ClimateLaunchpad presents the next generation of cleantech entrepreneurs ready to fix climate change.
Edinburgh, 5 November 2018– Green start-up ECO2Blocks from Portugal won ClimateLaunchpad’s fifth edition. They are building a business with the production of masonry blocks with 100% industrial waste-based materials, carbon dioxide and non-potable water. Second prize winner is JSP from India; they developed a microbial fuel cell technology that treats textile effluent to generate energy. Crover from Scotland came in third with their idea to reduce grain wastage with their patent-pending technology for grain storage monitoring.
The Global Grand Final of the business ideas competition with a primary focus on fixing climate change was held in Edinburgh, Scotland on November 1 and 2. This year’s competition attracted the record number of 1,500 cleantech entrepreneurs applying for National Competitions in 44 countries and 50 Boot Camps across the globe.
Frans Nauta, founder ClimateLaunchpad: “Climate change is not only one of the biggest challenges facing the planet, it is also the biggest business opportunity and job creator for decades to come. Seeing over 130 teams from all over the world during the ClimateLaunchpad Grand Final simply proves our motto: ‘Fixing climate change, one start-up at a time’. We see all these entrepreneurs finding commercial, scalable solutions in a whole variety of markets, getting ready for global impact.”
In each of the participating countries the challenging ClimateLaunchpad programme consists of Boot Camps and intensive coaching to help participants refine and perfect their business offering, business model, value proposition and pitch. After the National Finals each country selected their Top-3 to enter the Global Grand Final in Edinburgh, resulting in 132 teams pitching in front of a renowned jury. Finalists were judged on feasibility, scalability, job creation and climate impact.
The three Global Grand Final winners received money prizes, and the Top-10 finalists will now enter the Climate-KIC Accelerator, the world’s first 18-month business school for cleantech entrepreneurs to develop their innovations and fast-track their businesses. More detailed information on all finalists and their green start-ups can be found on www.climatelaunchpad.org.
ClimateLaunchpad is an ever-growing global competition. For next year’s edition 40 additional countries have already expressed interest in joining.
Note to editors:
For more information about ClimateLaunchpad, the Global Grand Final, press and interview requests please contact:
Diana Zaharia
diana@climatelaunchpad.org
Contact ClimateLaunchpad
www.climatelaunchpad.org
Twitter: @ClimateLaunch
Facebook: www.facebook.com/climatelaunchpad
LinkedIn: ClimateLaunchpad
About ClimateLaunchpad
ClimateLaunchpad is the global green business ideas competition. Its mission is to address the negative impacts of climate change by ways of innovation, invention and entrepreneurship. A green future demands thousands of innovations challenging the current business models. The competition supports aspiring and promising cleantech entrepreneurs with training, coaching and networking opportunities. ClimateLaunchpad operates on a global scale, currently in over 44 countries.ClimateLaunchpad was established in 2014 and is part of the Entrepreneurship offerings of Climate-KIC.
About Climate-KIC
Climate-KIC is one of the Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) established in 2010 by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), the EU body that creates sustainable economic growth in Europe, tackling the global challenges of this time. www.climate-kic.org
About the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT)
The EIT is an independent body of the European Union set up in 2008 to spur innovation and entrepreneurship across Europe to overcome some of its greatest challenges. It brings together leading higher education institutions, research labs and companies to form dynamic cross-border partnerships – Knowledge and Innovation Communities, KICs – that develop innovative products and services, start new companies, and train a new generation of entrepreneurs. https://eit.europa.eu
ClimateLaunchpad. Fixing climate change, one start-up at a time.
