event report
Thanks to all of you came along to our inaugral Green Shoots event in London. It was designed to explore where the big undiscovered opportunities are for entrepreneurs in the sustainable economy in the next ten year and was led by John Grant and Jules Peck. Companies on the guest list included: Innocent Drinks, TreeHugger, Oxbridge Capital , PSFK, The Daily Telegraph, Bridges Ventures, DFJ Esprit, New Energy Finance, walkit.com, Advent Venture Partners, Amadeus Capital Partners Ltd, Atlas Ventures, BP Alternative Energy, Cape Verde Capital, Clean Capital, DIY Kyto, Doughty Hanson Technology Ventures, Joost, The London Development Agency, Moixa Energy, Actics, Worn Again, and The Green Thing.
This event was the culmination and launch of a consultation project led by John Grant and Jules Peck. They interviewed over forty investors, entrepreneurs and commentators to arrive at what is set to become the definitive view on green venturing in the UK; the key opportunities, the regulatory roadmap and public opinion as key drivers, the key sectors, current shining examples and overall prospects.
You may also be interested in reading Leonora Oppenheim's article on the event on Treehugger.com
The evening was one of the first in a series of events and online conversations that we will be hosting in London, New York and beyond to explore entrepreneurial trends, successes and opportunities in the sustainable economy. We'd be delighted to hear from you if you have any feedback on the event, suggestions for future events or if you'd like to be involved in our future programme of events.
Finally Heidrick and Struggles are encouraging nominations from the Glasshouse membership for a project which will be launched at Davos 2008 to highlight entrepreneurs and individuals who have created positive social, politican or environmental change. To find out more, click here...
about the event
An event to explore where the big undiscovered opportunities are for entrepreneurs in the sustainable economy in the next ten years led by best selling business author and marketing guru, John Grant and Jules Peck, a recognised authority in the field of sustainability, government affairs and the impact of corporate policy on the environment.
The green investment and entrepreneurial scene has been booming for several years now. Most of the action has been in cleantech (solar, alternative fuels, energy efficiency technology) and carbon trading/services although more recently we have seen big plays in media and reinsurance. Meanwhile public interest, big corporate procurement policies and Government regulation plans are dramatically altering the competitive landscape and potential for new entrants in existing markets. Government-led market shifts will continue to escalate in the face of ever more dire scientific estimates of the scale and urgency of climate change. Add to this the growing likelihood of a recession and the green innovation train looks set to switch tracks. From expensive alternatives which many are willing to pay more for, to killer applications which make as much economic sense (principally by saving money) as environmental sense. Some of these shifts will be ambient: smaller cars, fewer flights (if any), economising on luxury discretionary items. But some will disrupt massive markets, like green versions of Skype, eBay or Amazon. Of course building such businesses during a downturn would take nerve. But just as the current crop of web 2.0 stars originated in the dotcom bubble burst, there are huge opportunities for those with backing, brains and bravery. The issue of climate change will not go away and as the Stern report made clear the time to act is now. This event was the culmination and launch of a consultation project led by John Grant and Jules Peck, interviewing key investors players and commentators in the new green space.
John Grant just launched a new book, The Green Marketing Manifesto (Wiley), on the related topic of Green Marketing and as well as consulting to global brands such as IKEA, LEGO and Sony Ericsson is also advising a number of green startups. As much of John's work in recent years has been in e-commerce, social networks, mass customisation as in sustainability, and John is convinced the big opportunity lies in combining the two (both are for instance fundamentally about efficiency and networks of shared resource).
Jules Peck was formerly at WWF for five years where he authored influential reports on marketing and the media industry. For the 18 months he has been leading on the (700 page) Conservative quality of life group report and is currently writing a book with Zac Goldsmith. With 20 years experience in the commercial marketing, government and NGO worlds Jules is convinced that the engine of change lies as much with government regulation and the ethical consumerism boom which will create whole new markets and drastically alter existing ones.
was hosted by
Yahoo! is a leading global Internet brand and one of the most trafficked Internet destinations worldwide. Yahoo! is focused on powering its communities of users, advertisers, publishers, and developers by creating indispensable experiences built on trust. Yahoo! committed to going carbon neutral this year. Essentially, that means investing in greenhouse gas reduction projects around the world to neutralize Yahoo!’s impact on the environment (equivalent to taking 35,000 cars off the road for a year).
Yahoo! has been focused on green initiatives for while, with it’s commute alternatives program been recognized annually by the EPA since 2001 for incentives like Wi-Fi enabled biodiesel shuttles, bike lockers, carpool matching, and sizeable public transit subsidies. And green-minded Yahoos have launched sustainability-focused products like the Yahoo! Autos Green Center and 18Seconds.org to show people how they can make a difference in their own lives.
was sponsored by
Connecting leaders around the globe is what Heidrick & Struggles does best. Unleashing the creative power of ambition for over fifty years, the elite executive search firm helps the world's most successful companies – from iconic giants to new market disruptors – to build relationships with the world's most talented people.
Heidrick & Struggles has actively participated in the alternative and renewable energy sector for many years, but recently formed a dedicated practice to serve the sector in response to changes and consolidation in the industry. The Alternative and Renewable Energy Practice has been set up to ensure that the companies who are seeking equity financing get expert help in finding and attracting the kind of experienced leadership they need to guide them through their next stage of development. The practice draws on expertise from across the firm in areas that include alternative and renewable energy, energy demand reduction, Climate Change, CO2 reduction, Carbon economy, waste and water solutions, generic “CleanTech” solutions and sustainability.
www.heidrick.com
other mentions
Glasshouse is a proud supporter of The Green Thing. Green Thing is a new community (50 days old today) that makes it easy and enjoyable to be a bit greener. Every month you’ll get a different Green Thing to do. All you have to do is do it.