Outputs and Results

RYE Sustainability Challenge was arranged as a part of the Umeå Innovation Bootcamp activities. The event gathered together a group of 35 young innovative entrepreneurs from around the Västerbotten Region. During the 3 days, 7 teams worked around 7 different sustainable business ideas influenced by the UN SDG 2030.

All participating teams were winners, but the winner of this 3-day challenge by the votes of the jury was Team Braille. Team consisted of Emil Söderlind and Mattias Hagberg. Their innovation was an app that will automatically convert restaurant or museum signs in to Braille signs and allow them to be 3D printed and converted into Braille included Signs.

This Sustainability Challenge event was organised by RYE SC partner Coompanion-Nord  in cooperation with Umeå University Innovation Office, ALMI- Venture, BIC, SLU and Region Västerbotten.

The workshop was held at Innovation Greenland in Nuuk, and lasted 2 days. It was planned in such a way that participants in Nuuk could come and participate physically, and participants from the coast could participate virtually via Teams. The participants all had previous experience of starting and running their own business, but attended the workshop to develop new concepts or ideas, which made the content of the program really relevant to the participants.The theme of the workshop was sustainability, innovation and entrepreneurship, where one of the participants' business idea was to open a modern thrift store in Qaqortoq (South Greenland), to get people to act more sustainably when it came to clothes, with regard to the environment.

Sustainable innovations from the workshop:

• sustainable thrift shop
• Cosulting startups in business development
• cooking- & massage leassons

RYE Sustainability Challenge at Kajaani University on February 4th 2022, was the first workshop arranged after the Covid-19 pandemic. The selected theme for the workshop was Sustainable Tourism. The workshop was attended by 14 participants from 10 different nationalities, including international Students for Tourism. The setup was exciting since the group had a chance to rethink their future profession its global impact and consider ideas and ways to make it at the same time more sustainable. From a business point of view, more sustainable equals more appealing to the new aware consumers and users of travel services.

Sustainable innovations from the workshop:

• Health Hub
• Food 4 All
• Sustainable Consulting

RYE Sustainability Challenge carried out at Ravine Nature Reserve in August 2022, was the first workshop arranged in Northern Ireland facilitated by Advantage. The event was attended by marginalized young people with mental health challenges. These young people are working on their employability skills and horticulture skills whilst gaining work experience in a unique environment social enterprise. The workshop was attended by 12 participants from all different educational backgrounds, including graduates, young entrepreneurs and students who have never been employed, all however diagnosed with a mental health challenge. The setup was exciting since the group was very mixed and everyone had a chance to explore how their life decisions and career choices can have a global impact.

Sustainable innovations from the workshop:

• Tru-Colour
• Buds & Blossoms

• WWC: Wildlife Wellbeing Centres NI

RYE Sustainability Challenge was to be held at Handelskolen Nuuk on 26 September 2022.It was the second physical workshop organized after the Covid-19 pandemic. Innovation Greenland facilitated the event. It was a collaboration with the Greenland Business School's Mercantile Exams. Locally, we had team members from Innovation Greenland in addition to Greenland Business School's teachers. The chosen theme for the workshop was sustainable local entrepreneurship and innovation. The workshop was attended by 63 participants, all students from all over Greenland. The setup was exciting as the students could rethink their future profession, their ability to see own possible impact on sustainability through innovative companies, products and ideas. The participants had the opportunity to see and test ways of developing local products in a globalized and sustainable context at the same time. From a business point of view, sustainability equals more involvement and information for the new conscious consumer, and producers of local production as import and CO2 limiting actions in addition to developing the profession.

Sustainable innovations from the workshop:

• Greenlandic flowers as perfume
• Beef jerky of Greenlandic reindeer and musk ox
• Currant jelly from Greenlandic berries
• Chips from fish skin

The second RYE Sustainability Challenge at Kajaani University 27th of April 2022 and 4th of May 2022. This workshop was ment to be in person, but need to be changed hybrid. There was 18 participants in it. The selected theme for the workshop was Sustainability in local business and health. We continued with ideas for future services and products. How to make those more sustainable. From a business point of view, more sustainable equals more appealing to the new aware consumers and users of services. This workshop's main goal was to awaken new thinking and ideas and form the teams that will continue their work after the workshop and participate in the international RYE Sustainability Challenge.

