Greenbridge

The Idea: Effective scaling of cleantech in emerging economies should focus funding only the most promising ideas during early stages of invention (R&D, prototyping) across countries, and maximize spending on roll-out of those technologies that most successfully correspond to proven needs in recipient countries. To this end, local innovation should not invariably start from scratch but should be supported by identification of cleantech needs in emerging economies, and of market-ready technologies in centers for cleantech innovation that economically fill this need; removing obstacles to technology transfer to emerging economies; and ensuring local adoption by local end-users through technology redesign and local testing. Our market research with the world’s top cleantech accelerators and inventors (supply side); and emerging economies with cleantech import needs (demand side) shows that this process could benefit from a more structured approach and operational support; and requires additional private investment in early stages of opening markets for innovative cleantech. Greenbridge provides this approach, and thereby a path to opening significant additional capital for cleantech transfer and adoption to local user requirements in emerging economies. This represents an evolution of the traditional incubator concept.