Beyond the pitch: ClimateLaunchpad’s role in shaping sustainable startups
A year after participating in ClimateLaunchpad, alumni from the 2023 cohort report that the programme brought about some of the biggest mind shifts they’d ever experienced. Here’s a look at how ClimateLaunchpad’s unique approach has reshaped these startups.
Get the right product
For many, the ClimateLaunchpad journey began with ambitious, but loosely defined, ideas. As the team from build.ing, a platform that uses AI to optimise eco-friendly construction materials, recalls, “We had this dream, way up in the sky, but ClimateLaunchpad helped us ground it and make it more realistic.”
Get attention
Visibility is another area where ClimateLaunchpad makes a remarkable difference. The programme trains participants to tell their story effectively, answer difficult questions from a jury, and make strategic use of public relations. For Greenlight, a platform that helps “plant better wood”, this aspect was invaluable. “ClimateLaunchpad provided us with a unique opportunity to boost our visibility—not only in Vietnam and the Pacific, but worldwide,” they said. Greenlight now planted thousands of trees.
Get funding
Funding is a notoriously challenging area in the green business sector, yet ClimateLaunchpad provided valuable insights to help participants approach investors with confidence. Helton Traders, which turns plastic bottles into sewing thread, emerged with a much clearer sense of how to communicate. “We now understand how to stand in front of investors and explain both the revenue and the positive environmental impact we deliver,” they shared. This clarity has bolstered their confidence as they seek the funding required for specialised and expensive machinery.
Get green insights
One of the unique aspects of ClimateLaunchpad is its focus on environmental impact. Merge, a start-up tackling empty miles in shipping logistics, reflected on the distinction: “We’ve attended other accelerator programmes, but ClimateLaunchpad gave us a solid grounding in environmental and social-economic impacts. Other programmes mostly focused on business aspects. ClimateLaunchpad taught us what it means to truly build a green business.”
Conclusion: from idea to impact
ClimateLaunchpad is much more than a business pitch opportunity—it’s a journey of transformation. Alumni leave with refined products, practical insights, strengthened resilience, and a powerful network that propels them towards long-term success. For those considering joining ClimateLaunchpad, this journey is more than an accelerator; it’s a mind shift that empowers start-ups to make a lasting environmental impact.
