The biggest mistake sustainability entrepreneurs make when attempting to collaborate: thinking it will be easy! Sustainability people tend to have similar values and that can lead to lack of structure and rules in collaboration. My trick: pretend the collaboration will be between two horrid people (rather than the wonderful people you really are). Then set up boundaries, formal contracts and MOUs from that standpoint. I promise it will prevent problems down the line!

The problems we have are global, but often the solutions are local - so look to your local region to see how you can get involved as you can have significant impact here. Try to compliment, rather than compete, with what is happening in your region and think first and foremost about how you can help, and secondly, how others can help you. There are many great people doing brilliant things at a regional level so think about how you can accelerate the pace of change using your unique skillset and fill the gaps that your local city/county needs. 90%+ of businesses in the UK are SMEs, working together we have a lot of power!

Collaborate with green entrepreneurs through: Sustainability Accelerators: Engage in programs like Carbon 13 or Tech Stars Sustainability. They're perfect for networking, accessing valuable resources, securing funding, and foster meaningful partnerships. Events at Major Conferences: Actively participate in or host events at major conferences such as COP, DAVOS, or NYC Climate Week. Utilize these high-profile platforms for showcasing your innovations, sharing insights, and forming global collaborations. Joint Funding Opportunities: Explore collaborative funding like joint grant applications or co-investments. You can pool financial resources but also merge diverse expertise to enhance the impact and scope of your projects.

Collaborating with fellow green entrepreneurs is key to building a sustainable future. Establishing networks through eco-focused forums and events fosters shared goals. Pooling resources for joint projects amplifies impact and promotes innovation. Open communication allows the exchange of ideas and best practices, ensuring collective growth. Collaborative research and development efforts can lead to breakthroughs in sustainable technologies. Partnering with like-minded businesses for supply chain sustainability strengthens the green ecosystem. Lastly, engaging in advocacy together amplifies the collective voice, influencing policies for a more sustainable business environment.

Community in the climate space is more than just sharing tips - it's a lifeline. Community matters, because we have strength in numbers. Going up against climate deniers and fossil fuel giants is no easy task, and having a community gives a shared feeling that it is not a single person's burden.

Finding connections that align with mutual goals is the key. Entrepreneurship is really a lot of work and energy, and it's easy to get distracted by something that may feel like a good connection at first. Save yourself and others time by being direct, open, and focused. When you find others that align with what you're working on, then you can really begin to foster each other's needs. Don't be afraid to say 'this isn't a fit' just because you both feel it's worthy of being solved for. Better yet, resolve to connect them with someone who can help but don't occupy too much of their time just because you're both pursuing "green" ventures.

Como mentora de profissionais da área ambiental, minha missão é compartilhar insights valiosos, minha experiência de mais de 15 anos na consultoria ambiental e mostrar o caminho das pedras, orientando outros profissionais a como construir uma jornada de sucesso na consultoria ambiental. Quando você está com pessoas que já passaram pelo mesmo processo que você está passando, fica muito mais simples e fácil! Eu gostaria de ter tido mentores no início da minha jornada... Mas que bom que hoje eu posso ser essa pessoa! É um grande privilégio poder compartilhar minha jornada com outros profissionais e contribuir com suas trajetórias de sucesso na consultoria ambiental !!!

Uma reflexão que considero é que, no âmbito da sustentabilidade e da melhoria de vida para toda a humanidade, a ideia de concorrência perde sentido quando podemos compartilhar conhecimentos capazes de transformar a realidade de uma comunidade. Se você tem a oportunidade de compartilhar conhecimentos que podem impactar positivamente a vida de muitos, não hesite em fazê-lo!

En definitiva, agruparse siempre tendrá un impacto supremo al individual. Unirse a gremios como el de "Sistema B" por ejemplo, contribuye al crecimiento y aprendizaje colectivo. Se puede manejar a nivel local como internacional en ese y otros gremios. El relacionamiento es importante para que en base a la empatía corporativa se puedan extraer las mejores lecciones, acortar brechas y reducir la curva de aprendizaje. Es más rápido y efectivo.

Finding synergy and partnerships: Identify complementary skills and resources: Analyze your strengths and weaknesses as an entrepreneur. Look for partners who can fill your gaps and vice versa. This could involve anything from marketing expertise to technical skills or access to funding. Co-create solutions: Brainstorm together and explore opportunities to combine your expertise and resources to develop innovative and impactful solutions for sustainability challenges. Consider cross-promotion and joint ventures: Partner with other green businesses to reach a wider audience and amplify your collective impact. This could involve co-branded marketing campaigns, cross-promotions, or even joint ventures to develop new products or services.

En mi expericiencia como emprendedora en servicios de sustentabilidad, encontrar sinergias con otros emprendedores es clave para crecer. Tener el ojo abierto y el oido preparado para entender los objetivos de otras startups o proyectos permite encontrar oportunidades de colaboración. La sustentabilidad tiene una característica interesantísima que es que repercute en la cadena de valor de toda empresa y cascadea aguas arriba y aguas abajo de las operaciones. Esto implica que hay que conectar distintas partes interesadas. Además, la sustentabilidad es muy amplia (tiene muchos aspectos a considerar), por lo que se precisa de una interconexión de soluciones flexibles

In my experience with green entrepreneurship, I witnessed a successful partnership that exemplifies the power of collaboration. Two eco-friendly businesses, one specializing in sustainable packaging and the other in organic skincare, joined forces. They created a co-branded, eco-conscious skincare line with biodegradable packaging. This collaboration leveraged their individual strengths – superior product quality and sustainable packaging – resulting in a product that resonated with environmentally conscious consumers. The campaign was a hit, driving sales and awareness for both brands. It showcased how aligning complementary skills and values in the green business sector can lead to innovative solutions and heightened market impact.

