Visionary startups all share the same passion. They dream to break the mold and change the world with their idea. People start their own businesses for different reasons. Some do it for the money, fame and success. Many are just natural enemies of 9 to 5. And Ecopreneurs are driven by changing the planet.

Ecopreneurship – often referred to Green, Environmental or Eco Entrepreneurship as well – is an adoption of more sustainable practises in innovative businesses.

To create the wealth for Earth, one should start with creating wealth for the individual. And that´s exactly, what these and many more Portuguese Ecopreneurs are doing:

1. Olmo Crowdfunding

The Olmo platform is an innovative project that promotes and supports social and economic added-value projects in developing countries through crowdsourcing. The main mission of the site is to help social promoters, anywhere in the world, to kick start their projects and connect with potential donors worldwide.

2. Built-in sidewalk charger for the CityCar – the MIT Media Lab electric car

The prototype is a charger for the electric cars that was designed to be embedded in the sidewalk, a weatherproof system incorporated in the pavement, creating a smart parking lot that discreetly charges the electric vehicle while it is parked.

3. WI-GO

Wi-GO makes it easier for people on wheelchair to go shopping. By using a device that helps them stay away from physical and mental uneasiness by assisting them along. One of Wi-GO’s team members was physically disabled 12 years ago when doctors decided his movement will be assisted by a wheelchair. After struggling for many years, Wi-GO team comprised of computer science students decided to come up with a solution that makes it comfortable for them.

4. Orikomi

Stylish, eco-friendly and eye-catching, this lightweight lampshade called Orikomi is known as an inspiring work from the Portugal-based studio blaanc borderless architecture. Designed with a complex, origami-inspired construction formed by high quality paper and carefully hand-crafted, the Orikomi lampshade can be easily hung at many spaces in the home and serves multifunctional purposes.

5. Life in a bag

The Life in a bag brand aims to inspire and encourage people to grow their own food in small spaces with reusable materials. It that allows you to create an indoor organic herb garden and microgreens. It´s a great combination of nature, design and originality, which is a different alternative when you want to offer a gift..

6. Re-food

Re-food is a project that has included the rescue and delivery of over 300.000 meals – perfectly good food previously condemned to be trashed – food that, instead has been redirected to feed thousands of perfectly good people in need. Developed initially in the urban community of “Nossa Senhora de Fátima” in Lisbon, Portugal – with many other groups of citizens equally interested in ending both food waste and hunger in their local communities.

7. Cantinho das aromaticas

Founded in 2002 “Cantinho das Aromáticas” is an agricultural company based in the urbane space of Vila Nova de Gaia which cultivates aromatic, medicinal and culinary plants. The plants are grown either in greenhouses and/or outdoors and are allocated towards to selling or drying and transformation. Being the first of its kind has been serving as a role-model to new farmers who are now giving their “first steps” in this field of expertise.

8. Boom festival

The most famous festival in Portugal is more of a state of mind. It is based on the principles of Peace, Celebration, Culture, Art, Environment, Knowledge, Education, and Love.  It has been recognized more than once at Greener Festival Awards. They use 100% composting toilets; treat 100% of water using plants and give for free pocket ashtrays; use waste veggie oil in the generators and develop several water, Eco-Team, solar energy, sanitation, windmill and bio-construction-based solutions.

Do you know about any Eco Entrepreneur that you believe should be part of this list?

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