Uniting Water, Energy Food Tour

An Innovation Tour To Solve The Most Crucial Impact Areas In Water, Energy and Food

To solve the most pressing issues on an environmental level in water, energy and food, there is an urgent need to test, prove and globally scale the brightest startup solutions. The Netherlands invites you to test and scale your impact venture as we move towards Expo 2020 Dubai. The Uniting Water Energy Food innovation tour leads us through virtual events in United Arab Emirates, Asia Pacific region, Middle East North Africa region, The Netherlands and Jordan.

The top innovations will be invited to join us at Expo 2020 Dubai for the Finals event in January 2022.

Show us your interest

Is your impact solution the key to a better future?

Global challenges call for global collaboration. If you are based in the MENA or APAC regions or in the Netherlands and meet the selection criteria, you can apply to one of our challenges in the domains of water, energy and food via this link to test and scale your solution with investors, corporates and governments in your region!

Innovate together

All
Food
Water
Energy

Food

Growing, processing, packaging, distributing, consuming and disposing. While the means are many, the end is one - to use innovation to end global hunger.

According to the World Food Programme, 135 million people suffered from hunger in early 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic could now double that number, putting an additional 130 million people at risk of suffering acute hunger by the end of the year.

We’re looking for innovations that can accomplish Zero Hunger (SDG 2) and help eradicate all forms of malnutrition by 2030. Solutions focused on Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12) are key to counteract the disparity that irresponsible food habits has created globally.

GROWING
Sustainable alternative input of raw materials and growing processes
- Aeroponics
- Alternative pest repeller
- Alternative proteins (e.g. insects)
- Aquaponics
- Hydroponics
- Indigenous seeds
- Natural crop protection
- Sustainable irrigation
- Vertical farming
FOOD PROCESSING
Making the production process more sustainable and less polluting
- Cleaning
- Crop harvesting
- Cultivating
- Grading
- Pre-preparation
- Sorting
PACKAGING & DISTRIBUTION
Ensuring the processing & distribution of food becomes more sustainable
- Alternative food packaging
- Biodegradable food packaging
- Emission reduction in logistics & shipping
- Local sourcing
- Preservatives
- Transportation
- Warehouse storage
FOOD CONSUMPTION
Solving the polluting effects of food consumption
- Certifications / registration
- Humane
- Locally sourced
- Sustainably sourced/harvested/organic
- Veg(etari)an
- Wild sourcing (fish)
FOOD WASTE
Dealing with food waste across the value chain
- Composting
- Non-synthetic
- Recyclable
- Waste reduction
- Waste tracking

Hargol Foodtech

Winner Get in the Ring Global 2017

Sustainable grasshopper production

eAgrar

Winner Get in the Ring Croatia 2019

Monitoring crops and microclimate conditions to predict onset diseases

eFishery

Winner Get in the Ring Global 2014

IoT feeding machines for aquaculture

Cellugy

Winner Get in the Ring Denmark 2019

Bio-cellulose material to replace plastic packaging

Wakuli

Direct to customer sustainable sourced coffee bean service

FreshStrips

Winner Get in the Ring Netherlands 2016

Smart labels indicating food freshness

Mimica

Smart labels indicating food freshness

Water

How can we improve water availability, quality and resilience to ensure nobody is left behind?

One in three people live without sanitation and access to safe drinking water and two in five do not have a basic hand-washing facility.

We need solutions in Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6) to halt the unnecessary death and disease that results from this. Additionally, we’re looking for innovations for Life Below Water (SDG 14) that conserve, sustainably use and reduce the pressure on marine resources.

WATER AVAILABILITY
Improving water efficiency and saving water to reduce water wastage
- Wastewater management
- Water conservation
- Water leakage
- Water reuse
- Water saving technologies
- Water service continuity
- Water storage
WATER QUALITY
Improving water quality and removing water pollution to increase health
- Access to clean water
- Drinking water
- Filtration
- Membranes
- Mineralization
- Purification
- Sanitation
- Sensors / monitoring
- Treated wastewater
- Water pollution
- Water-related diseases
WATER RESILIENCE
Improving water resilience to deal with uncertain circumstances
- Atmospheric water generator (capture water from air)
- Desalination
- Green spaces
- Stormwater management
- Vulnerabilities
- Disaster risks
- Flood risk
- Water reserves
- Water resources

Field Factors

Finalist Postcode Lottery Green challenge

Catching 95% of all rain water with reliable treatment, storage, and reuse

Altum Technologies

Finalist Dunea Safe Drinking Water Challenge

Ultrasonic cleaning technology designed to clean fouling from equipment without stopping production and using chemicals

LiquidGold

Unique dry sanitation technologies

The Great Bubble Barrier

Winner Postcode Lottery Green Challenge 2018

Air bubble curtain in rivers that combats the plastic soup in our oceans.

Desolenator

Finalist Rotterdam Unlocked 2020

Solar-thermal desalination technology that can be applied in a modular way

Energy

How can energy storage, distribution, generation and consumption be disrupted to accelerate the global switch to clean energy?

Renewable energy constitutes 17% of total energy consumption. While this is progress, we need to capitalize on their potential and further scale sustainable energy implementation.

We’re pursuing Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7) solutions that are making production cleaner, greener and more efficient. Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12) are key to counteract the damage that irresponsible energy consumption has done to our Planet.

