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On the 30th of March, The Future Economy Network (FEN) and Future Leap hosted a morning event entitled “Shifting to a Service Business Model” which was attended by a range of delegates. Before the event began, the attendees enjoyed some pre-sessional networking in small breakout rooms facilitated by the FEN team.
Katherine Piper, Director of Partnerships at Future Leap, welcomed attendees to the event and highlighted the benefits of joining the network. Katherine also shared updates about the Carbon Neutral Hub in Bristol, Future Leap as well as briefly running through plans for the Festival of Sustainable Business, in light of new Government guidance towards the COVID-19 pandemic. Speakers included:
· Mandy Gardner Postgraduate Researcher at University of the West of England
· George Gillow South West Sales Manager for Kensa
· Andy Hibbert Founder of Karshare
The speakers delivered beneficial insights and shared valuable knowledge on how service-based business models can improve sustainability.
Mandy Gardner Postgraduate Researcher at University of the West of England
Mandy gave a brilliant overview of servitization explaining how service-based models create longer term relationships with customers, focus on quality rather than quantity, and can be used to drive values beyond profit. She gave an insight into her work with community businesses and how they have changed to digital services in the pandemic, discussing examples such as online gym classes and counselling sessions. Mandy closed her presentation with an interesting analysis of geese and what we can learn from them, encouraging us to find strength in unity, empower others to lead and keep on communicating … HONK!
George Gillow South West Sales Manager for Kensa
Kensa is a company supplying air and ground source heat pumps. George explained how the company is pursuing a service-based business model to help reduce the initial upfront investments associated with installing this green technology. George demonstrated how Kensa have been successful in installing the ground infrastructure under shared ownership and are now looking to expand upon this success through installing and maintaining infrastructure in a similar style to utility companies, levying a charge to homes using the service. This progress shall advance the electrification of heating in the UK, driving down emissions and providing access to the most energy efficient systems.
Andy Hibbert Founder of Karshare
Andy’s presentation provided valuable insights into Karshare, a service-based company facilitating people to rent out their privately owned car to other members of their community. Operating through an app, the company enables affordable and flexible transport while reducing the number of cars parked on our streets. An interesting element Andy discussed was how the Karshare model keeps money in the community, with the aim to create a social return of £111mil back to the community by 2025. Questions after the presentation highlighted how cars can be seen as an emotional purchase, stimulating conversation about consumer behavior towards ownership vs access and the role of cars in the future. Use this link to watch the Karshare video.
60 Second Pitches
Throughout, the audience were encouraged to ask questions which stimulated knowledge sharing of experiences and ideas on the benefits of moving to service based models. Pete Keevill gave a pitch to announce the end of the Sustainable Technologies Business Acceleration Hub Programme, and the launch of a new programme focusing on sustainable start up businesses which shall be shared with the FEN community as it is developed.
Close
Katherine closed the event after another opportunity for networking, thanking the speakers and attendees, which without our events calendar would not be possible.
Event Notes by Kelly-ann Luckhurst, MSc Environmental Consultancy, University of the West of England.