How sustainable innovations create a breakthrough

Sustainable innovations are in vogue and are conquering many industries. But only a few make it into the mainstream. Nicola Blum, an expert in sustainable innovation and lecturer at BFH Business, explains in the BFH Business podcast why this is the case and what role financing and the circular economy play.

Successful examples such as vegan burgers and car-sharing services like Mobility show that sustainable approaches can find broad appeal. “A start-up company must always have its finger on the pulse and know when the time is right to enter the market,” says Blum. However, many other sustainable innovations remain in the drawer or only reach the market with the support of large companies. Blum emphasises: “Without the right financial resources, even the best ideas cannot be implemented.” Politics and business are called upon to create targeted incentives and investments in sustainable innovations. Blum continues: “Political support and clear regulatory requirements are crucial to pave the way for sustainable ideas to reach the market.”

Another decisive factor is the circular approach, in which products and materials are reused. “We see successful examples such as Fairphone and pioneering companies in the textile industry that are already successfully implementing the circular economy,” she explains. However, the construction industry in particular faces considerable challenges when it comes to implementing the circular economy. This is where the Innosuisse flagship project “SWIRCULAR”, which Blum is co-leading, comes in. The aim is to promote more sustainable processes in the construction industry. Blum explains: “The construction industry has a major task ahead of it. It’s about rethinking value chains and integrating sustainable materials.”

Listen in now:

Links to the topic

Anne-Careen Stoltze is Editor in Chief of the science magazine SocietyByte and Host of the podcast "Let's Talk Business". She works in communications at BFH Business School, she is a journalist and geologist.