Making sustainable living easier

To cut greenhouse gas emissions, individuals also need to change their behaviour. The challenge is that behavioural change usually begins with action. This was the starting point when three climate-conscious entrepreneurs founded Ducky in 2014.

'We believe that society as a whole must pull together, and Ducky aims to make it easier for individuals to make environmentally friendly choices,' says co-founder Mads Simonsen.

The founder spent several years working in the oil industry and felt guilty about its impact on the climate. His desire to make a meaningful contribution to climate action ultimately led the company to develop several digital tools based on climate data and research from NTNU.

Today, the company focuses on three main products: a digital map showing the footprint of different neighbourhoods, climate data made available where people already are – for example, in their mobile banking app – and climate challenges and competitions that let people try out the products.

We have supported the company since it was founded, and Ducky has benefited from a wide range of our services. Initially, the company received a Startup grant and has since received grants for several projects, as well as advisory and loan financing.

'Our support has been essential to their success. Without it, their development would have been much slower,' says Simonsen.

Our Senior Adviser Ingve Nordahl Løkken is pleased that we have been able to reduce risk and help bring projects like this to life. He says he is impressed by Ducky's commitment and the work they do.

‘They make carbon accounting very easy to understand, and they are extremely good at explaining how both local authorities and individuals can take practical action to address climate change. It is also clear that they are truly passionate about the cause and want to make a difference,’ says Løkken.

This is also reflected in their ownership structure. They are primarily owned by a non-profit limited company governed by articles of association based on foundation principles. Any future profits will therefore be reinvested in improving existing products and services or in new initiatives that promote sustainability.

In 2020, the company received a grant for a project called ‘Klimadugnad’, a national climate campaign run in partnership with the Norwegian environmental organisation Fremtiden i våre hender. The campaign involved organising climate competitions between companies.

‘We held three rounds of competitions at different times. Having several rounds was very valuable, as we could learn from each one and apply those lessons to the next. During the project, we made significant progress in developing our campaign tool. We will now continue this work through ‘Klimakonkurransen’,’ says Simonsen.

Klimakonkurransen invites employees at participating companies to compete against each other and other companies to achieve the greatest possible reduction in CO2 emissions. The competition also aims to build knowledge and engagement around climate challenges.

Looking ahead, the company aims to expand both in Norway and internationally.

‘Many Norwegian municipalities now use Ducky’s consumption-based carbon accounting, but we want to take it to a national level. We want the Norwegian government to use the carbon accounts. We then want to expand across Scandinavia and into other countries, and encourage as many people as possible to get involved,’ says Simonsen.

The goal is to grow from around 25 employees to nearly 70–80 during 2022. New employees can look forward to a distinctive working environment with talented colleagues.

‘We have a very flat structure, where everyone is a leader and has a strong influence on their working day. Having as much freedom as we do is probably quite unusual,’ Simonsen adds.

‘The strength they have built within the team – a relatively large team with a broad range of expertise and strong diversity – is something we at Innovation Norway see as a major asset for Ducky,’ Løkken concludes.

Read more about how Ducky presents its solution to international audiences on Business Norway.