EMPOWERING A GREENER FUTURE IN SINGAPORE: GTF CONNECT EARNS RECOGNITION AS A PREMIER HUB FOR GREEN INNOVATION AND COLLABORATION
With over 800 delegates, 50 speakers and 15 exhibitors, the second edition of the GTF Connect Singapore exceeded the organizers expectations, successfully igniting important discussions and partnerships that will catalyze the creation of a greener world.
· The GREEN AWARDS were presented to Godelmann (GER) in the category Building and FORMO (GER ) in the category Food & Beverage
· The Special Award was presented to Antoinette Taus for her outstanding contribution to a greener world
· The CONFERENCE welcomed exceptional speakers such as sustainable architect Professor Carlo Ratti (MIT Senseable Labs City), Abhishek Modi (Principal, Partnerships at Google), Sarah Cragg (Head of APAC at Earthshot Prize) and Tan Xin Hao (Product Manager, ESG Products & Innovation at Mastercard)
BERLIN and SINGAPORE, Dec. 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The GREENTECH FESTIVAL (GTF) celebrated its last stop of the GTF Connect World Tour in Singapore on 23-24 November at Gardens by the Bay and Huone Singapore. Together with its long-term partners, including the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), global founding partner Audi, conference founding partner Vodafone Business, Lufthansa Group and Julius Baer, the organizers offered the stage to bold visionaries, ground-breaking innovations, forward-looking projects and green solutions.
"I am thrilled at how many inspiring people from business, politics, and science we were able to welcome to the GTF Connect in Singapore this year - people who want to join us on the 'Mission to Net Zero' and are truly passionate about change. In alignment with our flagship in Berlin, GTF Connect serves as a prominent platform dedicated to showcasing, discussing, and honoring advancements in green tech", said GTF founder Nico Rosberg. The significant presence of leading experts and politicians, including Iwona Piórko, Ambassador of the European Union to Singapore, and Member of the Parliament Carrie Tan, has once again underscored that the dedication to a unified call to action holds significant importance across all sectors - be it in society, politics or business.
*Exploring Green Tech, Sustainability, and Systemic Change through Green Solutions and Important Dialogues – Highlights from the Exhibition and Conference*
From plant-based "meat" dishes made from jackfruit by Karana, probiotic teas created by Curated Culture, and sodas produced using fruit waste by Less & Co, to cutting-edge intralogistics solutions offered by Jungheinrich, Sun-to-liquid technology developed by Lufthansa Group, and environmentally-friendly building methods practiced by Drees & Sommer – the EXHIBITION offered a wide spectrum of green innovations for guests to discover, try out and discuss.
The CONFERENCE welcomed outstanding speakers on stage who shared their insights, expertise and roadmaps for actionable change. Hosted by 2019 GREEN AWARDS winner Andini Makosinski, the conference offered many pivotal conversations about how we can achieve systemic change and reach global "Net Zero" emissions. Important discussions included the trajectory of sustainable air transport, with experts like Philipp Bonkatz (General Manager Singapore, Malaysia & Brunei) from Lufthansa Group and Jacqueline Lam (Southeast Asia Regional Lead, Sustainability Policy and Partnerships) from Boeing addressing questions from both the audience and Eco-Business Associate Editor Robin Hicks. Delving beyond aviation, the conference's panelists examined critical themes such as navigating the obstacles of large-scale sustainable transformations, unlocking the potential of biotechnology in addressing global food crises, and transitions to a sustainable built environment.
"Coming back to Singapore for the second time has been a BIG eye opener for me. There's a 'can do' attitude in Singapore that's inspired me, and it's not only an attitude. From community organizations, to start-ups, to government officials - the people I've met this year mean business and are serious about change. We're really looking forward to growing to become a world-class calendar event in Singapore in the coming years", said Marco Voigt, founder of GTF. "The awareness of green technologies and sustainable innovations has permeated the heart of our society across the globe. We are proud to have contributed to fostering a positive dialogue in Singapore."
