Climate Change

ClimateLaunchpad – The Green Business Idea Competition 

ClimateLaunchpad is The Green Business Ideas Competition that seeks to fix climate change, one start-up at a time. By accelerating innovation, we enable a low-carbon future. That kind of change needs massive amounts of the world’s best green ideas. This competition creates a platform for those ideas. We offer training, coaching, access to a global network and prizes in kind or cash. 

 In 2021 ClimateLaunchpad received 2,163 applications from 55 countries, with national, regional and global finals.. 

  

Aim of the competition 

EIT Climate-KIC strongly believes that real climate change requires real businesses. The aim is to accelerate green business success and foster different initiations from early phase start-ups. Our aim is: 

  1. to unlock more green business ideas around the world; 
  1. to create a global wide green business network, engaging with a larger group of (potential) green business start-ups; and 
  1. strengthen brand appeal and enlarge (local, national and international) visibility for both EIT Climate-KIC and its partners. 

TUDublin is the National Lead for Ireland with WIT in collaboration , we will recruit at least 25 green ideas of which 10 ideas will be selected to go through to a Boot Camp, Coaching Sessions and the National Final. 

Who can enter the ClimateLaunchpad Competition? 

Anyone with a green business idea who wants to become an entrepreneur can enter the competition. 

 We welcome early stage cleantech ideas for innovations in: 

  • energy efficiency 
  • food and agriculture, 
  • industrial technology, 
  • renewable energy, 
  • transportation, 
  • water, or 
  • any other way to tackle climate change 

Ideas may still be on the back of a napkin. 

We welcome ideas from students working as individuals or in teams. We are open to ideas from start-ups and potential start-ups. 

There are some restrictions though: 

  • Teams can only enter if they have not yet started a business, or have been a start-up for less than 12 months, have no substantial revenue and have no grants or investments above €200,000. 
  • Participants must not yet have sold products, solutions or prototypes on commercial terms. 
  • Participants cannot apply if their idea has already been accepted into the EIT Climate-KIC Accelerator or if they have participated in ClimateLaunchpad before with the same idea. Submitting a new idea is of course allowed. 

Finally, participants can only enter in the country where they live for the duration of the competition (up to September 2022). 

How to enter? 

Applicants can submit their idea through the application form on the website. 

What happens after submitting an idea? 

National Juries select the best proposals in their country to join the National Competitions (10 teams per country). Those that are selected will move along 3 steps (note: they have to attend the Boot Camp and National Final and at least 5 out of 6 Coaching Sessions): 

Step  Details 
Step 1: Mini-course & Boot Camp                             

  
  • All entries will be invited to follow the self-paced online Mini-course. 
  • This Mini-course will be used as part of the selection procedure. 
  • The jury selects 10 good quality teams per country to participate in the 3-day digital Boot Camps. 
Step 2: Coaching and National Finals 

  
  • The Boot Camp is followed by a series of Coaching Sessions where participants will learn to perfect their pitch, value their proposition and business model. 
  • After that, they’ll be ready for the National Final where they get to pitch in front of a National Jury. 
  • The top teams of each country enter the next stage. 
Step 3: Regional Final  

  
  • At the Regional Final the teams pitch in front of the brightest minds of the region. 
  • The best of the best will be chosen to pitch at the final stage of the entire competition. 
Step 4: Global Grand Final 

  
  • At the Global Grand Final the teams pitch their idea remotely for leading investors and entrepreneurs and an international online audience. 
  • The jury will select a number of finalists to compete for the top title – winner of ClimateLaunchpad 2023.  

Key Dates 

  • 01 March 2023: Applications open
  • 01 June 2023: Applications close
  • End June: National Climate Launchpad Bootcamp
  • Mid-August – September 2023: National Finals
  • October/November 2023: Regional International Finals

Want to know more? 

Students
Alumni
Staff
About
Twitter Instagram