STORAGE & DISTRIBUTION
Ensuring energy is delivered to the consumer in a sustainable and efficient way
- Battery technologies
- Carrier
- Grid management
- Pipeline adaptation
- Safe and effective transportation methods
ENERGY GENERATION
Making the process of energy generation more sustainable
- Efficient Processing
  - Catalyzation
  - CO2 capturing
  - CO2 utilization
  - Heat capture
  - Kynetic
- Renewable sources
  - Chemicals
  - Geothermal, hydro, solar, wind, and wave energy
  - Hydrogen
  - Biomass
  - Heat
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
Efficient energy that is utilized by the end-consumer at the right time
- Electric & Hydrogen mobility
- Energy saving
- Insights into energy use
- More efficient public energy use
- Self sufficient buildings
- Smart grids

Brill Power

Winner Shell New Energy Challenge 2017

Intelligent control system to extend the lifetime of batteries while maintaining high performance

NanoSUN

Winner Shell New energy challenge 2019

Accelerate the transition to hydrogen mobility through safe hydrogen storage

Opus 12

Finalist Sustainable Industry Challenge 2019

Convert CO₂ into profitable chemicals, such as plastics and transportation fuels

Hiiroc

Finalist Shell New Energy Challenge 2020

Low-cost, zero-emission Hydrogen production through a unique plasma process

Wellsun

Finalist Strukton Sustainable Buildings challenge 2019

Highly efficient transparent glass solar panels for energy production, solar shading

Maxem

Finalist Achmea comfortable living challenge

Measures all energy flows in your home and makes adjustments where necessary

“The Netherlands is rated the 5th most innovative country in the world. Innovation, societal challenges, and the best tech universities have created a buzzing startup ecosystem in the Netherlands. To enhance innovation among startups, partnerships are key to the successful Dutch ecosystem. We see competitions such as Get-in-the-Ring as a great opportunity to complement this approach to innovation.”

– H.E. Lody Embrechts, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the UAE

Connect With the Challenge Authors

Meet our competition partners

Meet our Dealmaking partners

“The best time to innovate for impact was 10 years ago. The second best time is now.”

JOIN US

“Solving global challenges requires unconventional solutions. We cannot solve societal, environmental or governmental challenges alone, it takes a collective mindset and global effort. Unknown Group believes that by connecting innovations from around the world to powerful decision makers, we have a real chance of changing the world for the better.”

– HENDRIK HALBE FOUNDER GET IN THE RING

The Timeline

The tour consists of 5 virtual Get in the Ring events that culminate at the Uniting Water Energy Food Finals at Expo 2020 Dubai

1st September 2021

Applications Open

Join the Uniting Water Energy Innovation Tour as a startup or scaleup

29th of September 2021

Get in the Ring UAE

Virtual event

14th of October 2021

Get in the Ring APAC (Asia Pacific)

Virtual event

16th of November 2021

Get in the Ring MENA (Middle East North Africa)

Virtual event

1st of December 2021

Get in the Ring The Netherlands

Virtual event

15th of December 2021

Get in the Ring Jordan

Virtual event

16 - 22 January 2022

Uniting Water Energy Food innovation Finals

Physical event at Expo 2020 Dubai

Meet our Team

Unknown is an early-stage venture capital and business development firm, supporting founders and industry leaders to successfully bring innovations to the market: a “Venture Engine®️”

Director Get in the Ring
Jurgen Nieuwenhuijsen
Project Lead
Elisabeth Bergendorff
Project director
Tom de Heus
Event Lead
Aurelia Fiumarelli
Partners
Samuel Downey
Innovation Scout Lead
Jasper Warmenhoven
Event support
Uyen Phuong Le
Startup Scout
Ajitesh Mali
Advisory Team
Edward de Jager

An Innovation Tour To Solve The Most Crucial Impact Areas In Water, Energy and Food

Is your impact solution the key to a better future?

Innovate together

Food

GROWING

FOOD PROCESSING

PACKAGING & DISTRIBUTION

FOOD CONSUMPTION

FOOD WASTE

Hargol Foodtech

eAgrar

eFishery

Cellugy

Wakuli

FreshStrips

Mimica

Water

WATER AVAILABILITY

WATER QUALITY

WATER RESILIENCE

Field Factors

Altum Technologies

LiquidGold

The Great Bubble Barrier

Desolenator

Energy

STORAGE & DISTRIBUTION

ENERGY GENERATION

ENERGY CONSUMPTION

Brill Power

NanoSUN

Opus 12

Hiiroc

Wellsun

Maxem

Connect With the Challenge Authors

Meet our competition partners

Meet our Dealmaking partners

“The best time to innovate for impact was 10 years ago. The second best time is now.”

The Timeline

Applications Open

Get in the Ring UAE

Get in the Ring APAC (Asia Pacific)

Get in the Ring MENA (Middle East North Africa)

Get in the Ring The Netherlands

Get in the Ring Jordan

Uniting Water Energy Food innovation Finals

Meet our Team

Director Get in the Ring

Jurgen Nieuwenhuijsen

Project Lead

Elisabeth Bergendorff

Project director

Tom de Heus

Event Lead

Aurelia Fiumarelli

Partners

Samuel Downey

Innovation Scout Lead

Jasper Warmenhoven

Event support

Uyen Phuong Le

Startup Scout

Ajitesh Mali

Advisory Team

Edward de Jager