Green innovators summoned to business ideas competition

Green business ideas competition ClimateLaunchpad has opened to Australian applicants in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. Launched by Climate-KIC Australia, the competition aims to help aspiring innovators, entrepreneurs and early-stage start-ups grow their cleantech ideas into global businesses.

Globally, ClimateLaunchpad attracts cleantech and green business ideas from over 50 countries across five continents. The program is part of the entrepreneurship offerings of Climate-KIC Australia’s collaboration partner, the European Union’s innovation initiative for climate change, EIT Climate-KIC.

The competition is searching for innovative ideas in renewable energy, energy efficiency, food and agriculture, water, transportation, industrial technology or any other way to tackle climate change. All ideas are welcome, whether on the back of an envelope or in the form of a fully fledged early-stage start-up.

The competition will be co-led by the Curtin University Sustainable Policy Institute (CUSP), a research centre devoted to integrating ecological, social, economic and cultural perspectives into policymaking.

CUSP Director Professor Greg Morrison said, “CUSP is always striving to be champions for innovation and sustainability in Western Australia and beyond, so we are excited to help support great local ideas to make a global impact through this competition.

“Together with our industry experts, competitors can transform their ideas to help address climate change by developing a sustainable business.”

Selected participants will be provided with rigorous training at an intensive two-day boot camp. Leading teams will also receive mentoring from industry leaders and former participants to help them hone their pitches.

The two most promising start-ups from each state will compete in the National Finals in October, with the top two competitors joining winners from competing countries in the Global Grand Final in November 2019.

Global Finalists will present their ideas to an audience of start-up accelerator programs, angel investors and professional networks that can help kickstart their businesses and expose them to the global market. The world’s top-10 ideas win access to the EIT Climate-KIC accelerator program. The overall winner of the Global Grand Pitch Final also receives a cash prize of €10,000 (about AU$16,000), with the runner up and third-place contender receiving €5000 (~ AU$8000) and €2500 (~ AU$4000), respectively.

For more information about ClimateLaunchpad and to enter, click here.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Tierney