Three Chinese start-ups honoured at Kering Generation Awards

Luxury conglomerate Kering and global innovation platform Plug and Play China revealed the winners of the third Kering Generation Awards during Shanghai Fashion Week.

The Kering Generation Awards in China was launched in 2018 as part of the group’s sustainability strategy to recognise and support Chinese start-ups bringing about positive environmental and social impact, while addressing challenges in alternative raw materials, green supply chain, retail, and the circular economy.

This year’s awards focused on the theme ‘Coming Full Circle,’ looking at circular raw materials, circular product designs and circular business models.

Three Chinese start-ups stood out from the 180 companies that applied, with Yi Design, from Jingdezhen, the porcelain capital of China, scooping first place with its whole supply chain for high-value utilisation of ceramic waste, which gives new life to non-recyclable ceramic fragments.

The second prize went to PhaBuilder, which develops innovative materials such as PHA from non-food biomass waste based on cutting-edge synthetic biotechnology. With Cobbler's Suggest, an innovative business model for after-sales care services that combine digital tools and leather repair artisanship winning third prize.

In September, the top 10 finalists participated in an innovation Acceleration Camp customised by Kering and China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) to enhance their innovation capabilities and compete for the final award. The top three winners will visit Kering’s headquarters in Paris to receive guidance from its sustainability experts and experience the Group’s sustainability ecosystem.

François-Henri Pinault, chairman and chief executive officer of Kering, who presented the awards, said in a statement: “Sustainability is a necessity and a leadership opportunity that also makes good business sense. Faced with complex global issues, we must enhance industry cooperation and join forces to find solutions.

“The success of our Kering Generation Awards in China demonstrates that promoting innovation in sustainability across borders is one of the solutions to current environmental challenges.”

Marie-Claire Daveu, chief sustainability and institutional affairs officer at Kering, added: “Now in its third edition, we chose the ‘Coming Full Circle’ theme for this year’s Kering Generation Award to encourage Chinese startups to rethink the way we produce, use, and extend the life-cycle of products and resources.

“We were thrilled to see so many industrial insights and solutions stand out and demonstrate true innovation impact. We hope the award will continue to connect the international community and accelerate change.”