BRIGAID Connect, unlocking Climate Solutions.
BRIGAID Connect is a non-profit collective of experts in climate, economics, finance, business, and design.
We create communities that link innovators in our network with institutions, companies, and activists to build actionable solutions that drive positive environmental, economic, social, and cultural impact.
To achieve this goal, BRIGAID Connect has created the Climate Innovation Window (CIW) platform within the European BRIGAID (2016-2020) project, a vital tool that will enable BRIGAID Connect to maximise its impact on the climate ecosystem and ensure that the communities it develops become strong, capable and influential.
Within the ARSINOE project, BRIGAID Connect is currently working on developing a revised version of the Climate Platform. The aim is to transform the current qualified directory of climate solutions into a specialized platform where innovators, end-users, and investors in the climate adaptation sector can connect and meet each other’s needs.
A new stage: the main objectives of the Climate Innovation Window:
- Create innovation ecosystems specialized in climate resilience. In this way, stakeholders from different sectors will have access to qualified information to reduce the risks they currently face.
- Connect these innovation ecosystems with those in need of solutions for problems derived from climate change.
- Support innovators to develop, implement, and commercialise effective, financially viable, and environmentally sustainable solutions, both at a local and European level.
- Transform the platform into a solid business model, making it sustainable, scalable and profitable while:
- Making the platform a relevant tool for climate resilience in Europe by giving access to solutions for the management of climate risks.
- Being an ally of climate solution creators who need innovative support, tailored to their specific problems, to commercialise their solutions.
- In the future, the platform should become a tool to identify problems and connect solutions for adaptation to climate change. It should also provide measures and innovation packages.
What are the steps that the new version of the CIW has taken in ARSINOE?
- Improving the user interface: rebranding and redesigning the platform to strengthen the brand, bring it closer to users, and improve its usability. The interface has also been updated to make information more accessible and to make it much easier to consult the climate innovative solutions, both on desktop and mobile versions, using the search bar.
- Taxonomy and Filtering: Redefining and updating the classifications of Areas, Solutions, and Topics. This will make it easier to access all types of solutions and broaden the search options.
- Implementing and developing new functionalities: To enable technological scalability of the platform and possible future enhancements.
- Compliance with legal regulations: To ensure the protection of innovators’ data published on the site, GDPR adaptation, and revision of IP terms and conditions.
- Support tools for innovators: Creation of landing pages and an explanatory video for the promotion of the platform. In addition, the new version of the platform has transformed the innovation submission form into a support tool. This allows innovators to know how to enter information to make it more relevant and specific to their potential.
- Platform sustainability: Ensure the future of the platform and the achievement of BRIGAID Connect‘s goals by designing a sustainable business model.
The whole team behind the new Climate Innovation Window version:
- BRIGAID Connect: The multidisciplinary team of the entity led the project, conceived, designed, and developed the platform, and also took care of its taxonomy. In particular, Icatalist was the expert in knowledge restructuring. Off Course designed the project to ensure that the platform was functional, user-friendly, scalable and market driven.
- Enrich Global and G.A.C.: These two entities, partners of BRIGAID Connect in the ARSINOE project consortium, aim to facilitate the transfer and exploitation of knowledge for start-ups and SMEs. Hand in hand, BRIGAID Connect has been working on market and user research to develop a sustainable business model capable of supporting itself in achieving its objectives.
- REGILIENCE: The REGILIENCE project team reviewed more than 120 platforms and selected the CIW to help it become an essential tool for addressing the challenges of climate change. Through its strategic, communication and technology framework, it has worked with all stakeholders in the new version of the platform to help them achieve their outcomes.
Some further remarks: The platform history:
Information on the EU projects related to the development of the platform.
- BRIGAID (Bridging the gap for innovations in disaster resilience): A 4-year project (2016-2020) under EU Horizon2020 aimed to effectively bridge the gap between innovators and end-users in resilience to floods, droughts, and extreme weather.
- ARSINOE (Climate-resilient regions through systemic solutions and innovations):
An EU-funded project aimed at creating climate resilient-regions through systemic solutions and innovations. - REGILIENCE (Regional Pathways to Climate Resilience): A EU-funded project that aims at sharing the most promising cross-sectoral adaptation solutions, supporting cities and regions across Europe to become more resilient to climate change.
You can download the full Platform’s Story here.
