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

The Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation (ECCI) is opening ClimateLaunchpad – the world’s biggest green business competition with cash prizes of up to €10,000 – for applications today.

To enter the competition, budding inventors and entrepreneurs simply have to submit an idea or innovation that could have a positive environmental impact.

Those selected to join ClimateLaunchpad, which is running in more than 30 countries around the world as well as Scotland, will get dedicated support to fast track their idea into a business and bypass pitfalls along the way. They’ll also learn how to get their idea funded and launched.

After taking part in a Boot Camp and coaching sessions to develop their idea into a rock-solid plan, participants will get the chance to pitch this idea during the UK Final later this year. The top three winners of each national competition will go on to compete in the worldwide Grand Final in Cyprus in October 2017.

There is prize money of up to €10,000 for the top three Grand Final winners. On top of that the top ten winners move on to the renowned Climate-KIC Accelerator programme to help low carbon start-ups get investment-ready.

Dr Andy Kerr, ECCI Director, said: “ECCI brings people together to spark good low carbon ideas – and bringing the world’s largest cleantech ideas competition to Scotland is a great way to make this happen.

“Start-ups tell us that taking part in ClimateLaunchpad gave them the edge they needed to successfully take on their markets.

“Whether your idea is scribbled on the back of a napkin or you’ve been dreaming of making it happen for years, if you have a green business idea then we want to hear from you.”

ClimateLaunchpad is the latest programme to be delivered by ECCI with Climate-KIC, Europe’s largest climate entrepreneurship programme. ECCI is bringing Climate-KIC to Scotland for the first time, offering home-grown entrepreneurs funding and support to take their target markets by storm.

Apply now

If you’ve got an idea with positive climate impacts and the potential to go stratospheric, find out more and submit your idea by Sunday 28 May 2017.