'˜World's biggest' green business ideas competition launched in Edinburgh

The world's biggest green business ideas competition was this week launched by the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation (ECCI). with prizes of up to €10,000 up for grabs.

The competition was launched in Edinburgh this week. Picture: Contributed

ClimateLaunchpad, which offers dedicated coaching to help shape green ideas into business plans, is open for applications until May 30.

Budding inventors simply have to submit an idea or innovation that could have a positive environmental impact.

Those selected to join ClimateLaunchpad, which is this year running in more than 42 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 before being offered the chance to pitch it during the Scotland dinal later this year, with the aim of reaching the worldwide Grand Final in November 2018.

The event will be hosted by ECCI in Edinburgh, the first time this high profile event has come to Scotland.

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.

ClimateLaunchpad is the latest programme to be delivered by ECCI with Climate-KIC, Europe’s largest climate entrepreneurship programme.

In 2017, ECCI supported 11 Scottish companies through the Climate-KIC Accelerator programme. Between them, they’ve already scooped more than £500,000 worth of investment. ECCI currently supports 22 start-ups through the Accelerator and Greenhouse programmes in Edinburgh.

ECCI’s deputy director Ed Craig said: “Ideas and innovators like the ones this competition generates are key to Scotland’s thriving low carbon industry.

“tHE ClimateLaunchpad team will give our Scottish entrants everything we’ve got to help them reach the world finals.

“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.”