Winners of the Bern Upcycling Challenge have been chosen
Scrimber, mymyio and Second Life Recharger have won the first Bern Upcycling Challenge. With this competition, the Department of Economics at Bern University of Applied Sciences and the Berner Kantonalbank development fund aim to give a boost to practical and recyclable business models.
The winners of the first Bern Upcycling Challenge have been announced: Scrimber, Mymyio and Second Life Recharger. The prize from the Department of Economics at Bern University of Applied Sciences and the Berner Kantonalbank development fund is worth a total of CHF 30,000. It was awarded at the 2nd User Forum in Bern.
According to a press release, the competition aims to stimulate the transformation to a circular economy in the region and make an active contribution to the sustainable reorganisation of companies. At the same time, the aim is to position the greater Bern region as an important location for the circular economy.
The jury voted the Scrimber project into first place. Its high-quality load-bearing construction products made of wood can replace concrete and steel and thus CO2 emissions in the construction industry. The wooden panels are made from low-grade wood assortments such as smaller, irregular log cross-sections or side timber from sawmills and waste wood. After an initial utilisation phase in a building, the parts can be reused.
Second place went to Mymyio‘s upcycling furniture, which is made from discarded office materials, although this is not recognisable. Mymyio can even offer customised product and project solutions from stocks of valuable raw materials.
In third place was the Second Life Battery Recharger project, a system that allows old e-bike batteries to be reused. It was developed by the training and adventure platform Swiss Bike Park Oberried, together with partners such as Gustoil, Petrusso, Thömus, Twinner, Stromer and the GVB Kulturstiftung.