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.