IFAT Munich: setting the stage for innovative newcomers

Brilliant minds throughout the world do research on new solutions for the urgent environmental technology challenges of our time. Many young companies with fresh, innovative business ideas emerge from this work. From May 30 to June 3, 2022, the new Start-up Area at IFAT Munich, the world's leading trade fair for the sector, will provide them with a forum for presentation, discussion and networking.

Nearly 50 start-ups from 16 countries will come to IFAT Munich 2022
© Messe München

Climate change and its impact, polluted oceans and water shortages, rising mountains of waste and dwindling natural resources: universities and research institutes around the globe are looking for solutions to today's major environmental problems. Based on the insights gained, many dedicated young entrepreneurs develop innovative business models to find their place in the market. "As the organizer of IFAT Munich, the world's largest trade fair for the environmental technology sector, we have a duty to provide a forum for these promising newcomers – and this year, there are once again considerably more start-ups than at the last edition," emphasizes Philipp Eisenmann, Exhibition Director IFAT Munich.

 

Presentation platform for almost 50 international newcomers

Almost 50 emerging companies from 16 nations will present themselves in a separate area, the Start-up Area in Hall B4 at the Munich's trade fair center. Their products and solutions will address key topics at IFAT Munich – from water and wastewater treatment, waste and secondary raw materials to air pollution control and soil protection – for example, sustainable asphalt additives made from recycled plastic, separators for microplastics from wastewater streams, a nanotechnological water treatment process and a biotechnological method to bind dusts.

Along with the company booths, the Start-up Area will offer an activity area – the "Innovation Stage" – for exhibitor speeches, presentations by associations and partner institutions on trend topics, as well as science-based discussion panels.

 

Challenger and partner of the well-established companies

Messe München's strategic partner in planning and organizing the Start-up Area is SusTech Consult, a consulting firm specializing in sustainable technologies. Its Managing Director Bruno Rudnik explains: "The Start-up Area will not only be about making contact with potential users of the new solutions, but above all about putting the up-and-coming companies in touch with the established companies in the industry." According to the market connoisseur, start-ups act as both challengers and potential partners for the latter. This means that young companies could quickly become competitors in the environmental technology sector, which is dominated by small and medium-sized enterprises. However, attractive cooperation prospects could also open, for example through production and sales partnerships. "We are expecting a particularly high level of momentum from the Start-up Area, not least considering this background," enthuses Philipp Eisenmann.

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