REHACT winner of Green Mentorship Award
Under tough competition with over 30 entrepreneurial green tech companies, REHACT – led by Svante Bengtsson – won the first Green Mentorship Award yesterday. The award means that Bengtsson will have SKYPE founder Niklas Zennström as a mentor for one year, as well as access to Zennström’s network.
- This is really unexpected! I hope this will open doors for us to penetrate new markets and create valuable contacts, said a surprised Svante Bengtsson at Dagen Industri’s energy conference, where the winner was announced Monday afternoon.
REHACT was founded in 2005. The company’s business concept is based on an innovation that has the potential to have real positive effects in many parts of the world in terms of lowering CO2 levels through reducing the energy requirements of buildings. After a few years of research and development, the company’s first pilot project is in operation in Poland.
- We ultimately selected REHACT as winner because of the enormous potential of REHACT’s technology: the heating and cooling of buildings accounts for 25% of all energy consumption in Europe and the USA, and is one of major energy consumers of our time. A more efficient use of energy can have far-reaching effects, particularly in emerging countries, says Niklas Zennström about this year’s winner.
Zennström was assisted in the selection process by jury members Claes de Neergaard, Hjalmar Winbladh, Molly Webb and Pia Gideon. Ocean Harvesting Technologies came in as close second. Through Zennström Philanthropies, Zennström’s background in IT and technology is linked with his commitment to non-profit work.
- I am pleased to see so many innovative Swedish entrepreneurs active in the energy sector. I know how meaningful it can be for a sole entrepreneur to exchange ideas and thoughts with an outsider. I hope that this award will be valuable for Svante and REHACT and that, in the long run, it will have a positive impact on the climate. This is an issue that concerns me, says Zennström.
Stockholm 2011-12-14
Svante Bengtsson, CEO
+46 709 566 756
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About the Zennström Green Mentorship Award:
The Zennström Green Mentorship Award was established by Zennström Philanthropies in 2011 to highlight work done by Swedish entrepreneurs to tackle climate change and create a carbon-neutral future. The winner is personally mentored by Niklas Zennström – founder of Skype, international venture capital company Atomico and Zennström Philanthropies – for one year. Additional information on the project is available at
For more information on Zennström Philanthropies, please visit: www.zennstrom.org
