With events spanning the UK, Germany, Asia and now the US, it’s been a very big year for the GREENTECH FESTIVAL! As the last leg of our 2024 GTF Connect tour, wrapping up in Los Angeles was always going to be a highlight.
Yet as we began planning in early January, we had no idea how many unexpected twists and turns there would be, or least of all that we’d be opening the curtains on our final festival of the year within 10 days of a landslide Trump election victory. In this context, it’s little wonder that GTF Connect LA’s theme: “Business as Usual is Dead” initially raised a few eyebrows. Yet once the opening ceremony began, and the sessions started rolling on, it was clear just how apt this theme really was. On so many fronts sustainable tech is already ringing the death knell of ‘business as usual’. From the conference speakers to the stunning nominees at the awards ceremony, that positive change is in the air was evident throughout the program.
Time and time again we saw new companies offering more efficient products and services and leaving their dirty competitors in the dust. And beyond the business case, there was a feeling amongst the speakers and audience over the two days of GTF Connect LA. While there was an acknowledgement of significant challenges that lie ahead, there was a prevailing sense of solidarity. Everybody in the room was willing to band together, stay strong and make sure that sustainability means business, and makes great business sense regardless of the prevailing political climate. What follows are a few of my key takeaways from this year’s GTF Connect LA, and how I see the intersection of sustainability, community and mobility shaping positive change in the years to come.
Mobility as the Key to Transformation
The city of Los Angeles seems to know what a sustainable future would look like, but how we get there on a local, national and global level is still a bit blurry. Specifically, the role we all play – government versus citizen, corporation versus employee.
Our first panel of the day addressed the LA28 Olympic Games and whether or not the sustainable goals set out by the Games can be met in the light of political change. The panelists expressed concern of the new incoming U.S. leadership and what that might mean for their efforts, however they all agreed to keep pushing forward as planned for the time being. The city has promised a car-free Olympics, and as someone who lives in a walkable/bikeable city (Berlin) and has well-connected public transportation it will be interesting to see if LA can truly hit this goal. One of the pervasive fears for many of the panelists, is the fact that the security of the Games rests with federal agencies. Given the shift to a republican administration, many community organisations fear that efforts to foster collaborative goals, and a consultative approach will be sidelined by a top-down, policing-centric approach. Key to success will be the ability of all levels of government to set common goals and work together if the aims of a carless/sustainable Olympics can be realized in the years to come.
Next, Lindsay Sturman (Co-Founder, Livable Communities Initiative), Adam Lenz, (Head of Sustainability & Environment, Waymo), André Kaufung (Managing Director, CharIN), John Penney (Chief Sustainability Advisor, CoMotion), and Aura Vasquez (Former Commissioner, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power), tackled how we can achieve sustainable mobility in our cities.
During this panel discussion, the group confronted the most important of questions: affordable, clean electromobility should be the holy grail for cities and regions globally, but how do we get there? The group discussed the role of government and the type of incentives that could be offered to stimulate change and incentivize inclusive mobility. Additionally, they acknowledged the importance of the private sector creating products that serve all segments of the community, and in the same vein, what can each of us do to support the decarbonization of every aspect of our lives? This multi-modal approach was echoed from all speakers: sustainable mobility must be inclusive and integrated into existing public transport systems. It’s clear that “the car is no longer king” and in a modern and sustainable America, it needs to take its place alongside significant investments in public infrastructure, sharing options (including the exciting new Waymo) and healthy alternatives such as bikeways and micromobility.
Over 500 attendees came and listened in on over 12 panels and fireside chats that took place throughout the day. If you weren’t there in person, let me assure you, it was inspiring and motivating – the type of discourses where you feel hope and assured that the exact right people are asking the exact right questions.
Our CONFERENCE exhibitors, electric vehicle pioneer Tesla and the sustainable activity platform #Walk15 encouraged attendees to test drive the Cybertrucks as well as the Model 3 by Tesla and to participate in the GTF Step Challenge: Connect LA, where they earned rewards via the #Walk15 app for their steps. Providing attendees with more hands-on experiences such as these is essential in order to make the concept of sustainable mobility more mainstream.