For the first time, this year's GTF CONFERENCE was expanded to two days.. After an inspirational speech by Special Award winner Antoinette Taus, GTF Connect held its Green Business Bootcamps on day two, inviting participants to connect and collaborate with others in moderated workshops tackling complex problems facing daily business with the aim of producing outlining practical take-home solutions. The Bootcamps were clustered into two broad theme categories: Leading Green Business and Brand & Market (sponsored by Audi). A selection of challenges that were unpacked during the roundtable discussions included: "Is sustainable transformation a cost of profit center" hosted by Meghan Kehar, Product Lead BCG X | Climate Tech, BCG; "How and why you should turn your ESG strategy into your company storyline hosted by Ratri Maria, Founder, ChangeMakr Asia; and "Getting started, rising above the acronyms and staying on track for sustainable strategy" hosted by Mayur Singh, Co-Founder, The Green Collective.
*GREEN AWARDS: Celebrating Innovation and Impact at GTF Connect Singapore*
On the evening of November 23, the GREEN AWARDS ceremony put a spotlight on the most innovative projects in the the categories of "Building" and "Food and Beverage". 140 invited guests strolled down the iconic green carpet by The Mill International to enjoy a seated dinner and an emotional evening of celebrations, with Antoinette Taus' special performance of her SDG song/rap filling the room with anticipation.
The esteemed GREEN AWARDS were presented to Godelmann (GER) for revolutionizing sustainable urban development with their innovative GDM.KLIMASTEIN, which is the first paving stone of its kind that insulates, protects and absorbs pollutants while remaining water permeable, and Formo (GER) for their approach to feeding the world today and tomorrow with alternative dairy products made from microorganisms. The GREEN AWARDS also honored the nominees Good Meat and Naïo Technologies as well as Leko Labs and SolCold for championing unique approaches for a greener tomorrow. The Special Award was presented to Antoinette Taus for her unwavering devotion to mitigating the social impacts of climate change. In her efforts to address hunger, poverty, and inequality arising from climate change, she founded CORA as well as The Sustainable Planet, which helps improve the living conditions of those at risk and indigenous communities in the Philippines.
Antoinette said: "It is truly an honor to have been selected to receive the "Special Prize" at this year's GTF Connect Singapore. It is important to celebrate the incredible achievements being made in the realm of climate action, and the huge role that the private sector has to play. We must take urgent actions to address the climate crisis that continues to threaten human lives and livelihoods each year. Thank you to the GREENTECH FESTIVAL for placing the spotlight on our heroes of the Earth that dedicate their lives to help build a better world for all, where no one is left behind."
The next GREENTECH FESTIVAL is taking place in Berlin from 15-17 May, with over 20.000 attendees, 200 speakers and 250 exhibitors expected to engage in important discussions around our motto 'accelerating change from Berlin'.
*About*
The GREENTECH FESTIVAL (GTF) was founded by Nico Rosberg and Marco Voigt and is the largest sustainability festival in Europe with the GTF EXHIBITION, GTF CONFERENCE and the GREEN AWARDS. From 15-17 May 2024, more than 250 exhibitors, over 200 speakers and over 20,000 guests are expected at the Messe Berlin to participate in the upcoming transformation of our society with progressive ideas for the future, networking and knowledge transfer. The festival offers a platform for companies, visions and guests from all over the world.
www.greentechfestival.com
*Continuing the GTF Connect Series*
While the GREENTECH FESTIVAL had its earliest beginnings in 2008, the organization has been running satellite events in London, New York City, Los Angeles and Singapore since 2021. Coined the GTF Connect series, these events were tailored to meet the needs of local markets and audiences. The event series brings together best-in-class examples of green business innovation, technology, and leadership across the globe and has previously attracted strong audiences and household names.
*Media Gallery*
The official event footage for AWARDS, CONFERENCE and EXHIBITION can be downloaded via https://greentechfestival.com/press-media/ for the respective event. We kindly ask you to refer to GREENTECH FESTIVAL regarding copyrights.