Tag: Leisure

Some toys are rightfully unwanted. The multi-coloured building blocks manufactured by a Danish firm, however, have given children and grown-ups joy for decades. But when themed sets are dismantled and the bricks get mixed up, that enjoyment can be lost. Enter an independent Lithuanian startup and its new service for used and undamaged original bricks. The team will first...

The trading of biological waste between companies is good for the environment. But promoting the circular economy is just as important in the private sector. Enter a Romanian non-profit startup and its marketplace, developed to reduce waste from everyday objects while doing good. Participating partner firms provide their employees with the opportunity to sell used items to colleagues. Proceeds...

A remotely operated life-buoy can help avert maritime disasters. Now, a Hong Kong-based startup is focusing on those who want to travel lighter. Its smart wagon, complete with electric hub motors, is remotely operated, has a range of 10 km and can move uphill and downhill at speeds of 2-7 km/h. Thanks to an integrated pocket lamp, it can...

Sustainable chocolate uses cocoa hulls rather than sugar, and some alternatives make do without cocoa altogether. Vanillin, meanwhile, is often made synthetically from oil-based materials. Vanilla pods are expensive and their natural habitat threatened by climate change, yet the popular scent is in high demand for many sweets and fragrances. Now, a California-based startup is using biotechnology to produce...

For smaller retailers, gaming solutions can help entice in-store customers. Now, a Canadian startup is building a community especially for watch enthusiasts in a bid to strengthen local trade. The platform was created by a French founder who spent many years in the watch industry. It brings together stories from community members that provide insights into how their love...

Records from sugarcane are good for the environment. Chocolate, meanwhile, is good for our mood - even if too much sugar is unhealthy. But who said sugar was necessary to make chocolate? A Zurich-based research team dried the fibre-rich innermost layer of the cocoa hull - called the endocarp - and ground it to powder. Next the pulp from...

Some devices improve hiking stamina. Now, a US startup has developed special shoes for pedestrians who want to cover ground faster. The water-resistant robot shoes are strapped on and their 8 wheels powered by miniature electric motors. Artificial intelligence captures walkers’ natural speed and stride length and adapts the electric support. The wheels only turn when users are in...

In Italy, tomatoes have a life after dinner. Chocolate is another cherished Italian staple. Yet, instead of using cocoa, a regional startup began looking to carob for a more sustainable alternative. Sweet and high-in-fibre, the legume also works against free radicals in the body. The carob tree thrives in the dry, southern Italian climate. If used, 2,400 litres of...