Acknowledging and Celebrating American Changemakers
And speaking of a better future, we made sure to recognize the brightest and most innovative creators who have our future’s best interest at heart. In the start-up category, our GREEN AWARDS honored Twelve, who took home the prize for creating E-Jet®, a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), which is Twelve’s Power-to-Liquid jet fuel made from CO2, water and renewable electricity. Their fuel was tested and certified by the U.S. Air Force. Whether you travel a lot for work or think about how goods and packages get to us, jet fuel touches all of our lives in some way. After receiving the award, they said: “Twelve is determined to make a world made from air, not oil. And an Award like this just fuels our dedication to the sustainability and climate change that we can provide to the world. The GREENTECH FESTIVAL is a wonderful organization that gives start-ups the chance to prove and showcase their work to the world and we are honored that we are part of this.”
GRID Alternatives, an innovative nonprofit organization working in Los Angeles, Orange, and Ventura Counties won the award in the Changemaker category for their use of renewable energy to drive economic growth and environmental benefits in communities most impacted by underemployment, pollution, and climate change. Especially for a non-profit organization like them, the award was a milestone: “This is so wonderful that we have gotten this type of recognition because we’re a small nonprofit […]. Just to know that the work that we’re doing is being recognized. We are trying to help folks that are really struggling. And so, we know that by bringing them clean energy, we know that we’re gonna cut their energy bill down, which then they can take that money that they’re saving on their energy bill and put it back into their household. We’re so proud of that.”
Providing Opportunities for Future Thinking
What felt really special about this year’s LA stop was the presence of a 40-person delegation from Berlin, led by Mayor Kai Wegner. This included leaders in business, the start-up scene and public life. Having them there to not only learn from, but also teach and share their perspectives with their U.S. counterparts, while fostering lifelong relationships, is what GTF is all about.
We also provided additional platforms for start-ups to present their ideas and network. During three rounds of GREEN START-UP SLAMS, young entrepreneurs presented their solutions and competed for the title of Green Start-up Slam Los Angeles Winner for 2024. This year’s reigning champion was Climate Choice. They will receive a market readiness workshop with BCG X Greentech and sponsorship to attend the 2025 Grand Final at the GREENTECH FESTIVAL in Berlin in May. Additionally, start-ups and investors connected during the GREEN INVESTORS CRUNCH held at lunchtime on CONFERENCE day.
We host all these conversations, panels, and discussions but what we’re really doing is hosting jumping off points for action. With ample networking opportunities, we’re hoping to create the connections that will lead to impact and change, that will lead to a better, and more sustainable future for us all.
Looking Forward to Solve the Problems of Today
It becomes clearer every day that the way we’ve been doing business is no longer working. This year has been both energizing and humbling. After hosting over 500 speakers and thousands of attendees globally throughout the course of our 2024 tour stops, I am confident that we have made great strides, and our work must go on. Myself, and the rest of the team at GTF, are hopeful that these events will continue to spark the innovation, creation, and momentum needed to instill real change in our business practices and day to day lives.
I hope you join us on the 2025 tour, starting with the GREENTECH FESTIVAL 2025, which will take place in Berlin from May 20–22 at Messe Berlin. Until then, I remain eager to keep learning from the best minds in the business and aim to use this time of transition to keep fighting for a greener future to the best of my ability.
About the author
Dr. Dale Rickert
Global Head of Product – GREENTECH FESTIVAL
As Global Head of Product, Dr Dale Rickert’s responsibilities include the conception and implementation of CONFERENCE content and the strategic direction of the brand core. In addition to his key position at the GREENTECH FESTIVAL, Dale acts as a supervisor for master students in the field of ‘Sustainability Communication’ at the University of Amsterdam. Dale Rickert’s academic career includes university cellist training and work at the symphony, as well as a PhD in Music Medicine at the University of Queensland.
More about GTF Connect
The GTF Connect is an international event series initiated by the GREENTECH FESTIVAL, which first took place in London in 2021. By expanding globally, the festival’s aim is to celebrate and promote green change across the entire planet, as this world urgently needs sustainable transformation. This year’s GTF CONNECT kicked-off in London, followed by Singapore in October, and will conclude this year in Los Angeles in November.
More about GREENTECH FESTIVAL
GREENTECH FESTIVAL is the leading global platform for business sustainability, uniting innovators, changemakers and communities to showcase cutting-edge green technologies, share actionable insights and accelerate the decarbonisation of industry. The event includes the EXHIBITION, the CONFERENCE and the GREEN AWARDS with a thematic focus on the topics Mobility and Transport, Energy and Infrastructure as well as Industry and Materials. The GTF was launched in 2019 by Nico Rosberg (Sustainability & VC Entrepreneur) and Marco Voigt (Greentech Entrepreneur) and takes place annually in Berlin.
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