Climate-KIC Australia today launched the Australian 2019 edition of the world’s largest global Green Business Ideas Competition, ClimateLaunchpad, hosted in Brisbane by Australia’s largest startup community, Fishburners. Whether an idea is still on the back of a napkin or a fledged early stage start-up, everyone is welcome to apply.
With over 50 countries participating in the competition run by the EU’s main climate innovation initiative, Queenslanders will have their chance to turn their clean-tech ideas into a global business.
Globally, ClimateLaunchpad brings in clean-technology and green business ideas from across 5 continents. The program is part of the entrepreneurship offerings of Climate-KIC Australia’s collaboration partner the European Union’s innovation initiative for climate change, EIT Climate-KIC.
The competition is open to anyone with an idea in renewable energy, energy efficiency, food and agriculture, water, transportation, industrial technology or any other way to tackle climate change.
In Queensland, selected applicants will take part in rigorous training at an intensive two-day Boot Camp, led by a renowned European entrepreneur and start-up trainer. Leading teams are also given mentoring from industry leaders and former participants, culminating in a National Pitch Final in October, with the top two competitors joining the Global Grand Final in November 2019.
The competition will be co-led by Fishburners in Brisbane, Australia’s largest startup community dedicated to creating highly scalable Australian tech businesses. It is also offered by Climate-KIC Australia in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. “We’re really excited to be partnering on this competition with ClimateLaunchpad to seek out really valuable, high-impact business ideas that might ordinarily never materialise,” said Isaac Holmyard, Brisbane General Manager at Fishburners.
“We have such a strong entrepreneurial spirit in Queensland, and we are really keen to capitalise on that, and show the world what we have to offer.”
The two most promising start-ups from each state will then compete in the National Finals in October, with the top two competitors joining the other winners from all competing countries in the Global Grand Final in November 2019.
Global Finalists present their ideas to an audience of start-up accelerator programs, angel investors and professional networks that can help them kick-start their businesses and expose them to the global market.
The world’s top-10 best ideas win access to the EIT Climate-KIC accelerator program. The overall winner of the Global Grand Pitch Final also receives a cash prize of €10,000 (AU$16,000), the runner up gets €5,000 (AU$8,000) and the team that comes in third place wins €2,500 (AU$4,000).
Jaine and Ashleigh Morris, sisters from Maroochydore and founders of the start-up Coreo, were lucky enough to be chosen to represent Australia in the ClimateLaunchpad Global Finals in 2017. “The ClimateLaunchpad journey with Climate-KIC Australia from pitching our entry through to competing against the world’s best green start-ups was exhilarating! Jaine and I learned so much through our ClimateLaunchpad experience that continues to directly influence the impact we are able to have in our business today”.
Information about ClimateLaunchpad, how to enter the competition and updates are available at https://climate-kic.org.au/our-programs/launchpad/ (#CLP19). Applications close 10th June 2019.
Source: ClimateLaunchpad
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