If you haven’t heard of Anna Riis Hedegaard before, pay attention. Earlier this year, she earned recognition as one of the “25 Female Entrepreneurs You Should Know” by The Danish Chamber of Commerce (Dansk Erhverv). Anna says that she is proud of the fact that her impatience to impact a world that demands urgent action gets recognized.
In 2022, alongside her entrepreneurial partner, Thomas Granhof, Anna Riis Hedegaard launched The 0-Mission with a vision of doing things smarter and forging a global community where energy consumption doesn’t harm the climate.
In this article, we delve into our conversation with Anna Riis Hedegaard to understand what The 0-Mission does and how the company contributes to the green transition.
Q: What is the Role of The 0-Mission?
A: The 0-Mission helps businesses reduce their carbon footprint. We provide SMEs with the opportunity to subscribe to a solar park tailored precisely to their electricity consumption hour for hour. In Denmark, where a striking 99 percent of enterprises fall under the SME category, addressing carbon emissions from electricity consumption can be challenging. SMEs often lack the scale to enter into a contract with major renewable energy developers such as Ørsted or CIP.
Q: Why subscriptions to solar panels?
A: Only large corporations typically have the financial resources to commission new solar parks, making this option seem entirely out of reach for SMEs. However, in order to reach global climate goals, it is imperative to establish more solar parks that can tap into the demand from SMEs, given their substantial collective purchasing power. By consolidating this demand, The 0-Mission can provide wind and solar park developers with the scale needed to secure the required funding for establishing new solar parks.
Q: What motivated you to establish The 0-Mission?
A: My journey began while working for a company specializing in wind and solar park development. We relied heavily on securing deals with corporate giants like Apple before we could launch new wind and solar projects. Interestingly, many small and medium-sized enterprises expressed keen interest in participating, yet they found themselves locked out of these intricate agreements, which often entailed speculation in electricity price trends.
It became evident to me that for the green transition to thrive, every company that shares the climate-conscious DNA should have a seat at the table. Consequently, I teamed up with Thomas Granhof to establish The 0-Mission, ensuring inclusivity for all.
Q: How Do Solar Panel Subscriptions Drive the Green Transition?
A: The global shift toward cleaner energy systems is progressing at a frustratingly slow pace, especially considering that energy still accounts for more than 70 percent of global CO2 emissions. One of the primary hurdles in accelerating this transition is obtaining the crucial finance required for renewable energy projects.
This is why The 0-Mission has introduced a new model that actively promotes a greener energy landscape for businesses of all sizes. It ensures that developers of solar and wind parks can quickly secure the necessary funding to establish new eco-friendly energy facilities.
Q: What are the primary challenges you currently face?
A: As a startup, we’re no strangers to challenges. As long as we are only three people, we are in a constant struggle with not enough time at hand to get everything we would like to do done. And the recent worrying news on global warming shows us that we have no time to waste. We’re, therefore, in the early stages of a fundraising campaign aimed at recruiting a Chief Marketing Officer to bolster our marketing efforts and enhance our outreach to customers.
Q: How can fellow members of BLOXHUB benefit from your services or assist you in your mission?
A: Being part of the BLOXHUB community, with its multitude of startups across various industries, has proven invaluable to us. While we may operate in different sectors, the exchange of ideas and the networking opportunities are immeasurable. BLOXHUB hosts numerous exciting events, providing opportunities to engage with individuals who often bring fresh perspectives to the table. This community is a tremendous asset to us.
On the other hand, we are also always happy to help other startups with tips on the best freelancers for startups, top accelerators, and funding opportunities in the eco-system – and we are, of course, happy to help any company, regardless of size, to reduce emissions from their energy consumption.
The O-Mission, Anna Riis Hedegaard, and Thomas Granhof are integral parts of the BLOXHUB ecosystem and utilized BLOXHUB as a base for the development of The 0-Mission. You often find them at their favorite working space in the Member’s lounge or at the Antlers office in Fæstningens Materialgård. To learn more, you can also visit www.the0mission.dk.
As part of our IMPACT series, this article explores the effects of the BLOXHUB ecosystem on the world and the green transition.
