Top 10 sustainability startups in Barcelona

We’re living in an era of immense environmental threats – in fact as we write this, the Amazon rainforest is experiencing an unprecedented number of forest fires. There’s no question, the future of our planet should be a conversation we have every single day. Thankfully, awareness is starting to spread, and entrepreneurs around the world are starting to think about business in a way that goes hand-in-hand with environmentalism and sustainability.

As a student at ESEI, you may be considering joining a startup or enterprise that combats climate change. Or you may even be thinking of starting your own business to do something about it. So we thought we’d give you some inspiration. 

A few weeks ago, we introduced you to two fantastic Barcelona startups fighting to save the planet. Now, here are ten more companies doing their best to achieve a sustainable future! 

1. Eixverd 

Striving for sustainability in our cities is a very important step towards a better future. Eixverd believes that we can use urban rooftops in a way that contributes to long-term urban sustainability. The startup encourages us to rethink the usage of our rooftops and turn them into powerhouses of fresh air and green energy. It installs solar panels, build rooftop gardens and green walls, bringing the power of nature back to our man-made environment so that we can optimise our resources and improve our quality of life. 

2. HolaLuz

One of Barcelona’s most well-known startups, HolaLuz is killing two birds with one stone (to use a very non-environmental metaphor). The startup provides 100% green energy to homes at an affordable price, so you can save while taking care of our planet. It offers a flat rate for unlimited electricity because it trusts that its users will only use the energy they need. Any household can switch to renewable energy by registering with HolaLuz online – it’ll even sort things out with your old provider so you don’t have to worry about any of the logistics. 

3. Ethical Time

In a world of fast-fashion chains and limitless online shopping, it’s difficult to fill your wardrobe with clothes that were made with respect. Ethical Time wants to change that. Its platform for ethical and sustainable fashion is for anyone who wants to shop for clothes that were made without exploiting children or adults in sweatshops. It’s for people who contribute to the development of disadvantaged communities. Moreover, it offers clothing made from sustainable materials with a small environmental footprint, containing no animal-derived materials. 

The textile industry is one of the most exploitative and unsustainable ones in the world: if you don’t want to contribute to it but would still like to wear nice, quality clothes, shopping on Ethical Time could be a great option. 

4. Bitsy Bags

Bitsy Bags is a small, women-led business, which launched in Barcelona with the aim of combatting one of our planet’s biggest problems: plastic waste. The founders have designed reusable produce bags that you can take with you on your shopping trips, instead of carrying your fruits and vegetables home in plastic bags that last only a few minutes before making it into the trash. The startup’s bags are made from strong, lightweight fabric and manufactured in Europe. It’s stylish and it lasts – beating plastic any day.

5. Bios Urn

No matter how unpleasant this topic may be, we need to acknowledge that burying our dead in urban cemeteries is not sustainable. Unfortunately, it takes an unthinkable amount of land, wood for caskets and synthetic embalming fluids. As a response to the demand for more environmentally friendly burial solutions, a Barcelona startup, Bios Urn has developed the world’s first 100% biodegradable urn that lets you plant the ashes of your loved one as a tree. It’s not only respectful to the environment, but it’s also kind of poetic – “a catalyst for life”, as the company would put it. The urn can be planted indoors or outdoors and is compatible with any seed. Quirky or beautiful? It’s up to each one of us to decide. 

6. Dexma

The Barcelona-based software company Dexma was born to disrupt the energy innovation market. It has created an energy-saving tool called DEXCell that lets companies monitor and control their energy consumption. This gives companies the data they need to make informed decisions relating to conserving electricity and being more conscious about their energy consumption. As companies move towards a more sustainable model, everyone wins.

7. Sadako

What does artificial intelligence have to do with waste? Well, thanks to Sadako, it can help us recycle. Sadako’s mission is to use AI technology to revolutionise the waste recycling industry so that future generations can live in a cleaner world. It’s developed an AI-based computer vision technology that lets machines detect and recognise objects. With the help of algorithms, robots can sort waste much more efficiently than humans – and they can take over these mundane, potentially dangerous and repetitive tasks from us. Sadako’s technology is a true game-changer, and there’s no limit to its possible applications. 

8. Soy Comida Perfecta

Also known as I Am Perfect Food, Soy Comida Perfecta combats food waste – yet another global sustainability issue. It partners with supermarkets to reclaim products that have damaged packaging or are nearing their expiration dates, as well as “ugly” fruits and vegetables that would otherwise be thrown away. It then sells them online a discount of up to 80%. You can place orders on their website or mobile app and have the perfect foods – deemed imperfect by the industry – delivered to your home. 

9. Edenway

As consulting firm specialised in sustainable transformation, Edenway makes sure that companies and cities are on the right track towards a better future. It develops innovative projects in the areas of sustainable mobility and transport, energy transition, digital transition, circular economy, alternative funding and business development to help establish new economic models that can be replicated on a large scale. 

10. DAN*NA

Ever heard of biomaterials and bioplastics? DAN*NA is a biotech company specialised in developing these new materials, which are sustainable, functional and biodegradable. It works with companies that specialise in 3D printing, biomedicine, cosmetics, robotics and mobility. It is also committed to biomedical research in the areas of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (bioprinting human tissues from the patient’s own cells).

Do any of these starts grab your attention? Which would you most like to visit and find out more from? 

If you’re interested in starting your own sustainable business, check out our Master in Digital Entrepreneurship programme. You can find out more information on our application page or get in touch with out friendly team here.