Young entrepreneurship as a driver of transformation
Almost 50 start-ups from 16 countries
Networking between science, start-ups and industry leaders
Bright minds around the world are researching new solutions to the urgent environmental technology challenges of our time. This work often gives rise to young companies with fresh, innovative business ideas. With the new Start-up Area, the world's leading trade fair IFAT Munich will give them a forum for presentation, discussion and networking from 30 May to 3 June 2022.
Climate change and its consequences, polluted seas and water shortages, growing mountains of waste and dwindling natural resources - around the globe, universities and research institutions are searching for solutions to the major environmental problems of our time. From the insights gained in the process, numerous committed young entrepreneurs are developing innovative business models with which they are seeking their place in the market. "As organisers of IFAT Munich, the world's largest trade fair for the environmental technology sector, it is our duty to provide a forum for these promising newcomers - and this year there were significantly more start-ups than at the last trade fair," emphasises Philipp Eisenmann, Exhibition Director IFAT Munich.
Presentation platform for almost 50 international newcomers
In the so-called Start-up Area, almost 50 up-and-coming companies from 16 nations will be presenting themselves in a separate area in Hall B4 at the Munich exhibition centre. Their products and solutions cover the central themes of IFAT Munich: water and wastewater treatment, waste and secondary raw materials, air pollution control and soil protection. For example, sustainable asphalt additives made from recycled plastic, separators for microplastics from wastewater streams, a nanotechnological water treatment process and a biotechnological method for binding dust will be presented.
In addition to the company stands, the Start-up Area under the name of "Innovation Stage" offers an action area for exhibitor talks, presentations by associations and partner institutions on trend topics as well as scientifically oriented discussion rounds.
Challenger and partner of established companies
Messe München's strategic partner in the planning and organisation of the Start-up Area is the consultancy SusTech Consult, which specialises in sustainable technologies. Its Managing Director, Bruno Rudnik, explains: "The Start-up Area will not only be about establishing contact with potential users of the new solutions, but above all about bringing the up-and-coming companies into conversation with the established companies in the sector." According to the market expert, start-ups act as both challengers and potential partners for the latter. In the environmental technology sector, which is strongly characterised by small and medium-sized enterprises, young companies could quickly become competitors. On the other hand, interesting cooperation perspectives could also open up, for example through production and distribution partnerships. "Not least against this background, we expect the Start-up Area to be particularly dynamic," says a delighted Philipp Eisenmann.