A delegation consisting of cluster members and team members of the Barbados Bloom Cleantech Cluster attended the International Vienna Energy and Climate Forum, where they presented the Blooom Cleantech cluster and projects by its incubation members. The group consisting of three team members from Bloom Cleantech Cluster and two start-ups that are a part of the Bloom Cluster incubation programme arrived in Vienna on November 29th, 2023.
The Barbados Bloom Cleantech Cluster team and several of its stakeholders attended the International Vienna Energy and Climate Forum (IVECF) 2023 on November 2nd and 3rd, 2023 in Vienna, Austria. During the forum at Hofburg Palace, Bloom hosted its own side event titled “The Barbados Bloom Cleantech Cluster: A Model to Drive the Renewable Energy and Clean Technology Sector Forward.” The Bloom project was presented by Dr. Terrell Thompson, Bloom Cluster Manager, while the regional and international replication of the Bloom model was discussed by Dr. Andrea Eras Almeida, Renewable Energy Project Expert at UNIDO. Two of the Bloom incubator programme’s entrepreneurs were also able to present their business pitches on energy and circular economy island solutions to attendees from UNIDO and other renewable energy organisations at the event. The owners and founders from within the cluster’s incubation programme who presented their projects at the forum included Mr. Joshua Forte (Red Diamond Compost Inc.) and Dr. Legena Henry (Rum & Sargassum Inc.).
The trip also allowed the Bloom delegation to participate in the Global Cleantech Innovation Programme (GCIP) Cleantech Days, an event organized within the framework of the International Vienna Energy and Climate Forum (IVECF) Solutions Week by UNIDO. Cleantech Days 2023 introduced participants to key global trends, innovative technologies and inter-disciplinary solutions in the field of energy, climate change and sustainable development. The event provided a unique opportunity to interact with the cleantech ecosystem of Austria, network with and attend presentations by industry experts and thought leaders.
The Bloom Cluster Manager, Dr. Thompson stated that the week-long events in Vienna gave the Cluster the chance to network with influential actors in the clean technology and sustainable energy sectors and showcase Bloom’s approach to world leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators sectors. Along with participating in robust discussions on climate resilient technologies and circular economy, cluster members attended a range of invaluable training and developmental sessions on the global energy transition and unleashing the power of innovation. The time spent at the IVECF solutions week serves as a reminder of the relevance and significance of the BLOOM Cluster’s mission and vision, which can benefit not only Barbados but the Caribbean as a whole.
