Entrepreneurs seek Papal investment to fight climate change

Media Release - For Immediate Use.

Young entrepreneurs from Dunedin (NZ) are seeking Papal investment to fight climate change.

A young start-up Business in Dunedin is taking their quest to make the world a better place by applying for Pope Francis’ new Laudato Si' Accelerator programme in Rome.

The Vatican programme Laudato Si' means ‘On Care for Our Common Home’ and is focused on solutions to climate change and other ecological issues.

The 8-week programme offers mentorship (by successful tech-centric professors, entrepreneurs, and investors), office space in Italy's capital city, and financial investment of US$100,000.

The Geia team is highly excited about this unique opportunity because it’s a perfect fit with

their mission to encourage New Zealand businesses to become sustainable by making it easier.

“We know that having a sustainable ethical business model almost always brings a return on investment to the business, as well an improvement to social and environmental impacts.” says Geia CEO Casey Davies-Bell

The Geia team have been working on their sustainability business for two years. They deal directly with Greenhouse Gas Emissions (by using carbon equivalent emission factors) to rate participating businesses on a business directory ‘Leaderboard’.

This directory gives consumers the information and knowledge to make sustainable shopping choices.

In the six weeks the Geia website has been live it has already attracted 39 businesses willing to manage their carbon emissions.

“We’ve got new new companies coming on board every day,” explains Casey Davies-Bell, “And if we get this funding from the Vatican, we will be able to expand our team and develop our website more fully so that all New Zealanders can be involved in creating a sustainable future.”

Geia will find out within the month if they are successful and on their way to Rome.

Background Information on Geia

Geia an acronym for Global Environmental Impact Assessment.

The business was founded in 2015, after the Dunedin Startup Weekend 2015.

The founders are: (Team photo attached)

Casey Davis-Bell (CEO) who recently won a New Zealand Youth Leadership Award for establishing Geia and his services to the Dunedin Startup Community.

Alaxander Robinson (COO) who is about to graduate from Otago Polytechnic's Graduate Diploma in Sustainable Practice.

Tapabrata Chakraborty (CTO) Tapabrata is currently working on a PhD in Artificial intelligence at the University of Otago.

Currently only about 1% of New Zealand companies have any form of environmental or sustainability credentials. Geia’s aims to change that by streamline business sustainability thus saving businesses time and money.

Geia also has a consumer loyalty programme which givebacks 10% of Geia’s revenue to the community.

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