ICONS Innovation Stories

2023 was likely the hottest in 100,000 years. With more than half of the world’s population living in urban areas, cities can still reverse this trend.  Many of them are already testing pioneering and promising solutions, but none will achieve climate neutrality on its own. It’s all about joining forces. The music that frames this podcast is the Third movement of the Cello Concerto in C Major by Franz Joseph Haydn, performed by Theresia Orchestra and cellist Magdalena Duerr under the direction of Claudio Astronio. You also heard: Voyager by Onycs Tech Inspiration by Unisoundspro Driving Ambition by Ahjay Stelino Run by KV Dreaming Big by Ozi ICONS Innovation Stories is a podcast by ICONS. This episode was produced as part of the European project NEUTRALPATH.

Today, 55% of the world’s population lives in urban areas. This is an unbearable burden for a planet where cities are already accountable for 75 % of global CO2 emissions, but cities can also be a crucial driver for change. It’s just about getting smarter. CREDITS: The music that frames this podcast is the Third movement of the Cello Concerto in C Major by Franz Joseph Haydn, performed by Theresia Orchestra and cellist Magdalena Duerr under the direction of Claudio Astronio You also heard: Voyager by Onycs Tech Inspiration by Unisoundspro Driving Ambition by Ahjay Stelino Run by KV Dreaming Big by Ozi ICONS Innovation Stories is a podcast by ICONS. This episode was produced as part of the European project NEUTRALPATH.

In Episode 4 of the Fair MusE Podcast, “Metadata: the missing link in music fairness,” we’re turning the spotlight on a crucial, yet often unknown and underestimated, player in the streaming era: metadata.
James Rhys Edwards (Open Muse project coordinator) and Allen Bargfrede (Managing Director of Advance Advisors) discuss this concept with far-reaching implications for artists, the music industry—and even society at large. Join us to discover why addressing these biases is crucial for a fairer, more diverse music ecosystem.

In Episode 2 of the Fair MusE Podcast, “Minority Reports: Gender, Music Genre, and Language Bias in the Streaming Era,” we explore how streaming platforms influence and often limit musical diversity. Lukas Krohn-Grimberghe (founder of Grammofy), Isaac Muñoz (researcher on linguistic bias), and Thais Ruiz de Alda (founder of Digital Fems) discuss the biases against gender, language, and niche genres, shedding light on inequalities perpetuated by algorithms. Join us to discover why addressing these biases is crucial for a fairer, more diverse music ecosystem.

In this first episode, we explore how music streaming platforms are reshaping the careers of independent artists and the diversity of what we hear. Through real-life stories, expert insights, and research from the Fair MusE project, we ask: Is the digital music ecosystem fair? Featuring voices from musicians, researchers, and legal experts, this episode dives into algorithms, visibility, and the struggle for equity in today’s streaming-driven industry.Contributors Antoine Henry, Assistant professor at Lille University Valentina Magistrati, musician Giuseppe Mazziotti, Professor in Law and Innovation at the Católica Global School of Law in Lisbon, and FairMuse project coordinator  Oyku Dogan, musician  Music credits Dicembre by VALENN Canzone fragile by VALENN Tempo per noi by VALENN LDT by VALENN Get Away by Oyku Dogan I see stars around by Oyku Dogan  As part of the musical framework of this podcast: Franz Joseph Haydn’s Cello Concerto in C Major, performed by the Theresia Orchestra under the direction of Claudio Astronio, featuring Magdalena Dür on cello 

On this episode we’re focusing on bioplastics, and their use in children’s toys. The toy industry is a huge consumer of conventional, fossil-based plastics…but gradually, and thanks to pressure from both consumers and regulators, toymakers are making their products more sustainable – and bioplastics are an important element in the expansion of this part of the bioeconomy.

This podcast is about fashion…and if there’s one thing for sure, our individual taste in clothes is as varied as our taste in food – no two days are ever quite the same. It’s that sense of personal style and identity that the fashion industry both creates and responds to. And the bioeconomy presents opportunities for sustainability and circularity to become fashionable too.

Have you ever come back from the supermarket and thought to yourself: is all this food packaging really necessary? Well, food packaging is the subject of our second All Things Bio podcast, and it’s one of the four pillars of this Horizon project, co-financed by the European Union.

Green urban policies can backfire when environmental gains coincide with rising property prices and changing neighbourhood demographics. The latest episode of the ICONS Innovation Stories podcast, “NEUTRALPATH: Affordable Housing for Climate-Neutral Cities” starts with this challenge, taking the listeners from Barcellona gentrified super blocks to Zaragoza’s tailored social programs that support houses retrofitting.   Featuring insights from Paloma Bozman (Zaragoza Vivienda), Blanka Tarsoly (energy transition expert), Tommaso Buso (Bankers Without Boundaries), Michal Kuzmič (Czech Technical University), and Mayor Tanya Hristova (GabrovoMunicipalilty), the episode focuses on people-centred policies and financing solutions that can drive more sustainable, climate-neutral urban development.  Tune in to discover how rent caps, green-lease clauses and blended-finance mechanisms can make efficient homes without pricing people out.

In the latest episode of the ICONS Innovation Stories podcast, “NEUTRALPATH – The road to climate neutrality: reshaping urban mobility,” we look at how European cities are rethinking transport to cut congestion, reduce emissions and make daily movement cleaner and more accessible. Luke Bojcev, Theodoros Gkiourkas, Tanya Hristova and Ruxandra Aelenei share how local authorities are testing new technologies while navigating driver shortages, tight budgets and complex regulations. Join us to hear why putting people at the center of mobility innovation matters for building climate neutral urban districts.

In Episode 3 of the Fair MusE Podcast, "Behind the Music Stream: Who Really Gets Paid?", we explore the impact of streaming's dominance on the music industry.Heritiana Ranaivoson, Co-founder of the FairMuse project and Research Professor at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Allen Bargfrede, Managing Director at Advance Advisors, Burak Özgen, GESAC Deputy General Manager, and Giuseppe Mazziotti, FairMuse project coordinator and principal investigator and Professor in Law and Innovation, Católica Global School of Law in Lisbon discuss how traditional players are redefining their roles in this fast-changing landscape, how revenues are generated and shared—and how much of that process remains murky and lacking in transparency.Join us to discover why addressing these biases is crucial for a fairer, more diverse music ecosystem.

The word bioeconomy is becoming familiar to the most. It reminds of terms like circular economy, natural environment and natural resources.  But what exactly is the bioeconomy and how does it affect our everyday lives?