Our Partners

ScaleUp4Sustainability is carried out jointly by a consortium of ten lead partners in the realm of higher education and enterprise, as well as a counseling body. In addition, we cooperate with a number of associated partners. All involved parties can be characterized as entrepreneurial as well as sustainability-oriented. For a description of our main partners please take a look below.

To take a look at associated partners, please refer to our network.


Main Partners

 

 

Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg

The University of Oldenburg, located in the northwest of Germany, has a long tradition in sustainability related teaching and research. E.g. a three-term non-consecutive master’s programme in “Renewable Energy” started already in 1987. Among 11 topics sustainability is one of the core areas of the Universities Strategic Development Plan. Its research in sustainable development, encompassing several academic disciplines, is especially renowned. The University of Oldenburg has been honoured by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy (BMWi) as one of the best entrepreneurial universities in Germany. The Master’s programme in “Sustainability Economics and Management” includes the award-winning module “Eco-Venturing” (6 ECTS). Eco-Venturing, which is being offered since 2009, was the first course worldwide with students developing sustainability-orientated business concepts in co-operation with business partners aiming at the promotion of tangible green business startups.

Contact: Prof. Dr. Klaus Fichter, Adj. Prof. Innovation Management and Sustainability

 

 

 

Linköping University

Linköping University (LiU) is one of the larger academic institutions in Sweden, Northern Europe. LiU is innovative, highly ranked and known for close collaboration with business and society. In this project staff from the Department of Management and Engineering at the Faculty of Science and Engineering will take part. The department offers modules (courses) for engineering students and has long experience in innovation and entrepreneurship education including green venturing. The module “Environmentally Driven Business Development” (6 ECTS) is available in engineering programs Energy, Environment and Management (300 ECTS) and Industrial Economics (300 ECTS) and is being taught since 2013. Similar modules are on offer in more programs but with a slightly different focus (more than 100 students annually).

Contact: Prof. Olof Hjelm, Department of Engineering and Management

Vennebroek Academic Services

Vennebroek Academic Services (VAS) is a consultancy, training & coaching company aimed at higher education. VAS develops and conducts research-based educational programmes, and international interim / project management.

Contact: Dr. Frans Stel, Management Consultant & Visiting Professor

 

 

EWE

With more than 9,000 employees and sales of 7.6 billion Euro, EWE is one of the largest utility companies in Germany with activities in three key sectors: energy, telecommunications and information technology. By bringing these three areas together under one roof, EWE is well placed to develop and operate intelligent energy systems. Thanks to its range of innovative products for private and corporate customers, EWE is shaping the energy supply of tomorrow with sustainability, efficiency and reliability. In the field of sustainability main topics are: smart grid, power generation (virtual power plants, fuel cells at home), household (smart storage- and energy management systems) and green mobility.

Contact: Irina Tiemann, Business Development Manager

 

 

 

BÜFA

The BÜFA Group is an independent, medium-sized family enterprise in the chemical industry (500 employees). For BÜFA, sustainability is closely linked with product innovation. BÜFA offers convincing innovative, resource-conserving products and system solutions and adhere strictly to the principle of sustainability. BÜFA wants to convert 50% of their production to "green" products (sustainably produced products such as bio-based materials) by the year 2020. Furthermore, BÜFA develops new products on a purely ecological basis for example in a joint working group with SODASAN (producer of eco-friendly washing and cleaning agents for end consumers). In summary BÜFA is working in various areas to design products more sustainably. Since last year they have been using for example an eco-resin consisting of up to around 40 per cent recyclable materials as a raw material.

Contact: Dr. Stephan Göttke, Project Leader

 

 

 

 

 

CEWE

CEWE is Europe's leading photographic service and successful provider of commercial online printing. CEWE’s success is underpinned by continuous innovation. Only thus CEWE has been able to cope superbly and succeed in the process of transformation from the analogue world to the mobile one. CEWE was distinguished with the 2010 Best Innovator and 2016 Digital Champions Award for the most successful company transformation. The main services of CEWE are: photo services (photobooks calenders, photos etc.), commercial online printing and retail (cameras, lenses and accessories, services and the entire CEWE photofinishing range). With more than 3,400 employees, CEWE successfully bridges mobile trends and the high level of quality and emotionality of printed photo products. Sustainability is implemented as an integral part of their business management strategy in five dimensions: corporate responsibility, economic futureproofness, resources conservation and environmental protection, responsibility to employees, and social commitment. CEWE was one of the first SDAX companies to establish a sustainability report, in which it has now documented its activities every year for the past eight years.

