Today marks the start of the seventh round of the BizMakers Forest Business Accelerator, a program that has attracted several startups with forestry innovations to Västernorrland.
-"Our accelerator follows the trend towards the green transition. We are seeing a lot of interest from companies looking to our region because they see that things are happening here," says Pelle Berglund, head of the Forest Business Accelerator.
In collaboration with BizMaker, SCA, RISE Processum and IBM, five startups will work on their business models with the aim of reaching the market quickly. Innovations that combine forest resources with digitalization, for new sustainable products and services, are the common thread in the Forest Business Accelerator.
One of this year's start-up companies - Bright Day Graphene, which produces the substance graphene from biomass - is based in Stockholm but is now looking at several locations to establish its operations on a larger scale. Ånge in Västernorrland is one of the potential locations. More specifically, Ånge's green industry initiative at Site Alby östra.
- There is green energy and hydrogen and the industrial symbiosis that is being built there is very interesting for us," says Malin Alpsten, CEO and co-founder of Bright Day Graphene.
Thanks to newfound contacts in Ånge, Malin Alpsten became aware of the Forest Business Accelerator.
-"We want help with industrial upscaling and process work and we believe that participation in the Forest Business Accelerator can help us. It will also be good to have a network of contacts in Västernorrland if we want to establish ourselves here," she says.
The results of the Forest Business Accelerator are no longer in the future, but are real and can be followed in many parts of the region. The Lund-based company Cinis Fertilizer is planning a new fertilizer factory in the Köpmanholmen industrial area. Australian entrepreneur Gary Cass has moved to Örnsköldsvik and is developing the bio-based packaging and insulation materials of the future in close collaboration with Domsjö Fabriker, to name just a few of the companies involved in the program.
- These entrepreneurs have seen that this is the best place to do what they do. They have the skills, land and raw materials. I am proud that our program, which was developed from a blank paper, can attract entrepreneurs and idea owners from the other side of the globe to create growth right here in Västernorrland," says Matts Nyman, CEO of BizMaker.
For participants, the program will be a way to develop their business idea, validate and test it in collaboration with BizMaker and the partner companies. SCA, RISE Processum and IBM in turn get close contact with innovative startups.
-"In the accelerator, we get to see when young companies meet reality. We can help them develop their business so that it meets the real needs of the industry, which of course also benefits us in the long run," says Hans Johansson, senior specialist at SCA.
In this year's round, four out of five companies have female representatives. Last year, two out of five companies had mixed teams.
"Previously, it has been very male-dominated, so it is very positive that we see this change. Everyone knows that diverse teams are more creative and profitable," says Pelle Berglund.
PARTICIPANTS IN THE FALL OF 2023:
Bright Day Graphene - Produces graphene from renewable resources with unique properties optimized for energy storage.
Zigrid - Has developed a solution to produce electricity from low temperatures that are currently not used.
DIRI Safety Solutions - Offers companies a digital risk management tool to facilitate risk assessments at work and expand systematic work environment management.
Original Creation - Offers a transparent traceability system that unites actors throughout the material flow chain and streamlines customers' sustainability reporting.
Flox - Designs, develops and distributes autonomous technologies to keep wild animals out of areas where they should not be.
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Biomass: is a renewable energy source that can consist of anything from energy crops to residues and waste from agriculture and forestry.
Industrial symbiosis: means that residual resources from one industry are given new life as a resource in another.
CONTACT
Pelle Berglund, business advisor and head of the Forest Business Accelerator at BizMaker
073 847 94 24, pelle.berglund@bizmaker.se
Hans Johansson, senior specialist at SCA
hans.johansson.research@sca.com
Malin Alpsten, CEO and co-founder of Bright Day Graphene
070 649 64 47, malin.alpsten@brightdaygraphene.se
