The fourth edition of the Green Energy Champion (GEC) competition has moved into its final phase with the launch of the ‘Demo Day’ where the winning five green energy innovators – namely Ecosteem, Sanota, Rhoda, Route Sonar and Eco Tech Base – presented their solutions to an audience comprising local and international industry leaders, investors, and business executives.
The Green Energy Champion competition will identify the most promising ideas and innovations from the thriving Sri Lankan start-ups and small and medium enterprises.
The winning innovations ranged from smart mobility solutions such as route optimisation and the first Sri-Lankan e-bike, affordable solar powered roof tiles and hot water systems to a household-based organic fertiliser and biogas solution.
GEC’s Demo Day was live streamed on February 3. After the welcome by Country Director of GIZ Sri Lanka, Christiane Einfeldt, the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Holger Seubert, and the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority, Ranjith Sepala, addressed the gathering as guests of honour.
Last year, the five local green energy innovators participated in a six-month accelerator program with Hatch and Good Life X (GLX), which helped them fine-tune their business model, develop their products and build strong local and international business relationships in the Green Energy ecosystem.
The ‘Green Energy Champion’ is a program that supports innovators who are driven to lead the Green Energy revolution. The project is commissioned by the German Federal Foreign Office and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaftfür Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH with the State Ministry of Solar, Wind and Hydro Power Generation Projects Development, the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authorityand the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Sri Lanka.