The Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation (ECCI) is on the hunt for a new batch of budding Scottish entrepreneurs eager to take their markets by storm, as it opens the first stage of its Climate-KIC Accelerator for applications today.

The recruitment drive is part of ECCI’s partnership with Climate-KIC – Europe’s largest climate entrepreneurship programme – which aims to get low carbon start-ups investment-ready. The deadline for submissions is Wednesday 24 January 2018.

The three-stage, 18-month Climate-KIC Accelerator programme offers early stage entrepreneurs access to up to €60,000 grant funding, business coaching with experienced professionals, a range of masterclasses and free workspace at ECCI’s vibrant Edinburgh hub.

Stage 1, which comes with up to €10,000, helps companies find their market niche and figure out how to make money and scale up.
Since ECCI launched the Climate-KIC Accelerator in June this year, 17 start-ups have been through the programme scooping 14 awards and more than £400,000 in investment, creating 17 jobs and registering three new businesses.

The businesses taking part in the programme also saved the equivalent of more than 260,000 tonnes of carbon annually – the same weight as more than 100,000 elephants.

Stephanie Terreni Brown, Clean Water Wave founder and a participant in the Climate-KIC Accelerator Stages 1 and 2 at ECCI, said:“The programme has really helped Clean Water Wave go from being an idea to being a big step closer to a dream realised.

“In the short time of the programme, we’ve incorporated as a company, developed our business model and attracted funding so we can pilot our project.”

Ed Craig, ECCI Deputy Director, said: “The progress made by our first group of start-ups has been really impressive, so we’re excited to be launching this new drive for participants to kick off 2018.

“Joining the Climate-KIC Accelerator at ECCI means more than dedicated funding and support – successful applicants will be based at the heart of our low carbon hub with expertise on tap, thriving networks and a range of events and opportunities.”

ECCI, with an award-winning hub in Edinburgh and a new base in Hong Kong, brings together people from business, research, communities and governments to turn good low carbon ideas into reality. It supports a thriving community of low carbon enterprises and provides policy insight and evidence to help inform government decisions.

ECCI became an official partner of Climate-KIC earlier this year, bringing Europe’s biggest climate entrepreneurship programme to Scotland for the first time.

Find out more and apply now; http://bit.ly/2z7G1YT