Play 7 – Playbook for Morrisville

PLAY NUMBER SEVEN: Developing a Sustainable Innovation Strategy.

My Message on Developing a Sustainable Innovation Strategy

My Message

In his book, How to Avoid a Climate Disaster, Bill Gates discusses the roles that philanthropists, investors, and governments can play in accelerating the innovation pipeline, from early stage research to the mass deployment of affordable, green, and reliable technologies. Gates, along with Mike Bloomberg is a principal investor in a $2 billion green innovation fund, which invests aggressively in green innovation. The portfolio companies of the fund range from Injecting Carbon from cement, plant based meats, protein based yogurts, and air filtration systems. Keep in mind that manufacturing results in about 80% of all Carbon Emissions.

Gates reminds us in his book that government policies and Executive Orders are not enough, but that we need to develop a pipeline of startups, all focused on assisting us in reducing the 51 billion tons of greenhouse gases that people add to the atmosphere each year. By 2050, if we don’t get to zero, the temperature rise will be so damaging that life will actually get worse for humans and most of the natural ecosystems.

The Green innovation Play Book

1. My green innovation play for Morrisville is to encourage and develop social entrepreneurs to participate in the Innovate Morrisville program, which I shared a few weeks ago. The idea would be for startups, focused on sustainability, to partner and offer pilot programs for different Town Departments. We could begin to grow our own green innovation ecosystem, and become a destination in North Carolina for not only the data science and Technologists, but also for entrepreneurs, focused on reducing the carbon foot print in our Town and Region.
2. Encourage with Smart City and Morrisville Environmental Recycling Committee to solicit presentations from Start Up Companies focused on Green and Sustainability. We need these committees to focus on an innovative approach to reduce our Carbon Footprint in Morrisville so that our Town can be a destination for investment and jobs in these areas.
3. Welcome these green start ups to our Morrisville Innovation District so we can grow jobs in Morrisville.