Time 12:55-13:20 / Room 2
Chair: John Robb (The Membranes)
Speakers: Brechje Merckx (VestRock), Matt Barney (GeoPura), Dr Serap Ozmen (Cranfield University)
Delegates present their innovative start-ups, businesses, or inventions to help solve our climate conundrums. This session brings you the latest ideas and technologies driving sustainability in unique ways.
Hosted by punk legend John Robb, this year's green innovators include Lightweight Design, Heavy Impact – reimagining event design with Airworks; the reinvented toilet from Cranfield University; Hydrogen power for events from GeoPura, and VESTROCK’s use of NaviLens technology to help visually impaired festivalgoers navigate their event.
Smart Codes, Smarter Festival
VESTROCK uses NaviLens technology to remove accessibility barriers, empowering visually impaired visitors to navigate the festival with confidence and independence.
Reinvented Toilet from Cranfield University
Brief intro: At Cranfield University, we are reinventing the toilet for a better future. The technology is designed in response to global sanitation inequity, climate stress and rapid urbanisation. Cranfield Circular Toilet converts waste into clean non-potable water and pathogen-free biochar.
Developed through nearly 15 years of global sanitation innovation supported by the Gates Foundation, it exemplifies how radical rethinking—rather than incremental improvement—can deliver sanitation systems aligned with the performance and safety principles of ISO 30500.
Hydrogen Power for Events
Matt Barney, Chief Hydrogen Business Officer at GeoPura, will share real-world examples of how hydrogen power is replacing diesel and HVO at major live events, including recent deployments at BST Hyde Park, LIDO and Big Church Festival. Drawing on these projects, where hydrogen has powered main stages, event infrastructure, lighting and hospitality areas, Matt will explore the measurable improvements delivered in both emissions' reduction and local air quality. In this fast-paced session, he’ll outline the clean power options available to event organisers today and how they can be seamlessly integrated on-site without compromising reliability or scale.