About us

Forbury

Investment

Network (London,

Cardiff)

Ghana

Nigeria

South Africa

(Durban and Cape

Town)

Canada

Malta

Sri Lanka

Maldives

Seychelles

Isle of Man

India

Forbury Investment Network and the Royal

Commonwealth Society

About us • Pan-Commonwealth platform to create a shared

community of business interest in the environment

• Encouraging low carbon economic growth through connecting entrepreneurs, investors and sustainable businesses in the environmental goods and services sector

• Sharing sector and entrepreneurial knowledge, contacts and experience across Commonwealth markets

• A network of hubs that serve their national markets but also connect members across other Commonwealth markets

Why? • Opportunity for SMEs in environmental sector

• New technologies and services hugely SME based

• SMEs need funding, good management, and a supportive environment such as effective clusters

• CEIP model is to help fill the gap of finance and international cooperation which limits growth of Commonwealth SMEs

• Mechanisms to facilitate technology transfer needed to accelerate response to climate and environmental challenges

How?

• Develop stakeholders around hubs in each country

• Connecting SMEs and larger companies with investors and business angel networks

• Investor briefings and training workshops

• Sharing knowledge and expertise on sustainability, entrepreneurship, technology

• Linking SME’s with mutual business interests

Outcome

• Connecting stakeholders to achieve sustainable economic growth whilst addressing urgent social, economic and environmental issues

• Entrepreneurs, investors, SMEs, universities, governments all benefit from increased collaboration

• Business working for the good of the

environment

Why the Commonwealth?

• Common legal frameworks and existing business, governmental, linguistic and cultural links make it the ideal international forum

• As a global network the Commonwealth has a head start and huge business potential

• Combined GDP of Commonwealth now exceeds Eurozone

• Many of the 53 member states of the Commonwealth are developing countries with major development challenges

Why the Commonwealth?

• Combined workforce of the Commonwealth – 1.4 billion

• Total Commonwealth population of 2.2 billion citizens - over 60% of these are under the age of 30

• Progress turns on exchange of ideas, trade and people – the role of the Commonwealth to promote mutual prosperity

The Commonwealth - a platform for

business

• Facilitating EU/Commonwealth enterprise

• Special opportunities from the Canada – European Union Trade Agreement (CETA)

• Vital to encourage export of expertise and technologies

• Academic/research collaborations support innovation and perspective

Sustainable Cities

• Cities now host more than half of the world’s population

• They generate 80% of global GDP and contribute to 70% of the world’s CO2 emissions

• It is expected that by 2050 the global proportion of people living in cities will rise to about 70%

• Rapid urbanisation poses big challenges - many cities do not have a strategy to cope with this high growth.

Global challenges

• UN latest report, looking for improved overall resilience to help adaptation

• South Asia particularly at risk

• Potential for a very tough 21st Century in many parts of the world

• Vital that international collaboration accelerates