22nd April, Kolkata: SwitchON Foundation along with California based Network for Global Innovation (NGIN) & Netherland based SED Fund, today announced a major initiative at the Bengal Global Business Summit, called the “West Bengal Innovation Network (WBIN)” – a network of incubators, universities and business associations to incubate, support and scale green entrepreneurs, MSMEs and businesses across West Bengal.
The WBIN is backed and supported by the Department of Power, Government of West Bengal. Which has a special agreement in the form of a MoU, to undertake innovation challenges and invite business ideas based on new technology in the area of clean tech ranging from energy to mobility.
With a national commitment at the COP21 Summit 2015 – to reduce emission intensity by 33-35 per cent by 2030 from 2005 levels, the country today is in a dire position to introduce clean energy alternative and energy efficiency across all sectors which needs to be further coupled with India’s rapid economic growth, rising urbanization, travel demand and energy security.
Besides, India’s aspiration to become a world leader must resonate more with its youth than anyone else. The youth (18-29 years) constitute 22 percent of its population, which is more than 261 million people. The entire initiative will eventually support the youth in bringing their ideas to practice, with an aim to develop an entrepreneurial support system across the state. Supporting young entrepreneurs to compete with ideas of business innovation, while inspiring them to take up action that can lead to development of a new sustainable state economy, while at the same time ensuring minimizing ecological impact.
Speaking during the launch, Mr. Fred H. Walti II, President of California based NGIN said; “There is an urgent need to bridge the growing innovation gap for rapid deployment of clean technologies around the world, particularly in India which has the youngest talented population, huge renewable energy potential and ever increasing demand.”
He further added that “Young minds are best positioned to innovate because they are learning and are open to new ideas. At a global level young entrepreneurs are already bringing a lot of innovation to climate action, and Bengal also needs to walk the same path. Solar energy, wind power, electric cars, remote working tools and technologies to reduce emissions are present, and it is entrepreneurs who can bring these into reality.”
Speaking while delivering the welcome address Mr. Vikas Mehta, Executive Director, SED Fund said “India’s net zero targets require ambitious investments to be made for ecosystems that create not just energy transition, but also turbocharge economic and jobs growth. We believe that a progressive state like West Bengal is well positioned to be a leader in this sustainability driven model, and WBIN is the catalyst to achieve these targets.”
WBIN will be an unique network that would exclusively focus on Environment Sustainability and will support Green Industry / Economy. Including renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, pollution control, waste management, electric mobility / non motorized transport, energy efficiency, soil remediation, circular economy, plastics recycling, etc
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