Rootzone and Partners are creating a greener future

When a hurried Oliver von Bahner from Rootzone arrived at his G20 Social booth in Rio de Janeiro, impatient Brazilians were already waiting for him. Once again, the story of the Danish company’s ability to rapidly turn organic waste into bio-fertilizer had spread in the country of more than 200 million people.

It’s been some really busy days. I wake up at 5 in the morning and go to bed at 11 in the night. The schedule is packed with meetings, new connections, and a huge network of potential clients – Oliver von Bahner, Business Development Manager for Rootzone.

Rootzone, along with seven Danish companies and four universities, was in Rio de Janeiro to understand the Brazilian market and meet potential clients and partners. The trip was organized by Clean and its Brazilian counterpart, Greennova Hub, in collaboration with the global cluster network, International Cleantech Network (ICN). The aim was to highlight the importance of sharing ideas and solutions across borders to address local challenges.

Over six days, the delegation explored some of Brazil’s most pressing environmental issues, including water and waste management. They toured Rio de Janeiro’s largest industrial complex, which collaborates with Kalundborg Symbiosis to optimize resource use and waste recycling. The group met with local politicians, visited a composting site, and sailed across Guanabara Bay to learn about mangrove plantations designed to combat pollution.

The final three days were spent at G20 Social, where participants gave stage presentations and staffed their booths. The event, which attracted over 40,000 attendees from civil society, businesses, and policymaking circles, focused on solutions to global challenges like climate change, hunger, and inequality ahead of the G20 summit of the world’s 20 largest economies.

Like many others, Oliver von Bahner found his trip to Brazil eye-opening, gaining access to a network that would have been impossible to establish without local insights.
Even in the final hours before his flight, he visited one of Rio de Janeiro’s largest fish farms. Producing 100 tons of organic waste each month, the farm’s owner went so far as to send a driver to pick Oliver up from his hotel, ensuring they could meet. Back in Denmark, Oliver has already held a second meeting with the farm to explore solutions tailored to their needs.

It’s been really good. Really, really good – Oliver von Bahner, Business Development Manager for Rootzone.

Ongoing Projects

Before the delegation convened in Rio, several members traveled across Brazil to advance ongoing projects. All in on Green identified an ideal river and began feasibility studies for their Sea Protector One trash collector in Salvador. Jes Vollertsen from Aalborg University visited Fortaleza to study the city’s sewage systems and address odor issues. Klappir assessed a new beach park in central São Paulo, where they plan to assist with ESG calculations to improve operations and marketing.

In both São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Klappir discovered inspiring ideas and connected with companies from unexpected sectors, according to growth leader Isabelle Broddén.

We’ve learned that there are so many amazing technologies out there. The market is ready to take the next step, and there’s a lot we can gain from collaborating – Isabelle Broddén, Business Development Lead at Klappir.

Frank Rosenbjerg from All in on Green shares this sentiment. Along with a notebook full of contacts, the company returned home with two new projects and plans to return to Brazil in the spring.

Clean has opened up new possibilities for us. – Frank Rosenbjerg, co-owner of All in on Green.

While no concrete orders have materialized yet, All in on Green has been pleasantly surprised by the collaboration. Communicating with locals from Denmark had been challenging, but upon arriving in Salvador, political leaders and experts welcomed them with food, drinks, and open arms.

Associate Professor Jacek Fiutowski from the University of Southern Denmark left with a sense that new opportunities are emerging for him and his work.
Specializing in the study of nano- and microplastics in water, Fiutowski was pleased to have initiated meaningful discussions and exchanges of ideas—not only with fellow researchers but also with private companies and public institutions.

Being here, we discover that people on the other side of the world are addressing the same problems, facing the same issues and challenges, but perhaps from a different perspective. That’s why we always want to learn more about their initiatives and solutions. Additionally, Brazil provides the perfect environment for us to test many of our approaches – Jacek Fiutowski Professor at University of Southern Denmark.

For Greennova Hub and Clean, the week in Brazil went better than they had dared to hope for. This bodes well for future collaboration with Brazilian counterparts in a time when the country is ramping up its focus on green solutions.

There’s a huge appetite for sustainable solutions in Brazil so it’s been very satisfying to have hosted this delegation of members with all these incredible ideas and products – and to see them interact with Brazilian counterparts and each other – COO Henrik Bjørnager Jensen from Clean.

The Role of the International Cleantech Network

The International Cleantech Network (ICN) played a key role in the delegation’s success by connecting Danish innovators with Brazilian stakeholders. As an ICN member, Clean facilitated access to resources, knowledge sharing, and matchmaking opportunities. At G20 Social, ICN underscored its mission to foster international collaborations for sustainable solutions.

The delegation returned from Brazil with stronger partnerships, valuable market insights, and a clear direction for future projects, positioning the Danish cleantech sector to make a lasting impact on Brazil’s green transition.