business solutions,

… fosters collaboration of local and European experts & companies,

… generates new start-ups or joint ventures owned by the private sector,

… contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals.

Who are we?

Together with our cooperation partners, the Austrian Development Agency ADA, the Research Promotion Agency FFG and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), the NGO ICEP/corporAID and Cleantech Cluster (a platform for companies within the environmental- and energy technology sector) are piloting the first Lab of Tomorrow in Austria.

How can you participate and what can be expected?

Are you a company or expert in the field of biogenic waste streams in Serbia?

Get more information on how to participate and what you can expect from the Lab of Tomorrow on the 9th of November 2021 and register for the online kick-off event!

 

Kick-off:

„Utilization of waste streams with high biogenic content in Serbia“.

On Tuesday, November 9th 2021, from 10:00-12:00 a.m., online

 

The aim of the kick-off event is to:

-introduce you to the goals and process of the Lab of Tomorrow in Serbia

-help you explore potential business opportunities in the biogenic waste sector

-provide you with all information on how you can participate and what you can expect from this process

-give you the opportunity to meet other actors in the field and expand your network

REGISTER HERE!