Both by Ring #11 - Circularity & Geopolitical, agriculture & 'fungi-tech'
Featured with Pierre-Emmanuel Saint Esprit, Circular Economy Director @Manutan Group
Dear community,
Connecting geopolitics and circularity, what a crazy idea! However, this is what we are talking about.
At a time when the European Union is considering the implementation of its directive on eco-design, which could eventually lead to the restriction of certain products on the market, some states but also GAFA are already well positioned to define what is sustainable and what is not.
Amazon offers its customers its own definition of sustainable products. The implementation of the Climate Plegde Friendly launched by the company in 2020 leads to the rating of 250,000 products that meet the criteria...set by Amazon.
If we can be grateful that the biggest players are participating in the necessary transition, the fact remains that the criteria of sustainability and circularity cannot remain in the hands of a few giant companies.
In this chessboard, we are convinced that the companies that will be the most demanding on the economic and environmental equation will be the winners.
This is what BOTH is about: showing how people, companies, and institutions can act and impact and how investors can play their part in this transition.
The interview
‘Tomorrow, it is up to Europe to decide what a sustainable product is for us, otherwise, we will not win this battle’
Pierre-Emmanuel Saint Esprit, Circular Economy Director at Manutan Group
Can regulations really help in the circular economy area?
At the European regulatory level, there is a major evolution underway. The Green Deal contains a 'circular economy package' with an 'eco-design/eco-conception' directive that proposes lunar and revolutionary things for the European market. It is on this market that we must rely on because it is the only weapon that Europe has against the United States and China. The development of a 'product passport' in the European Union would make it possible to obtain a digital twin for each product with a lot of information on the origin of natural resources, the fact that the product has been reconditioned or not, etc. We would have total transparency to ensure that consumers can make their choice, and even block access to the European market for non-sustainable products.
In the headlines
‘How to finance the ecological transition?’
By Marie-Capucine Lemétais, Partner at Ring Capital, and Clara Mouysset, Impact Investment Executive Director at Tikehau Capital
The financial world is moving towards carbon neutrality and capital is flowing in to finance the ecological transition. Nevertheless, a paradigm shift is needed in relation to the financing of digitalization. Amounts alone are not enough: the targeting and structure of financing must evolve to ensure the success of this transition.
Top reads and resources: special Agriculture
As March marks the International Agricultural Trade, we gathered a selection of articles on this hot topic.
🚜 Soil Capital raises €5 million to boost decarbonization of the food sector
The Walloon Brabant start-up, which helps farmers adopt more environmentally friendly practices, wants to extend its action to the entire agri-food sector.
🤖 European startups are revolutionizing farming through future-proofing agtech solutions
Startups are transforming the future of European agriculture using technology such as IoT, robotics, and AI to improve farming practices, precision agriculture, livestock management, and crop health.
🍄 These French Tech start-ups exploit the advantages of mushrooms
Mycophyto, Yphen and Mycea have developed fungus-based solutions to replenish soils or clean up pollution. Worldwide, investments in "fungi tech" have increased in recent years.
👨🌾 99 Counties taps regenerative agriculture trend for meat marketplace
99 Counties coordinates all of the processing, transportation and marketing so that farmers can focus on raising livestock and consumers can order meat from local farms within a day’s drive. 99 Counties also certifies the regenerative practices of the farms and ensures they get paid.
🥕Innovation: why five agricultural cooperatives are joining forces with Hectar
The Axéréal, Val de Gascogne, Eureden, Natup and EMC2 cooperatives have just formalized a partnership with the campus start-up gas pedal co-founded by Xavier Niel. The objective: enable start-ups to offer concrete solutions accessible to farmers.
Make Impact First in your next job
share.it, a nonprofits supporting social entrepreneurs through digitalization, is looking for a Program Manager
Soil Capital, the company that helps farmers improve their carbon footprint and promotes their practices to food and non-food companies, is hiring a Full Stack Developer
Vestack, a Proptech which conceives and builds low-carbon housing, is looking for a Head of Communication & Public Affairs
See you next month ✌🏼