Press release: The next generation of cleantech entrepreneurs is ready for global impact

ClimateLaunchpad Global Grand Final unlocks massive climate impact with 135 green start-ups from across the globe 

Edinburgh, 1 November 2018 – All across the world, green entrepreneurs are working hard to create economic opportunities through climate change adaptation and mitigation solutions. A record number of 135 start-ups from 44 countries are set to take the stage at the Global Grand Final of the 2018 ClimateLaunchpad competition in Edinburgh, Scotland. On November 1 and 2 they pitch and compete for funding and the chance to enter the Climate-KIC Accelerator. 

Unlock the world’s cleantech potential 
The global green business ideas competition, ClimateLaunchpad, is part of the entrepreneurship offerings by Climate-KIC and supported by EIT, a body of the European Union. Its mission is to unlock Europe’s cleantech potential and to accelerate innovations that address climate change on a global scale.

2018: 1,500 business ideas to fix climate change 
Over 1,500 ideas across the world were submitted to enter the ClimateLaunchpad competition in this fifth yearly edition. Selected teams attended intense 2-day Boot Camps and coaching sessions to prepare them for National Finals where each country selected their top-3 to go on to the Global Grand Final in Scotland.

Global Grand Final 
On 1 and 2 November these 135 start-ups pitch their ideas to a renowned international jury to be judged on feasibility, scalability, job creation, climate impact and quality of their pitch. The jury will select the ten best teams to join the prestigious Climate-KIC Accelerator. The top three teams also win cash prizes. The world is sure to hear from all finalists and winning teams.

ClimateLaunchpad founder Frans Nauta: “It doesn’t matter whether you win or lose this competition. What matters is that you have customers.” Most ClimateLaunchpad alumni are going strong, 85% of the 2014 and 2015 start-ups are still in business.

A global conversation on fixing climate change 
This 5th edition of the ClimateLaunchpad Grand Final offers a global conversation on fixing climate change. There is no event like it in the world. Leading minds, policy makers and corporates fly in from all over the globe to shape this conversation. The focus of the event is how to truly unlock the potential for green start-ups so they can have massive climate impact. Speakers like Dawn LippertPuon Penn and Dane Boyson deliver keynotes and interactive sessions on the main topics:
–  Building cleantech start-up ecosystems
–  Funding for start-ups that are tackling climate change
–  Green entrepreneurs and ClimateLaunchpad alumni sharing lessons learnt

Note to editors: For more information about ClimateLaunchpad, the Global Grand Final, press and interview requests please contact:

Andre Koster – Communications Chief
andre@climatelaunchpad.org
+31 615 86 36 40

Diana Zaharia – Communications Coordinator
diana@climatelaunchpad.org
+32 488 33 86 85

Contact 
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.

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