Sustainable innovations from the workshop:

• Local breakfast
• Kainuu Shop
• Nature Club for kids

RYE Sustainability Challenge at Umeå university on 2,3 & 5 April 2022, was the second workshop arranged by Coompanion Sweden. Together with Umeå university the workshop has been arranged as a part of the Innovation Boot camp with other partner in the entrepreneurship supporting systems. The focus of the event was the SDG2030 and sustainable innovations through the entrepreneurship, and beside Umeå university other partners has participated such as ALMI, Region Västerbotten, Uminova, Expression, BIC factory, SLU and Umeå Biotech Incubator12 teams worked together over three days developing new sustainable business models in collaboration with the local tourism office.

RYE Sustainability Challenge 3 was carried out at the largest Further and Higher Education College in Northern Ireland and one of the largest in the UK – Belfast Met College. This workshop arranged with young people who are completing a two-year BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Business course. The course gives students in-depth knowledge, skills and understanding needed to work in the business environment or start up their own business.This workshop was online and there was 13 participants in it. It was ment to be in person, but Covid situation was bad, and it was not possible to do it. The selected theme for the workshop was Sustainability in nature and business. The setup was exciting since the group had a chance to rethink their future profession its global impact and consider ideas and ways to make it at the same time more sustainable.

The workshop was attended by 19 participants who have been studying business themes such as: Developing a Marketing Campaign, International Business, Digital Marketing and Pitching a New Business.

The SME ́s explored more science-based business options around climate action, sustainable cities, cleaner water and sanitation, clean energy and life below water. The four groups where very passionate about how their ideas could impact on multiple UN sustainability goals.

Sustainable innovations from the workshop:

• GoGo Bus – affordable sustainable public transport across N. Ireland 

• CleanCups – multi-use, sustainable festival cups 

• Watter Battle – sustainable water bottles designed for filtering water.

This workshop was online and there was 13 participants in it. It was ment to be in person, but Covid situation was bad, and it was not possible to do it. The selected theme for the workshop was Sustainability in nature and business.

Tourism has a huge impact globally on sustainability issues. Therefore, the participating groups thought that it would be essential to offer consultation for travel industry SME ́s on sustainability issues. The SME ́s would like to assess what could be done and how it can be done. In general, it was thought that helping businesses find new and more sustainable ways of implementing their activities would be crucial and could lead to growth and help to reach new market segments.

Sustainable innovations from the workshop:

• VR nature experience
• European ticket app
• Wild flower workshop

RYE Sustainability Challenge 2 was carried out inside Northern Irelands only Prison for young males under the age of 25 – Hydebank Wood. This workshop arranged with Young Offenders who are engaged with a project called Quest. Quest is designed to break the reoffending cycle by equipping young offenders with the skills, support, resources, network and ethics to compete more effectively for employment. Young offenders participate to develop an entrepreneurial mindset and to see starting a business as a realistic and viable career option.

The workshop was attended by 10 participants who have never been employed and have not attend any qualification higher than level 1. The setup was exciting since the group have never had a chance to explore how their life decisions and career options can help contribute to larger global issues.

These young offenders were stimulated and inspired to see how their ideas, based on their passions, can be tailored to specifically impact globally on sustainability issues whilst also be sustainable businesses. Self-employment was a key theme that all the young offenders wanted to explore. 
 The SME ́s explored the options around Sustainable Clothing, Crime Prevention, and how establishing community Social Enterprises that aim to equip young people on the verge of the criminal justice system with skills to prevent them following their footsteps. 


Sustainable innovations from the workshop:

• Pure Clothing – Sustainable Gym Wear 

• Wired Up – Mobile Coffee Social Enterprise
• Beehind Bars – Honey Production Social Enterprise