December 2024
This report synthesises insights from a roundtable discussion at the Insights Forum 2024, focusing on scaling sustainable innovation from research to market adoption. The discussion emphasised the importance of bridging the gap between groundbreaking academic research and commercial readiness to address critical global challenges such as climate change and resource scarcity.
Three major themes emerged as critical for closing this innovation gap:
Sustainable technologies in sectors such as energy, agriculture, and manufacturing often face significant hurdles in progressing from research to commercialisation. Limited access to capital, challenges in scaling solutions, and a lack of skilled talent were identified as recurring obstacles.
Discussions at the roundtable highlighted the need for new approaches, including innovative financial mechanisms, interdisciplinary collaboration, and targeted skill development programmes. These strategies aim to foster a conducive ecosystem for advancing sustainable technologies, enabling them to achieve commercial success and drive measurable impact across industries. By addressing these challenges collaboratively, stakeholders can accelerate the transition from academic innovation to market-driven solutions, contributing to a more sustainable and resilient future.
The pressing need to address sustainability challenges, including climate change and resource scarcity, highlights the importance of accelerating the transition of sustainable innovations from research to commercial application. Discussions at the roundtable covered a range of critical issues, including the creation of collaborative ecosystems, overcoming funding barriers, and developing scalable business models for sustainable technologies. This report distills the key insights and actionable outcomes from these discussions, providing a comprehensive framework for addressing these challenges, supplemented by relevant research findings.
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