Parcerias são fundamentais na área ambiental e ninguém cresce sozinho ou promove um grande impacto no mundo estando só. Por isso é super importante um empreendedor sustentável unir forças a outro. Um trabalha com efluentes, se junta com quem trabalha com resíduos. Um trabalha a questão social e não vê que resíduos é questão de responsabilidade socioambiental e dá pra prestar um serviço às empresas, unindo questões sociais e ambientais, apoiando cooperativas de catadores, por exemplo... Fazer parte de uma boa rede de networking e conhecer empresários que têm a mesma missão de vida é fundamental! Saber que você não está só nessa jornada por um mundo melhor, e deixará muito mais forte e te fará alcançar grandes realizações!

Partnering with green entrepreneurs for projects can be mutually beneficial in several ways. By combining expertise, resources, both parties can achieve greater impact and success in their sustainability initiatives. Green entrepreneurs bring innovative ideas and specialized knowledge in areas such as renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, waste management, and clean transportation. Collaborating with them allows for the sharing of insights and best practices, leading to more effective solutions. Furthermore, partnering can provide access to new markets, customers, and funding opportunities. Their networks within green economy and beyond can open doors to partnerships with other businesses, investors, and governmental organizations.

I believe in working with everyone in your field and your competitors especially when it is for the greater goal of saving our planet. In our industry the cleaning market I have made a point of building strong relationships with all of the sustainable suppliers in the space. We should all be viewing traditional technologies and suppliers that aren't thinking of the environment as competitors and instead growing our sustainable market together. An example of this is Jordan Hurley and I (owner of Soap2O) have built a strong relationship around the shared values of ridding the market of single use soap containers, we were once competitors but that should be irrelevant we are in sustainability for the benefit of our planet!

Collaborating with fellow green entrepreneurs is key to shaping a sustainable future. Support each other's growth by sharing insights, resources, and experiences. Collective efforts amplify impact, fostering innovation and resilience within the sustainable business ecosystem. By cultivating a community that champions environmental and social responsibility, we can drive meaningful change and accelerate the transition to a net-zero future. Let's unite for sustainable success.

As a startup/entrepreneur, the focus on developing a unique solution is paramount, especially when it's an integral part of a broader ecosystem. Joining forces with fellow entrepreneurs addressing complementary challenges is key. By collaborating startups can collectively enhance the sustainability of their solutions. For instance, as the Co-Founder of Bio-fluff, creating the world's first plant-based fur, our focus is on developing our technologies. Acknowledging the complexity of tasks like packaging, dyeing, and shipping, we recognize the value in partnering with entrepreneurs specializing in these areas. This approach not only allows us to promote and support each other but also contributes to a better solution for our shared ecosystem.

O mundo enfrenta desafios complexos, como a fome. Resolver esse desafio isoladamente pode parecer impossível, mas ao unirmos forças para ampliar e potencializar os impactos positivos de nossas ações, certamente inspiraremos muitos a participarem desse movimento e o que antes era complexo começara a se resolver.

En mi experiencia, hace 7 años lancé una marca sostenible con sus propios productos, un ecommerce para venderle al Perú y al mundo, definitivamente el avance de manera individual es mucho más lento que el grupal. Llegamos a aprovechar la analítica ecommerce para darnos cuenta que las personas buscaban mucho más y es porque están inmersos en las necesidades de un estilo de vida sostenible, empezamos a invitar marcas y se sumaron más de 40 incluyendo ONGs, algo que formó una comunidad de más de 80mil personas interesadas en este estilo de vida. Esta lección me permite sugerir que la mejor forma de avanzar es en grupo, tiene más fuerza, más impacto, más relevancia.

Embrace a transformative perspective by collaborating with fellow green entrepreneurs. Join networks, share resources, and cross-promote for collective visibility. Tackle larger challenges through joint projects, fostering knowledge exchange and innovation. Build ethical supply chains, advocate for sustainability, and pool resources for R&D. Implement circular economy practices and collaborate on securing funding. Explore joint market expansion and create shared learning platforms. This united force accelerates the transition to a sustainable future, fostering positive change in the business landscape.

One project I'm working on currently will be to collaborate with a leading NGO on a game-changing hackathon! We're bringing together talented students to tackle some of the world's most pressing challenges. This isn't just any hackathon – we're focusing on developing real-world solutions that will be directly mapped to specific UN Sustainable Development Goals. With exciting prizes, funding opportunities, and the potential to launch pilot projects, this hackathon promises to be a platform for impactful sustainable solutions and a catalyst for positive sustainable change.

Sin duda la colaboración para un futuro más verde como mencionado arriba es el principal beneficio, se puede realizar también optimización de la cadena de valor de las iniciativas en que colabores porque pueda que tu emprendimiento haga algo con el tallo del bambú y otro de los que te juntos con las hojas, así que se pueden optimizar el uso y disminuir desperdicios.