Contact: Dr. Matthias Hausmann, Head of Department Chemistry & Environment

 

 

 

Tekniska Verken

Tekniska verken i Linköping AB (publ) is a municipal owned limited liability company. Tekniska verken is a commercial public utility, and in the subsidiaries ' activities continually develops new technologies for social infrastructure, power, water and heat distribution as well as in the field of energy generation and fuel. The Group’s guiding principle over many years is now becoming increasingly tangible – to use available resources in the best possible way and accept responsibility for the consequences. Tekniska verken’s vision contributes to building a sustainable society and the work it does covers three dimensions: Social benefit, environmental considerations and business economics. The company’s products and services are based on making use of resources that would otherwise have been lost; often in several stages and always in the most efficient way. The result is one of the world’s most resource-efficient energy systems. Tekniska verken has about 260 000 customers, sales 4 867 mil SEK (2016) and 839 employees.

Contact: Erik Olsson, Strategy, Business Development and New Venture Project

 

 

 

Againity

Againity was founded in 2013 by current Managing Director David Frykerås and Head of R&D Joakim Wren. Since then the company has grown to 8 employees and developed their core product, ORC systems, from a conceptual design to two full scale 50 KW electricity systems that has been tested and installed in an operational environment in 2017. Againity is also currently developing larger ORC systems in the range 100-2500 MW electricity for use in the industrial waste heat sector and in the energy sector where a tremendous amount of heat is emitted to the atmosphere and water streams. The company has recently added waste management to its portfolio of planned developments to facilitate energy recycling and electricity production from waste incineration. On top of that, we also develop the core component of our system – the ORC Turbine – which is associated with a filed patent application.

Contact: Joakim Wren, Head of Development

 

 

 

Noble Environmental Benelux

Noble Environmental Technologies (Noble) was founded in 2005. Noble has 125 employees world wide as well as a new global R&D Facility and a fast-prototyping lab in Venlo. Noble’s is an independent, medium-sized enterprise in the building industry. Noble develops and sells building materials and everyday products. These products are aimed to be healthier, lower carbon footprints, to be regenerative, recyclable, and compostable. Noble is a specialist in producing high performance, environmentally superior, nontoxic, cradle-to-cradle compliant, clean and healthy products and systems. Nobles activities fit in a sustainable circular pattern of waste material utilization (“Up-cycling”). Nobel develops, produces and sells ECOR-panels, an Advanced Environmental Composite Panel, made from waste streams of cellulose fibers. ECOR stands for: Enabling | co-Creation | co-Operation | co-Responsibillity. The process offers Cradle-toCradle certified alternatives to manufacturers’ existing products and enables designers a stronger, lighterweight and less costly material to manufacture future-proof products.

Contact: Giulia Viero, Circular Economy Business Development

 

 

 

 

 

 

Borderstep

The Borderstep Institute for Innovation and Sustainability is active in the field of applied innovation and entrepreneurship research and committed to the vision of sustainable development. Borderstep is an independent non-profit social enterprise focused on entrepreneurial solutions for global challenges. Borderstep’s research-driven projects focus on eco-innovation, sustainable entrepreneurship, climate change solutions, energy efficiency in buildings and, green IT. Borderstep’s primary objective is to achieve measurable, positive social and environmental impacts.

Borderstep’s mission is to contribute to a fundamental global transformation toward a green and sustainable economy through excellent inter- and transdisciplinary research. We generate new, problem-oriented knowledge that galvanizes the world! We see ourselves as pioneering scientists and strive to contribute to transforming business processes and lifestyles to a green economy based on outstanding research. In the process, we strengthen and support those in society who are leading the way and innovating to make sustainability reality.

Borderstep focuses on seeking concepts that combine economic success with ecological and social sustainability. We want our work to help economic actors to take their responsibility to society more seriously. Borderstep provides innovative services which generate a social return and employs innovative methods for the support of sustainable innovation and green venturing.

Contact: Alexander Schabel, Senior Project Manager