SPIRE Start-Ups Mentoring Programme: building a culture of innovation

The SPIRE STARTUPS  mentoring programme in Baia Mare proposes experimenting, testing, and implementing original, innovative, visionary projects for sustainable land use and Nature-Based Solutions (NBS). The programme aims to enable local, sustainable entrepreneurship by attracting talent from the local community, securing the creation, development, and implementation of the selected businesses' ideas and models, and promoting them at local, regional, national, and international levels .

^{Fig. 3: SPIRE STARTUPS mentoring programme. Announcement proposal. Source: SPIRE project} 

The SPIRE project proposes the recovery and reuse of five heavy metal-polluted lands through phytoremediation techniques. They seek to transform the biomass from the decontamination process into new, usable, and valuable products for society. SPIRE will take advantage of the resulting biomass derived from nature-based solutions to stimulate local value chains within a circular performance scheme by launching and incubating new bio-based businesses focused on bioenergy and/or eco-materials and eco-products.

The mentoring programme process encompasses a series of steps:

• Open Call and registration to the program: The consortium launches the SPIRE mentoring programme for startups. It attempts to stimulate circular and sustainable entrepreneurship (s) by attracting local talent, training, and coaching younger generations to enable new business model development (s) based on biomass value-chain. Eligible candidates are those people who are under 35. 10 applications were selected in 2021.
• Pre-accelerator:  Mentoring 1st Stage. Workshop series (from April to October 2021) to discuss the concept of Nature Based Startups and analyze examples and best practices; to introduce and develop the Business Model Canvas rationale and specific training in public speaking. In parallel, the selected applicants were able to join individual mentoring sessions during the same period.
• Demo day (Hybrid event): Select 3 projects for the mentoring second stage.

-Jury panel: Laviniu Chis (Regional Development Agency  North-West, LC Learning & Consulting Company), Ardelean Alina (REPOM LLC – Renewable Energy Production – Operation and Management), Razvan- Lucian Andronic  (Spiru Haret University) and Bodor Agota (Baia Mare municipality). -Citizens´ vote: Launched on the project website, www.spire.city/voting (up to 3 votes for 3 different ideas after signing into the platform).

The three start-ups selected after the demo-day will enter the Accelerator: Mentoring 2nd Stage and will use the facilities of SPIRE Hub & Makerspace (Ekolive, Treebio and Hemptechular):

EKOLIVE  - (Youtube Presentation)

^{Table 1: SPIRE Start-ups Panel Appraisal – Ekolive -. Source: SPIRE project.}

Ekolive is a product already registered and patented by a company, reaching Technological Readiness Level 7. It offers a solution for phytoremediation based on bioleaching with the heterotrophic bacteria method. It minimizes the breakdown and ecological release of organic contaminants. A biofertilizer is produced to support phytoremediation and replace the potential use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The purpose of Ekolive product submission under the accelerator programme, is to test this product on the highly contaminated soils of Baia Mare.

Bioleaching by bacteria is an innovative and effective method of releasing metals and it has many advantages. The bacteria remove  toxic pollution in situ, including cyanides. The operation results in a secondary material: high-quality minerals used for fertilization to stimulate the vegetation in contaminated areas.

Bioleaching by bacteria is an innovative and effective method of releasing metals and it has many advantages. The bacteria remove  toxic pollution in situ, including cyanides. The operation results in a secondary material: high-quality minerals used for fertilization to stimulate the vegetation in contaminated areas.

The product is 100% biological: the bacteria transform harmful minerals into other  biological and valuable materials. No chemicals are used. Ekolive, which is a start-up, was considered to be the most mature company unanimously by the jury.

TREEBIO - (Youtube Presentation)

^{Table 2: SPIRE Start-ups Panel Appraisal – Treebio -. Source: SPIRE project} 

TreeBio proposes a new material combining two kinds of waste: biomass and plastic. The new material would be used for 3D printing  (decorative objects and/or furniture). There are several references at the international level, but it has not been possible to find a national or local example. The Treebio initiative could play a valuable role within the SPIRE project scheme since the project could build robust linkages with potential recycling materials processes, an activity that the iLEU can enable.

^{Fig. 6:  Excerpt from Treebio presentation.  Source: https://youtu.be/cHkf0JfrmAQ}

The initiative was submitted by a local citizen and could be technically developed after validation.

HEMPTECHULAR - (Youtube Presentation)

^{Table 3: SPIRE Start-ups Panel Appraisal – Hemptechular-. Source: SPIRE project.}

Hemptechular proposes to replace wood in the construction sector with hempcrete. The core idea of this proposal is the cultivation and transformation of hemp   into hempcrete, an alternative to wood for construction. The project is coherent with SPIRE's aim, although the legal pathway must be clarified. There are several references at the international level, but it has not been possible to find a national or local example.

From a scientific point of view, it is necessary to test the hempcrete obtained from heavy metal-polluted soils  and to ascertain its potential effect on public health. Hemptechular was submitted by a local resident. Due to legal limitations, this project has yet to be developed.

SUSTAINABLE VILLAGE  - (Youtube Presentation)

^{Table 4:  SPIRE Start-ups Panel Appraisal – Sustainable Village-. Source: SPIRE project.}

In 2022, the project Treebio left the programme, due to the difficulties in finding financial support to develop the prototype. The SPIRE STARTUPS mentoring programme has continued working with another project: Sustainable Village (The next contender on the list ranked by citizens and a jury.).

Sustainable Village aims to obtain clean energy from urban green waste. Those involved surveyed a rural administrative area to demonstrate the proposal's feasibility on a small scale. The survey analyzed the behaviour of the local citizens with regards to the use of/disposal of branches, showing that 70% of the wood is burned in private gardens, which is illegal in Romania. It causes environmental problems since this green waste is derived from activities such as pruning or agriculture on heavy metal-contaminated soils.

^{Fig. 8:  Excerpt from Sustainable Village presentation.  Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0drxsKgUIZw}

Sustainable Village is a service-based business from a holistic and integrated approach. The project aims to resolve the illegal and environmental problem of the burning or disposing of wood by collecting the branches. It also provides an environmentally respectful and cheaper thermal energy resource for heating public buildings.

Sustainable Village is a non-profit organization that has to involve multiple stakeholders, including local government, to make the project feasible.

^{Fig. 9:  SPIRE STARTUPS Timeline. Source: SPIRE project.}

In the following project stages, personalized SPIRE STARTUPS mentoring sessions will be provided, with particular attention to all the necessary resources and activities to support the prototype development for new biomaterials. Despite the need for more financial support for prototyping (a valuable lesson learned from this experience), the accelerator Mentoring 2nd Stage will provide know-how on internationalization, IP certification, marketing, and other management-related content.

^{Fig. 10:  Design Sprint dimensions. Source: https://design-sprint.com/google-ventures-design-sprint/}

In complementarity with the SPIRE STARTUPS mentoring program, several courses on bio-based materials and nature-based by-products will be conducted at the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca - North University Centre of Baia Mare-Faculty of Science in collaboration with the Association of Maramures Entrepreneurs. These courses will combine knowledge from biological sciences, economic disciplines, and industrial expertise to enable new bio-based materials, products, or services beyond construction techniques The final goal is to launch a SPIRE bio-challenge, structured using the design-sprint method,  a five-day working process for empathizing, defining, and deciding on new ideas to solve significant issues through prototyping and testing ideas with customers.

The experience and lessons gained through the SPIRE START-UPS programmes ensure a very valuable retrofit for the entire SPIRE project.

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