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Danish biotechnology firm Novozymes on Thursday launched an open innovation initiative called HelloScience, which would encourage collaborative efforts to find solutions for global challenges identified in UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
The first theme picked by Novozymes is water and there are five specific challenges associated with it, the company said in a release issued in Copenhagen.
Among the challenges identified in the water sector is the need for developing a device that could help in quicker detection of escherichia coli – which causes diarrhoea and other water-borne diseases in drinking water. The current tests for the E. coli bacteria, which kills 18,000 children a day, takes up to 24 hours. UNICEF has been looking for a diagnostic kit which can do on-the-spot testing of drinking water.
Other challenges focus on biological solutions to remove polluting chemicals from water or improve cleaning of wastewater. That includes better filtering, less sludge, and recovery of phosphate, a precious nutrient, from wastewater.
“Everybody with an interest in water can suggest ideas at HelloScience.io. Start-ups and small companies are the primary target group, but water experts, university researchers, corporates, NGOs, investors, students and others are also welcome,” the company release said.
“Water and sanitation are at the heart of sustainable development. One out of every seven people does not have adequate access to safe water, and nearly one in four does not have adequate sanitation,” said Novozymes senior vice president Claus Crone Fuglsang, who heads research and technology division
The participants can also get access to a network of researchers and innovators to help work on the concept. The best solutions would receive enzyme and microorganism samples from Novozymes and further access to experts, including Novozymes’ investment team and industry business teams.
A challenge runs for a specified length of time, at the end of which Novozymes offers one participant the opportunity to co-develop their solution with Novozymes.
All intellectual property generated in the challenges would remain with those coming up with the original idea.
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