Earlier this week, UCL School of Management’s recently-unveiled Centre for Sustainable Businesses hosted “Salon Evening: Berlin meets London”, a significant networking event held during London Tech Week. This exclusive gathering brought together leaders from both Berlin and London’s climate and innovation ecosystems to foster new collaborations and partnerships.
Organised collaboratively by Sophie Persigehl from Urban Impact, Carlotta Krone-Danhier from Climate Tech Hub e.V. and Simon Sylvester-Chaudhuri from CIV:LAB, the event explored the significance of cross-border cooperation in addressing global challenges in the urban space. Specifically, it provided a platform for key stakeholders to exchange ideas, present current projects, and discuss visions for creating sustainable impact.
On the night, we heard from ten sustainability startups, which presented their innovative solutions to urban challenges. These startups showcased diverse projects, from renewable energy to smart city technologies, water networks, and sustainable investments. For example, we heard from Dominik Zalewski, Co-Founder of Urban Impact, an innovative organisation bridging the gap between venture capital, startups, and city policies to ensure that all solutions are effectively integrated.
Attendees also learned about the UCL School of Management’s work on sustainability, with a particular focus on the upcoming launch of the UCL Centre for Sustainable Businesses initiative, which is designed to empower businesses and leaders with cutting-edge knowledge and the tools for sustainable business transformation. The Centre is co-founded by Paolo Taticchi, Professor of Strategy and Sustainability; Sunny Lee, Associate Professor of Organisational Behaviour; and Onesun Steve Yoo, Associate Professor of Operations & Technology and Marketing & Analytics.
The event also highlighted UCL’s commitment to addressing global challenges through its Grand Challenges initiative, which focuses on bringing together expertise from across the university to tackle the world’s most pressing issues. Earlier this year, the School also launched a new MSc in Business and Sustainability, combining the expertise of the Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources and the UCL School of Management. Jen Rhymer, Assistant Professor in Strategy and Entrepreneurship, who teaches Sustainable Business in Practice, emphasised the importance of the event: “Sustainability requires ecosystems and connectivity across different locations. Bringing people together to connect and learn, as we did today, is essential for fostering the collaborations needed to build sustainable ventures.” Her view was echoed by Tim Ruthven, Director for External Engagement: “This evening has highlighted the immense potential of fostering international collaborations to address global challenges. Events like these are crucial in enhancing our collective capacity to tackle urban sustainability issues.”
Pierre-Jean Hanard, School Lead for Entrepreneurship at UCL School of Management, who also presented the School’s activities, expressed his enthusiasm about the event, stating, “Both Berlin and London have vibrant entrepreneurship ecosystems and, by bringing together key stakeholders dedicated to shaping the future landscape of climate and innovation, we can co-create and spread innovative solutions to urban challenges.”
For more information about upcoming events and initiatives at the UCL School of Management, please visit our events page.
