Climate entrepreneurship
Realising the full potential of climate solutions requires a concerted global effort, a shift in mindsets, and a stronger focus on demand-driven initiatives. At EIT Climate-KIC, we prioritise bridging the gap between the supply of climate innovation and the demand for them, thereby accelerating this change across the globe. Our aim is to transform the start-up support landscape, ensuring that climate action is deeply embedded in the fabric of the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
We are developing a pipeline of innovation
We work in support of both demand-side (government agencies, corporates and investors) and supply-side (start-ups, NGOs, entrepreneurship support organisations) in three complementary ways:
We provide partner organisations with technical and financial support to deliver entrepreneurship activities that addresses and accelerates local climate ambitions.
We build portfolios of future-proof ventures with solutions focused on critical climate challenges and guided by market demands. Our start-ups measure their carbon footprint from the onset.
We strengthen innovation ecosystems by bringing together dynamic groups of interconnected stakeholders to collaborate and address critical climate challenges.
Investing for climate impact
We facilitate access to funding specifically tailored for entrepreneurs who are building the high-impact businesses of the future. Our Investing for 1.5C initiative works with a select group of committed impact investment funds to support such businesses that will not only generate transformative climate impact but will form the building blocks of a new economy.
How we support climate innovators
Our flagship entrepreneurship programmes support citizens, entrepreneurs and start-ups in kickstarting their climate solutions. We provide them with ideation support, business skills, access to networks, finance and mentorship opportunities to unleash innovation across the world.
Climathon is a city-based initiative that offers a pathway to action for anyone to create local ideas that solve climate challenges. Since 2015, local organisers have led over 1,000 Climathon events where 30,000 innovators have generated new ideas in hundreds of cities around the world.
Get involvedFounded in 2014, ClimateLaunchpad is the world’s largest green business ideas competition, which aims to unearth and incubate the world’s best, positive start-ups. This is done through a series of National Boot Camps, Pitching Competitions, and regional pitching events where green entrepreneurs obtain exposure and win both in-kind support and cash prizes for their businesses.
Get involvedTogether with entrepreneurship support organisations, we run theme- and place-based climate accelerators in local contexts around the world. These programmes are delivered using our proven methodology and provide start-ups with the professional resources, knowledge, network and funding needed to successfully kickstart and scale their climate solutions.
Get involved
Impact at our core
At EIT Climate-KIC, we have developed Impact Shift, a suite of services for measuring, forecasting, and monitoring a wide range of environmental and social impact metrics — including CO2 mitigation potential. This ensures start-ups are sustainable from the onset and helps founders build a comprehensive view of their long-term impact, which can be translated into simplified reports for investors and other stakeholders.
Embedding a gender lens into climate innovation
We work on a range of programmes to help partners identify gaps in their understanding of gender inequity and implement concrete actions to “mainstream” gender into their everyday work. Our WeClim Equally handbook enables entrepreneurship support organisations to conduct a review of their internal policies and then take steps to ensure women and minority genders are equally represented in their programmes, communications, hiring and policies.
Our partner network
Many of our programmes are realised through robust collaborations with local partners, underscoring our commitment to leveraging local expertise and context. Currently, we maintain active partnerships with over 100 organisations worldwide. This emphasis on partnerships fosters collaboration and collective learning, facilitating large-scale ‘learning by doing’ initiatives that can be replicated at scale.
Spotlight initiatives
We are collaborating with government agencies, corporates and investors across the globe to support climate innovation at the speed and scale required for systemic change.