Cleantech takes over consumer markets

9.3 How was this report done
This report was done in collaboration between Demos Helsinki and Solved for Team Finland,
The Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation. The research included two phases: desktop study
and horizon scanning. In the first stage, the desktop study of consumer cleantech related
reports was conducted. As a basis of the desktop study, a list of megatrends was formed. The
list was proofed and further developed with expert interviews. 15 experts were interviewed
for this report, including experienced founders and organisers of top class cleantech events
as well as startup and business hubs from Finland and abroad (see list of experts, Appendix
9.2). Next, drivers relevant for the development of consumer cleantech were identified as a
result of the interviews. 15 experts were interviewed and the interviews were transcribed.
See Appendix 9.2 for the list of experts. Transcriptions of 19 consumer cleantech startups’
interviews (conducted by Demos Helsinki in 2014 and 2015) was analysed to recognize
Finnish companies bottlenecks to growth (Section 6.1.3).
In addition, a comprehensive listing of consumer cleantech companies was outlined.
Incubators and accelerators across the world were contacted for inquiry about consumer
cleantech companies. Through interviews, desktop study, and professional contacts the list
of consumer cleantech startups around the world was made.
The list of companies mostly includes startups, but also some more established companies
and a few other kinds of organisations and projects that relate to consumer cleantech. In total,
235 startups and 45 larger organisations adopting smart business models or collaborating
with smaller consumer cleantech companies were investigated. The startups came from 21
different countries on four different continents. Many of them are international companies
that operate in multiple countries. The 45 larger companies adopting smart business models
or collaborating with smaller consumer cleantech companies operate globally
The four subcategories – sharing, optimisation, upcycling and refurbishment, and dematerialisation
and smart substitution – are based on earlier work accomplished by Demos
Helsinki on Smartup Manifesto (2014). The four resourcesmart value creation models were
concluded in a workshop with 25 experts. As seen throughout the report, many startups
use different aspects of these value creation models, so the categorisation was based on the
main value creation of each company. list of top 80 consumer cleantech startups around
the world can be found in Appendix 9.1.
The analysis of Finnish cleantech field was done to shed light on the current situation in
Finland compared to the development around the world. SWOT analysis was conducted
to add depth to the research of the current state of consumer cleantech in Finland. The top
5 business opportunities for Finnish actors were identified as a short conclusion of the findings.
Based on the Finnish context researched and benchmarked, recommendations for
further actions to promote Finnish consumer cleantech was given to different actors: the
state, the municipalities, and most importantly to Team Finland. The expert interviews were
the main source of information for the recommendations and the analysis of the Finnish
cleantech field.
Cleantech takes over consumer markets
61