Climate Adaptation Start-ups Investments in Africa and South Asia

There are so many creative and innovative climate adaptation solutions out there that can help us mitigate and adapt to climate change. What if there is a mechanism to identify the best solution and fund them to make it available at a scale?

EIT Climate-KIC and CDC Group – UK’s developing finance institution partners up to accelerate promising start-up offering climate adaptation and resilience solutions in Africa and South Asian countries through EIT Climate-KIC’s ClimateLaunchpad initiative.

“This initiative will identify and support entrepreneurs with solutions focused on climate adaptation and resilience to help them develop into scalable and investment-ready businesses. It is an opportunity to offer improvements in innovation and job creation. From growing crops in deserts to finding natural ways to cool our homes, the adaptation economy is booming.”

ClimateLaunchpad’s website is accepting submissions from green business ideas worldwide. Ideas could range from innovations in renewable energy, a sustainable transition in the food chain, a mind shift in urban mobility or any creative way to tackle climate change. The website provides information on how the process works.

According to the site, once a business idea is selected, the developer/entrepreneur will receive coaching and training sessions, including obtaining funding and launching their business idea. Developers will have a chance to pitch their business idea/climate solution to investors.  Winners will acquire a new set of skills and knowledge and networking opportunities to get their business flourishing.  

These competitions are held in 52 countries worldwide, including Angola, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Egypt, Israel, India, Italy, Mexico, Kenya, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore, South Africa, UK, Sri Lanka, etc.

The website also showcases these innovative and creative climate adaptation solutions submitted from countries around, for example,

• the Philippines’ National winner, Nanolabs, produces safe, eco-friendly, economical, and rechargeable Zinc Ion Batteries that could reduce 40% CO2 emissions.
• Kenya’s Bio-Alkano gel fuel, a national and global winner. The business processes fruit peelings and eggshells through microbial fermentation to transform them into clean, renewable energy that burns without smoke or soot.
• Bangladesh’s Cassetex aims to swap 1.5 million EV’s last-mile batteries in the country. These electric vehicles have played a role in reducing their country’s CO2 emissions, but these last-mile vehicles are becoming inefficient and a becoming a burden on its national electricity infrastructure.
  
  To address the problem, the company came up with an idea to provide 100% solar-powered battery swapping stations to these vehicles. Operators will only pay for the energy they use and not for the batteries themselves.

These are only three examples of the many exciting and innovative climate adaptation and mitigation solutions submitted to ClimateLaunchpad Initiative and featured on their website.

The ClimateLaunchpad themes for 2021 revolve around adaptation and resilience, circular economies, urban solutions, clean energy, sustainable mobility, food systems, and the next big thing.

Initiatives like this can encourage and accelerate climate adaptation solutions from all parts of the world, enhance our resilience from the increasing impacts of climate change while creating sustainable and environmentally friendly jobs and businesses.

Click the link to know more about ClimateLaunchpad and get inspired to develop your climate adaptation solution: