About ClimateLaunchpad

ClimateLaunchpad is the world’s largest green business ideas competition, premised on the belief that innovation and invention can lead the way to a clean future. The competition creates a stage for people who have great cleantech ideas and helps them develop those ideas into startups making global impact.

ClimateLaunchpad is organized by EIT Climate-KIC, co-funded by the European Union, and is being implemented in Kenya by the Kenya Climate Innovation Centre. We are enthusiastic about getting to see your revolutionary sustainable business ideas! We believe that together, we can fix climate change, one sustainable start-up at a time.

What We’re Looking for

Don’t worry if you don’t have a business plan just yet. Or if your idea is just scribbled on a piece of paper. You are just the person we need! Provided you have a green business idea and have what it takes to become an entrepreneur. We welcome early stage cleantech ideas for innovations in renewable energy, energy efficiency, food and agriculture, water, transportation, industrial technology, or any other way to tackle climate change. As long as it’s in the cleantech domain: “a scientific innovation that uses existing technology to do more with fewer resources, and has a commercial driver.” Application deadline is 7^th June 2024!

Eligibility

Who can enter the Competition:

1. Anyone with a promising cleantech idea, being a start-up, SME, researcher, student, public organisation, consultant, engineering company, a combination of these or anyone else.
2. You can only enter in your own country.
3. You cannot enter ClimateLaunchpad if you’ve already been accepted into EIT Climate-KIC Accelerator or have participated in ClimateLaunchpad (or the former CleanLaunchpad) with the same business idea in a previous year;
4. You can only enter if:

• you have not yet started a business or your company has been incorporated for less than a year (definition: your legal entity does not exist for more than 1 year);
• you have attracted less than € 200.000 in investment (definition: no funding as a venture. Funding as a student is not counted);
• you have not yet sold products, solutions or prototypes on commercial terms.
• What to Expect
  • Train – ClimateLaunchpad kicks off with an intensive Boot Camp & follow-up Coaching Sessions. You will learn all you can on how to successfully start your green business. Create a rock solid business plan and perfect your pitch along the way.
  • Compete – The gloves come off during the national competitions and the Grand Final where you’ll battle the world’s best. Convince our jury and you’ll convince any client or investor.
  • Launch – There is substantial prize money for the top three Grand Final winners. On top of that the top ten winners move on to the prestigious Climate-KIC Accelerator programme. The place where great ideas grow into great businesses.

   

How it works

To enter the competition, submit your idea or innovation with environmental impact. All entries will be reviewed and ideas that fit the bill of our competition get invited to join. Once selected, we’ll help you fast track that idea into a business and bypass all possible pitfalls along the way. You’ll learn how to get your idea funded and launched. The Boot Camp and coaching sessions will help you develop your idea to a rock-solid plan. You will pitch this during the national and the regional finals. Winners of each regional Final will go on to compete in the Global grand finale.

The programme

• Step 1: Boot Camp: The top 10 applicants will take part in a five-day intensive Boot Camp. Our trainers will teach you all you need to know about jump-starting your business.
• Step 2: Intensive coaching and National Finals: The Boot Camp is followed by a period of 6 sessions of intensive coaching. You’ll perfect your pitch, value proposition and business model. After that, you’ll be ready to rock your National Final where you’ll pitch in front of a National Jury.
• Step 3: Regional Finals: The top teams of each country go to the Regional Finals where they pitch in front of the region’s best and brightest.

What can I win?

1. National Finalists are awarded prizes in-kind to be determined and organized by the Kenya Climate Innovation Center. It’s a surprise!
2. The overall Winner of the African Regional Final receives € 4500, the runner up gets € 2000 and the idea that comes in third place wins € 1000 (the “prize”).

1. A bunch of new acquired skills & knowledge and networking opportunities to get your business thriving. And of course being on the frontline in the fight of our lifetime-climate change!

Application Deadline:  7^th June 2024