Mining Meets Modernity At London Tech Week 2025: The Innovation Imperative – ( $RIO )

Rio Tinto (RIO), the mining titan with a knack for innovation, has set its sights on London Tech Week 2025—and it’s not just there for the canapés. As the only mining company gracing this major technology event, Rio Tinto is making waves by inviting entrepreneurs, researchers, and tech visionaries to help reimagine the future of sustainable materials and critical minerals .

Mining Meets Modernity: The Innovation Imperative

“Innovation is in our DNA,” declared Dan Walker, Rio Tinto’s Chief Innovation Officer, with the kind of gusto usually reserved for rock stars and rocket scientists. For more than 150 years, Rio Tinto has operated at the crossroads of mining and technology, and the company believes there’s never been a more urgent time to innovate. With the world facing a perfect storm of challenges—climate change, rapid urbanization, and the electrification of everything from cars to kettles—the demand for critical minerals is soaring. Meeting these needs, Walker notes, means delivering more materials, faster and more sustainably, all while keeping the environmental footprint as dainty as possible.

A Call for Collaborators: No Lone Wolves Allowed

Walker is quick to point out that these are “deeply complex issues that no organization can solve alone.” Instead, Rio Tinto is on the hunt for top-tier innovators and entrepreneurs to join its global network, which already includes startups, universities, tech leaders, and governments. The goal? To turn bold ideas into real-world solutions that can help power everything from artificial intelligence to renewable energy.

Accelerators, Ventures, and Academic Alliances

Rio Tinto’s innovation ecosystem is anything but static. The company’s Accelerator Program, run in partnership with early-stage investor Founders Factory, is designed to nurture high-potential startups in mining and sustainability.Meanwhile, the Rio Tinto Ventures Fund provides financial backing to promising young companies ready to shake up the industry.

Last year, Rio Tinto went a step further, investing $150 million to launch the Rio Tinto Centre for Future Materials. This initiative, led by Imperial College London, brings together academic heavyweights from the University of British Columbia, the University of California, Berkeley, the University of the Witwatersrand, and the Australian National University. The aim? To drive transformational research that accelerates progress toward net zero emissions—a goal that’s as ambitious as it is essential.

The company’s climate action plan targets a 50% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030 and net zero by 2050, supported by increased renewable electricity use (from 71% in 2023 to 78% in 2024, aiming for over 90% by 2030).

London Tech Week: Where Ideas Spark Action

Rio Tinto’s London Tech Week agenda is packed with sessions designed to ignite conversation and collaboration:

• June 9: “Unlocking Tomorrow’s Tech: Powering Innovation for Sustainable Materials” — A main stage dialogue featuring CEO Jakob Stausholm and Dan Walker.

• June 11: “Creating the Future from Campus: Why Are University Spinouts So Important for Innovation?” — A panel with Marie-Pierre Paquin, Head of Science & Partnerships.

• June 11: “Why the Future Depends on Blurring the Lines Between Mining and ClimateTech” — A discussion led by Pekka Santasalo, Head of Growth & Ventures, with founders from three Rio Tinto-backed startups.

The Bigger Picture: Why It Matters

The world’s appetite for critical minerals—think lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements—shows no sign of slowing, especially with the rise of electric vehicles, renewable energy, and advanced electronics. By fostering partnerships across sectors and continents, Rio Tinto is betting that collective brainpower can fast-track the breakthroughs needed for a greener, more connected future.

For those interested in the business side, Rio Tinto’s stock performance and strategic moves are closely watched by investors, reflecting the company’s central role in the global transition to clean energy and digital technologies.

‘Sum’

Rio Tinto’s presence at London Tech Week isn’t just about mining rocks—it’s about mining ideas. By opening its doors to the brightest minds in technology and academia, the company is laying the groundwork for a future where sustainability and innovation go hand in hand. So, whether you’re a startup founder, a university researcher, or just someone who likes shiny things, keep an eye on Rio Tinto—the next big breakthrough might just be forged in the most unexpected place.

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