About Waves of Change
We are a Non-Profit Organization established in Biarritz, France since 2019 with a general interest mission to serve the common good.
We develop a network and an inclusive, collaborative approach to address the environmental challenges of coastal cities by bringing together:
Environmental and societal dimensions: E & S
Marine and terrestrial topics: Blue & Green
Innovation & Preservation
Local and international territories and ecosystems
Startups, impact investors, companies, coastal local authorities, academics, research centers and NGOs.
Our main annual in person gathering the Waves of Change Forum brings together 200 committed stakeholders from 5 continents in Biarritz, FR.
Our action since 2019 has been built around 3 pillars:
SHARE - connecting, pooling knowledge and resources, and creating a foundation of trust to better develop and leverage synergies between members.
VALUE - promoting and developing collaborative human capital through the engagement of new generations of talent via the Waves Talent Program, a voluntary immersion program in partner companies enabling the decompartmentalization of CSR topics through a novel approach, networking with other complementary stakeholders via dedicated workshops, detection of hidden potential within teams or reciprocal mentoring.
CREATE - co-creation of dedicated tools, thematic communities of interest and taskforces, as well as collaborative proofs of concept to address concrete challenges faced by coalition member coastal cities via the Tideline Startup Challenge and Tideline Label with Bpifrance.
In order to remain independent and neutral, but also to make a real contribution to the common good, we are supported by a number of patrons who believe in our approach and, in their own way, spread it beyond our initiatives.
Different because…
Our approach is collective, collaborative, multidisciplinary, cross-industries and inclusive while selective.
It can be applied to any challenge related to sustainability, resilience and environmental transition.
Our coalition is based on trust, humility, collective intelligence, ecosystems and organizational biomimicry.
About our Mission
Adapting together requires a new collaborative approach within and outside organizations.
Our mission is to provide a safe and fertile space for ecosystemic, shared value creation* among like-minded stakeholders of the environmental transition both locally and internationally.
This implies a new collaborative mindset to be introduced, understood and practiced among all of them. With Waves of Change we aim to offer a unique opportunity for Basque and international startups, corporations, NGOs, investors, universities, and public sector organizations to spend productive and serene time together as a fertile ground for long-term collaboration.
* Creating Shared Value - Porter & Kramer
Our defining values are:
Collaboration rather than competition
Relevance versus scale
Action before communication
Bridging local and global initiatives
Planet and People first
About our vision
Our mid-term vision is to create a coalition of like-minded stakeholders locally in the Biarritz area as well as globally thanks to our international ambassadors in selected geographical areas that can learn from each other and co-develop solutions to shared environmental challenges.
Waves of Change attracts professionals and organizations from all over the world. Our participants speak different languages and bring unique competencies to the table. They all have one goal in common: developing sustainable solutions that respect and preserve natural resources and the biosphere.
“I have met a lot of people that can help me and that I can help as well. It is really a two-way process. It has been amazing to meet people who work on projects in the arctic, in space and locally. It was great to feel helpful and to know that we are many who share the same fight”
Photo from WoC event at Olatu Leku in Anglet, September 2020.
We look forward to joining forces!