ClimateLaunchpad has began the search for the best cleantech business ideas

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05.04.2016

The registration process for the ClimateLaunchpad competition has commenced. This competition seeks to award the most outstanding business idea in renewable energy, sustainable transition in the food chain, mind shift in urban mobility or any other way to tackle climate change. Cleantech start-up can apply until May 28, 2016.

ClimateLaunchpad, an initiative of Climate-KIC, is the most important initiative of the European Union for the development of innovations within the climate area. Last year, the competition was carried out in Switzerland for the first time by the Startup Academy. The aim is to win many candidates with compelling business ideas at home.

In 2015, Switzerland achieved a respectable result ​​and scored with 35 applications the third best result of all 25 European countries. From the 35 cleantech ideas a shortlist with 12 teams was created. Their business ideas have then been developed and refined during six coaching sessions and a two-day boot camp at Stellwerk in Basel. The coaches and business experts that formed the jury members were put together from the Startup Academy and Climate-KIC network.

New Business Ideas in 2016
This year, ClimateLaunchpad is looking for the best cleantech business ideas – no matter if it is a sustainable solution for energy, water, waste, transport, behavioral change or an urban development. Whatever the business idea is, it is important that the challenges of climate change are tackled. Anyone in Switzerland with an idea of how to better deal with the current environmental challenges can apply for the competition. These ideas do not necessarily need to be defined in detail. The ClimateLaunchpad competition will offer professional assistance to implement the ideas.

Once the applicant has been accepted into the competition, they will go through the following steps before the final award ceremony:

Step 1: Boot Camp on 11th and 12th June 2016
ClimateLaunchpad kicks off with a 2-day Boot Camp. Trainers from Climate-KIC  will teach the qualified candidates about jumpstarting their business.

Step 2: Intensive coaching and National Finals in Basel on Swiss Final in Basel
The Boot Camp is followed by with a period of intensive coaching. Candidates will perfect their pitch, value proposition and business model. They will also be prepared for the National Final where they will have the opportunity to pitch in front of a National Jury. The Top-3 of each country will enter the European Final competition.

Step 3: European Final in Estonia on the 7th and 8th of October
The selected Top-3 of all National Finals will acquire the opportunity to pitch their idea in front of the review board of Climate-KIC Accelerator. Impress them and gain access to Climate-KIC Accelerator, the 18-month real life business school where great ideas grow into great businesses.

Also, the European Top-10, selected in the Grande Finale, will get direct access into Climate-KIC Accelerator without having to pitch to a review board. The overall winner of the European Final will receive € 10’000, the second and third runner up will get € 5’000 and € 2’500 respectively. 

The Startup Academy takes over the National Lead in Switzerland
The Startup Academy is Climate-KIC’s official national partner in Switzerland. It is a nonprofit association that supports start-ups from all kinds of industries (except for Life-Science) with their national mentoring programme. The innovative voluntary-based approach of linking people with business ideas with mentors, experts and coaches has already existed for five years. At the moment, more than 50 startups are registered in the programme.

The Startup Academy is convinced that the ClimateLaunchpad is a powerful program that helps to detect and develop relevant business ideas that deal with today’s most important challenges.

By the way: This year’s main sponsor is also from Switzerland. It's the Mibelle Group Home Care from Frenkendorf.

Further Information:

http://climatelaunchpad.org/application-form/

www.startup-academy.ch

(Press release)

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