Claudia Muench
Co-Founder & CEO, BioMassters
Claudia Muench is the co-founder and CEO of BioMassters Ltd, a pellet cooking company in Rwanda. The company aims to alleviate problems related to affordability, cleanliness, and environmental sustainability of household cooking in urban Africa. Their pellets are made from local wood waste material, and in combination with a highly efficient stove, BioMassters offers excellent use of biomass energy at very affordable prices. Combining global wisdom and technology with local and sustainable solutions in order to make an impact is at the heart of Claudia’s vision for cooking in Africa. Prior to BioMassters, Claudia studied International Management in Germany and South Africa and later held various senior financial positions at DPDgroup UK, the leading parcel delivery brand in the UK where she also acquired her Chartered Accountancy qualification.
Day 0
October 10
Sessions by Claudia Muench
Day 1
October 11
Sessions by Claudia Muench
12:30 pm-1:30 pm
Breakout Room A
Biomass Cooking: Evolution and Scale on the Road to Universal Access
Biomass remains the mainstay of cooking for households and institutions across the developing world both in rural settings where consumers have few viable alternatives, and in urban settings where consumers stack multiple solutions in their day-to-day cooking mix. The challenge remains that much of the biomass cooking that occurs in developing regions is neither clean nor efficient. Alongside an industry of improved and clean cookstoves there is renewed focus on commercial biomass fuel distribution models and integrated ‘tool and fuel’ models that are attempting to bring more value to the consumer beyond the stove sale. How are businesses evolving in the biomass segment, attracting investment, and scaling solutions for clean biomass cooking and what is the role of clean biomass on the road to universal access?
This session will discuss the crucial place of biomass tools and fuel in the clean cooking sector and the evolving business models that are driving adoption of clean biomass solutions. Speakers from some of the leading organizations in the segment will unpack key issues such as: why the segment has historically not attracted large investment, the role of innovation in driving scale and impact, what is missing to reach scalable biomass fuel distribution models, and the opportunities and challenges of carbon finance in the ecosystem.
Speakers
Tanuja Bhattacharjee
Energy Specialist, The World Bank
Ute Collier
Deputy Director, Knowledge, Policy and Finance Centre, International Renewable Energy Agency
Ethan Kay
Managing Director, Emerging Markets, BioLite
Simba Mudimbu
Senior Portfolio Manager, Venture Programs, Clean Cooking Alliance
Claudia Muench
Co-Founder & CEO, BioMassters
Chris McKinney
Chief Commercial Officer, BURN Manufacturing LLC USA
Jean-Louis Racine
Chief Program Officer, Clean Cooking Alliance
Day 2
October 12
Sessions by Claudia Muench
Day 3
October 13
Sessions by Claudia Muench
Day 4
October 14
Sessions by Claudia Muench
Sessions by Claudia Muench
Sessions by Claudia Muench
12:30 pm-1:30 pm
Breakout Room A
Biomass Cooking: Evolution and Scale on the Road to Universal Access
Biomass remains the mainstay of cooking for households and institutions across the developing world both in rural settings where consumers have few viable alternatives, and in urban settings where consumers stack multiple solutions in their day-to-day cooking mix. The challenge remains that much of the biomass cooking that occurs in developing regions is neither clean nor efficient. Alongside an industry of improved and clean cookstoves there is renewed focus on commercial biomass fuel distribution models and integrated ‘tool and fuel’ models that are attempting to bring more value to the consumer beyond the stove sale. How are businesses evolving in the biomass segment, attracting investment, and scaling solutions for clean biomass cooking and what is the role of clean biomass on the road to universal access?
This session will discuss the crucial place of biomass tools and fuel in the clean cooking sector and the evolving business models that are driving adoption of clean biomass solutions. Speakers from some of the leading organizations in the segment will unpack key issues such as: why the segment has historically not attracted large investment, the role of innovation in driving scale and impact, what is missing to reach scalable biomass fuel distribution models, and the opportunities and challenges of carbon finance in the ecosystem.
Speakers
Tanuja Bhattacharjee
Energy Specialist, The World Bank
Ute Collier
Deputy Director, Knowledge, Policy and Finance Centre, International Renewable Energy Agency
Ethan Kay
Managing Director, Emerging Markets, BioLite
Simba Mudimbu
Senior Portfolio Manager, Venture Programs, Clean Cooking Alliance
Claudia Muench
Co-Founder & CEO, BioMassters
Chris McKinney
Chief Commercial Officer, BURN Manufacturing LLC USA
Jean-Louis Racine
Chief Program Officer, Clean Cooking Alliance