About the RACE Programme

What is Rapid Acceleration of Climate Entrepreneurs?

EIT Climate-KIC and European Innovation Council (EIC) launched pilot collaboration funded by the Horizon 2020 programme which seeks to create synergies between the two organisations and their pioneer start-up communities. The purpose is to enhance Europe’s innovation portfolios that support European Green Deal goals.

Scaling climate impact through innovation

The results of the project will lead to recommendations for framing a future long-term collaboration between EIC and EIT Climate-KIC under Horizon Europe. The following objectives aim to support over 100 beneficiaries together in both communities: 

Systems Transformation and Climate Impact Framework tools for EIC beneficiaries 

Support EIC start-ups under the Accelerator Green Deal portfolio via the EIT Climate-KIC’s Climate Impact Framework methodology. 

Accelerate Market Uptake of ground-breaking climate innovations from EIC beneficiaries 

Support EIC early-stage beneficiaries that have ground-breaking climate innovations, as well as those teams committed to bringing new climate-positive products and businesses to the market, to improve their market uptake. 

Fast Track access to EIC Accelerator funding for EIT Climate-KIC portfolio companies 

Provide access to EIT Climate-KIC’s mature start-ups and companies with proven climate impact to skip first part of EIC Accelerator application and apply directly to Stage 2.  

Call to action

What do we do?

We support and help innovators to measure, improve and scale positive climate impact. By introducing the notion of emissions forecasting or climate impact projections alongside third-party validations, accelerate Market Uptake of climate innovations, and fast-track access to EIC Accelerator funding.   

Who is it for?

Start-ups in Europe seeking to improve, measure or scale innovators toward a net-zero carbon economy. The pilot programme offers services (Climate Impact tool and Market Uptake) to EIC Accelerator start-up beneficiaries and; EIC early-stage beneficiaries, and also access to grants and/or equity investment from EIC to our EIT Climate-KIC mature portfolio of start-ups (Fast Track). 

For EIC Accelerator start-ups 

The Climate Impact Framework tool helps EIC Accelerator start-ups and beneficiaries to:  

  • Understand the climate impact (emissions and mitigation potential) of their innovations based on impact data.
  • Learn how to use the self-assessment tool to measure CO2 emission reductions as well as gain insights on health, eco-toxicity, and resource depletion. 
  • Undergo a third-party validation to receive feedback and support to steer the businesses towards positive impact. 
  • Build  impact projections for customers, investors and stakeholders who are relevant to their sector. 

The next cut-off date for intake into the work with the Climate Impact Framework is on the 31st of January 2022. We recommend you to apply as early as possible, because companies will be onboarded on a first come – first served basis and the available places may already fill up in December. 

Apply to open call

For EIC early-stage beneficiaries with climate innovations

We offer dedicated services to improve their business readiness levels and accelerate their market uptake through:

  • Tailored entrepreneurship training, mentoring, coaching activities and/or match-making activities with serial entrepreneurs
  • Access to EIT Climate-KIC networks of demand owners (cities, corporates, etc.) and/or investors

Apply to open call

 

For EIT Climate-KIC mature start-ups

We offer a Fast Track opportunity to EIT Climate-KIC late-stage and alumni start-ups (those with Technology Readiness Level above 5) as candidates for the EIC Accelerator:

  • If we nominate your start-up, the Fast Track means you can skip Stage 1 of the application process and go direcly to Stage 2 – full application.
  • Start-ups can apply for up to 2.5 MIO EUR grant and/or up to 15 million EUR equity investment from EIC.
  • The next cut-off date for stage 2 application is going to be in the first months of 2022. If you would like to participate in this Fast Track scheme, you have to prepare your full application in time. 
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