MUSCAT, DEC 17 - Be’ah, the Oman Environmental Services Holding Company, has launched the first-of-its-kind programme to support the local SMEs towards a sustainable waste management programme, where ‘waste’ will not be wasted but used for various national developmental programmes. Accordingly, be’ah has joined hands with Inspired Solutions, an SME consultancy firm, to launch an acceleration programme, which is considered to be the first in the country designed to support innovative entrepreneurs who are working to implement creative and sustainable solutions to today’s environmental resource challenges.
“We are looking at all three pillars of sustainability — society, environment and economy. When we look at economy, it’s trying to be in harmony with all other pillars and we encourage SMEs to enter the environmental initiatives and it is for the global goodness only,” said Dr Muhab bin Ali al Hinai, Head of Environmental Centre of Excellence at be’ah.
He further said that the business news platform Bloomberg had reported a few months back that by 2025 the value of the recycling industry will be $500 billion.
“As we are transitioning from the oil economy, we need to cash in on sectors like waste management and we want to encourage our local SMEs to create real value and enter sustainable economy. We can help them and spin them off into sustainable economy and add values as well as the society,” Dr Muhab added.
Inspired Solutions, an SME consultancy firm, is running a number of SME accelerator programmes and facilitates the development of over 130 Omani SMEs.
We have accelerated 150 Omani-owned small businesses and our first one entirely focusing on the environment and ecological sector.
“Our aim is to commercialise the waste streams and by doing so, we are empowering the startups to take up the waste streams of be’ah and make them commercially viable. Their skill set will be developed into a viable commercial entity and at the end of the programme we will be recognising the winners,” said William Crowe, Founder and CEO, Inspired Solutions.
When the project is implemented, there will be real-time solutions to concrete and bricks from building waste being recycled into new products for marines and lagoons instead of using fresh cement for their construction. Artificial reefs also can be made out of such building waste.
“Food waste can be recycled to create fish foods which are used for aquaculture and encourage such fishermen. These startups can source the food from hotels and elsewhere. Additionally, e-waste can be used for making artificial ornaments,” Crowe adds.
“The Eco-Innovate Oman (EIO) platform will select few local startups at various stages of development that demonstrate high potential within field of environmental sustainability such as waste management, agriculture, water aquaculture/marine, biotechnology, eco-tourism, and other environmental sectors,” said Dr Farah al Barwani, Research and Development Manager at Environmental Centre of Excellence at be’ah.
“With a team of local and international experts and the support of the relevant local stakeholders, these startups will be driven through targeted training programmes with the aim of preparing the SMEs to become investment ready,” she adds.
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