The Mayor Boris Johnson and top entrepreneur and star of TV’s Dragons’ Den Deborah Meaden are calling on London’s students to come up with innovative new business ideas to cut future carbon emissions and enhance the capital’s green economy.
With the chance to become the Low Carbon Entrepreneur of 2014, and win £20,000 to help make their idea a reality, this year’s shortlist will be invited to give ‘Dragons’ Den’ style pitches to a panel led by dragon Deborah Meaden at City Hall. Students will also be competing for up to six paid internships with leading engineering firm Siemens, sponsors of the competition.
London is at the centre of green technologies with a growing low carbon and environmental goods and services sector worth more than £25bn to the economy. Now in its third year, the Low Carbon Entrepreneur 2014 competition is open to students at Further and Higher Education institutes across the capital and forms part of the Mayor's commitment to achieve a 60 per cent reduction in carbon emissions by 2025.
The Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: "London’s burgeoning green economy is full of potential and I want to encourage every bright young mind to consider what they can add. Somewhere out there is the next big idea that could transform the way we live and work while helping reduce our carbon emissions and encouraging huge investment and growth in the capital."
Leading entrepreneur and Dragon’s Den investor, Deborah Meaden, said: “I am incredibly excited to be involved in this prize and now seeking out the student Low Carbon Entrepreneur of 2014. It’s a delight to help mould the wonderful new ideas being dreamt up by the bright sparks of the future. Reducing carbon emissions is absolutely vital both for future societies and the protection of our environment. So I want to invite all of London’s students to get their thinking caps on and think about the tomorrow they want to be part of.”
The UK Chief Executive of Siemens, Roland Aurich, said: "Siemens is looking forward to continue our support for the Mayor of London's Low Carbon Entrepreneur Prize. Innovation is the key to achieving a better, sustainable environment in our cities. I look forward to seeing the ideas that are submitted by the students and to hosting the winners at The Crystal, which, as well as being a global centre of excellence on urban sustainability, is also one of the most sustainable buildings in the world."
Entries can range from new product design, transport facilities, energy efficiency, water management, food and waste recycling or any other ideas for a more sustainable future. Previous winners include Will Hines and Rachel Clemo in 2013 with their idea Reseed to provide an alternative to paper receipts, and 2012 winner Arthur Kay who is now taking his ‘BioBean’ idea to turn used coffee grounds into fuel to market. Both Will and Arthur were recognised this week by the London Sustainable Development Commission as London Leaders.
Will Hines, 2013 Low Carbon Prize winner and founder of Reseed, said: "Thanks to the Mayor our idea to revolutionise the way people shop and save millions of trees is now not only germinating, but growing the roots and shoots we need to make it a reality in the not too distant future. From entering, to the pitches, and with all the funds and support of winning, this competition has been a fantastic and life changing experience through which we hope to establish a name for Reseed as the leading front-of-house sustainability brand in retail."
The 2014 entries will be judged by a panel of expert judges led by Deborah Meaden. The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony at the Siemens Crystal on Wednesday 4 June 2014.
Notes to editors
• The winning entry for the Low Carbon Entrepreneur 2014 will be rewarded with cash and support to help develop the practical application of their idea. Ideas can be submitted in one of 8 categories:
1. Product design - a new product that requires less energy and material to make, and to use.
2. Transport In the city
3. Materials/reuse and recycling/circular economies - keeping valuable resources out of landfills.
4. Behaviour change/networking - 'greener' services to link up sustainably-minded Londoners
5. Energy efficiency/capture/generation - reducing energy use or capturing and generating power more sustainably
6. Food/food waste - sustainable production and distribution of food for London
7. Water management
8. Other ideas to help create a sustainable future for London
• To enter the competition visit and submit an online application form before 28th March 2014: www.london.gov.uk/low-carbon-entrepreneur
• The Low Carbon Entrepreneur 2014 has been made possible thanks to sponsorship from Siemens. Siemens is a global engineering company with a focus on the key sectors of Energy, Industry, Healthcare and Infrastructure & Cities. The Crystal, a Siemens initiative based in London, is an innovative visitor attraction and home to the global centre of competence for cities. For more information visit: www.siemens.co.uk and www.thecrystal.org
• A shortlist from the Low Carbon Entrepreneur 2014 competition will qualify for automatic entry into a select candidate pool for a chance to win one of 6 paid internships at The Crystal or another Siemens location in the UK. Lasting 3 to 12 months the internships will offer students a fantastic career boosting opportunity with direct industry experience tailored to their interests and development needs. Those shortlisted will be invited to go through an interview and assessment selection centre and if they are successful they will secure a paid internship at the company. Current interns at The Crystal have had marketing, sustainability, events and engineering experience. All candidates must meet Siemens business criteria, successfully pass DAMEX security checking and show eligibility to work in the UK documentation.
• The London Leaders Programme was set up by the London Sustainable Development Commission (LSDC) and launched in October 2007. The programme brings together sustainability leaders from across London’s sectors and from all walks of life, each committing to undertake a project to demonstrate sustainability in action. Further information on the work of the Commission can be found here: www.londonsdc.org