Innovations to Change the World

Whiskey brand Chivas Regal is organizing a competition with the aim of investing $1 million in startups making change and ‘doing well by doing good’.

In the summer of 2017 they are getting ready for the global finale in LA and they have already announced the regional finalists.
 

Finalists doing entrepreneurial work in the water sector are the following:
 

• Sea Harmony  (Bulgaria)

Sea Harmony uses mussels to restore marine ecosystems.  

It is developing a vertical reef mussel-farming technology. 

The materials they use are from durable materials and do not emit pollutants into the water.

They do not disturb marine traffic and they can be placed in open sea.

They restore the food chain by bringing marine life back to ocean ‘dead’ zones.

Furthermore, mussels improve the water quality.

Mussels are, additionally, a good food source for humans and contain a fair amount of proteins.
 

• SoWat  (Romania)

SoWat is a portable water purification system which purifies water mechanically, without any chemicals.

It purifies water from particles, parasites and bacteria, while keeping the minerals in the water.

The system has 4 filters and purifies water in a one step.

SoWat doesn’t contain decomposable consumables and dos not need maintenance for 10 years.

It has an automatically activated backwash for cleaning the filters and is adjustable according to the water quality.

It uses very little energy, as much as a 60 W lightbulb. It can run for the whole day due to it’s economic cycle.
 

• DayOne Response  (USA)

The DayOne Waterbag is a backpack which serves as a personal purification unit. It has an integrated filter and can collect, transport, treat and store 10 liters of water.

It needs only half an hour to purify contaminated into clean drinking water.

The DayOne Waterbag has a closed has a multi-treatment system.

It treats sediment, arsenic, bacteria, lead, viruses, humic acid, protozoan cysts, and DDT.

It can provide drinking water for a family of four for up to two months.

It allows convenient shipping of water as it weighs only 10 kg when it’s full so it’s convenient for emergencies and disaster areas.
 

• SENS Foods  (Czech Republic)

SENS Foods are creating 100% natural protein bars with cricket flour.

They saved 700,000 liters of water and greenhouse gases equivalent to a round-the-world road trip.

The bars weigh only 20 g and are low-carb high-quality protein and gluten free.

The crickets are dried and milled into fine powder.

The crickets have the same amount of protein as beef, chicken or fish but are more nutritious. At the same time, crickets need 2000 times less water and 12 times less food than beef.