Tech Nation is relaunching a formerly government-funded climate programme to champion the UK’s innovative climate tech startups.
More than 20 cutting-edge emerging businesses are joining the ground-breaking growth programme, now entering its fourth year.
It is designed to support the UK’s most promising ClimateTech companies with a curriculum tailored to tackling critical growth challenges and providing direct support on fundraising, acquiring multinational customers and advocating on climate policy.
Backed by Tech Nation’s Founding Partner, HSBC Innovation Banking, it prioritises its support towards solutions for energy intensive sectors, such as agriculture, manufacturing and the built environment.
Decarbonising housing
Multiple participants – including Carno, Spruce and Furbnow (founders Becky Lane, right, and Laurence Watson pictured) – are focused on installing domestic heat pumps to achieve net-zero emissions in at least 80% of homes by 2050, as recommended by the Climate Change Committee.
Materials
PACT, ARDA, Really Clever are set to disrupt the leather industry by introducing affordable, quality plant-based leathers, aiming to eliminate 77-99% of the carbon and water associated with traditional animal leather production.
Reusable packaging
In response to a recent law banning single-use plastics, companies like Dizzie, Bower Collective and Again are leading a reusable packaging revolution in the UK and Europe, entering mainstream retailers and contributing to the reduction of plastic waste.
AgriTech, AquaTech & food systems
Addressing underserved areas in oceans, soil, and rice production, companies such as Straw Innovations are eliminating rice-related greenhouse gas emissions by converting them into biomass and carbon-negative fertiliser.
Other companies include soil health monitoring (PES), seaweed utilisation for carbon removal (Seafields), next-generation vertical farming (Future Greens), and innovative plant-based meat products (Adamo Foods).
The companies will have access to connections, insights, and opportunities for international expansion via Tech Nation’s expanded global network since its acquisition by Founders Forum Group last year. They will also gain access to mentors from the likes of Google X, HSBC and Oxford University.
The programme’s steering committee includes leading names who have transitioned their focus to solving climate change, including Dhiraj Mukherjee, co-founder of Shazam; Marta Krupinska, FinTech entrepreneur-turned-ClimateTech founder; Roee Goldberg, co-founder of OpenWeb; and Lubomila Jordanova, CEO of Plan A.
Reflecting Tech Nation’s commitment to supporting under-represented groups, 40% of startups in this year’s cohort are female founded or co-founded and more than half are based outside London.
“Over 45% of the emission reductions needed to reach net zero by 2050 will come from the adoption of climate technologies that are still under development. Helping these amazing startups grow will deliver innovations with a dramatic impact on generations to come,” said Tech Nation CEO Carolyn Dawson.
“Whether it’s creating a new world of mushroom tech or developing new tools to help businesses plan and install renewable energy infrastructure, Tech Nation helps these businesses to grow and deepen the UK’s reputation as the home for incredible new climate development.”
EnviroTech 50 – UK’s most innovative green technology creators
HSBC Innovation Banking CEO Erin Platts said: “HSBC Innovation Banking is committed to supporting all aspects of climate tech, from early stage through to late stage.
“Tech Nation is playing a pivotal role in fostering the most innovative companies across the sector and we’re excited to empower this promising cohort of scaleups at the forefront of ClimateTech.”
Tech Nation head of climate Sammy Fry added: “This is the year of climate tech adoption. We are experiencing an inflection point, where solutions are slowly approaching cost parity across multiple sectors and environmental regulations are being enacted.
“Through the Climate Programme, we want to ensure we support this group of climate startups to reach scale and ensure their solutions are being adopted by the masses.”
To date, the Tech Nation climate programme has supported more than 100 ClimateTech startups including Olio, a local sharing app that last year prevented more than 60m food portions going to waste; Satellite Vu, the first company to measure the thermal footprint of the world in real time; and Earthshot Prize Finalist ENSO.
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