In this conversation, the CEO of AcceleratorApp Alain Readman Valiquette sat down with Christian Daube, Climate Innovation Lead at Climate-KIC, focusing on Latin America and the Caribbean. Our discussion focused on the organization's selection process and its impact on climate entrepreneurship. Christian shared insights on how Climate-KIC nurtures startups to drive environmental impact and lead towards a sustainable future.
About Climate-KIC
Climate-KIC is Europe’s leading climate innovation agency. They have been active for 15 years, working to drive systemic change and climate innovations in cities, governments, and regions. Climate-KIC has around 200 people working across Europe in different industries and sectors. Their aim is to help Europe become climate-friendly and achieve net zero emissions, while also preparing for potential crises. Their focus is on climate entrepreneurship.
Climate-KIC support approximately 40 to 50 climate incubators annually through Climate Launchpad and around 20 to 30 climate-focused accelerators, helping local organizations across continents such as Latin America, Africa, Europe, and Asia.
Watch the full interview below.
Alain: Climate-KIC is an impressive organization with lots going on and a very active schedule. Would you like to tell us a little bit about what you guys do and what's unique about it?
Christian: Sure. Climate-KIC is Europe's leading climate innovation agency. We have been active for 15 years, working to drive systemic change and climate innovations in cities, governments, and regions. Climate-KIC has around 200 people working across Europe in different industries and sectors. We aim to help Europe become climate-friendly and achieve net zero emissions while preparing for potential crises with a focus on climate entrepreneurship. We also support approximately 40 to 50 climate incubators annually through Climate Launchpad and around 20 to 30 climate-focused accelerators, helping local organizations across continents such as Latin America, Africa, Europe, and Asia.
Alain: How many startups do you interact with annually through these programs?
Christian: Around 500 startups in the exploration space and more than 500 in the incubation space across various industries and geographies, mainly in Latin America and Europe, but also in Africa and Asia.
Alain: How many apply to get to that number of startups you work with?
Christian: On some programs, we receive 50 to 100 applications, and on others, 200 to 300. It varies greatly because we work with local partners who own the programs. It depends on the market, industry, and geography.
Alain: Can you share a bit about your application selection process?
Christian: Our mission focuses on driving systemic change to fight climate change. We look at startups with strong mitigation potential to save or avoid emissions. We also assess the benefits they create in adaptation and resilience, balancing these climate criteria with business potential and team strength. We consider gender equity and diversity as well. Local partners usually focus more on the business and team side, while we focus on the climate and diversity aspects.
Alain: With the dual focus on business sustainability and climate impact, how do you balance these sometimes opposing forces?
Christian: It's a challenge. Most weight is still on the business and team side, but climate and gender diversity impact criteria are significant. We involve investors and corporate representatives in the evaluation process to provide different perspectives and balance the criteria.
Alain: You mentioned involving external evaluators. What benefits have you seen from this approach?
Christian: External evaluators, including investors, corporate representatives on open innovation, and climate impact advisors, bring expertise that program coordinators may lack. They provide valuable insights and help tailor the support to what startups really need.
Alain: Have any partnerships emerged from involving these external evaluators?
Christian: Definitely. Investors and corporate representatives often become mentors or stay involved throughout the program to monitor startup progress and explore potential collaborations.
Alain: Wrapping up, what advice would you give to other incubators and accelerators that want to incorporate climate considerations into their selection process?
Christian:
- Start slowly by integrating sustainability and climate impact questions into your application process.
- Gradually deepen the focus on specific impact indicators and learn from the responses to develop scoring systems.
- Engage external experts to build internal expertise and refine your evaluation criteria over time.
Alain: Great advice, Christian. Thank you for sharing your insights, and I look forward to having more conversations with you.
Christian: You're welcome, Alain. I am looking forward to it.
Driving Climate Innovation Through Collaborative Efforts
This exciting conversation with Christian shows the significance of integrating sustainability and climate considerations into the startup ecosystem. Through their robust selection processes using AcceleratorApp and dedicated support for climate-focused startups, Climate-KIC shows that it's possible to build successful businesses while also taking care of the planet.
As AcceleratorApp continues to explore and incorporate similar sustainabile accelerators, incubators, and innovation centers in our clientele, we are inspired by organizations like Climate-KIC that make significant climate action a reality.
Follow our journey and join us in shaping a world where business success and environmental sustainability go hand in hand, ensuring a healthier planet for future generations.