ClimAccelerator offers innovative jolt to 37 start-ups in Baltic States and Slovakia

Innovation has a prominent role in Europe’s efforts to tackle major societal and environmental challenges. EIT Climate-KIC is working towards this objective by accelerating innovation and supporting the creation of the conditions where innovation is more likely to thrive and generate breakthroughs.

The launch of the place-based Baltics & Slovakia ClimAccelerator identifies and incubates high climate impact and significant climate adaptation solutions. Sharing a vision of a sustainable future, the EIT Regional Innovation Scheme (EIT RIS) countries of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia are joining forces to boost the development and deal flow of cleantech start-ups. 

“During the last year, countries across all Europe were forced to face multiple global challenges presented by climate change, once again proving that climate-positive start-ups and innovations have more and more become a necessity rather than choice,” said  Alise Pizika, ClimAccelerator Program Lead of the Baltic States and Slovenia. 

Europe is characterised by considerable disparities in terms of research and innovation performance which tend to be geographically concentrated. As a response to this challenge, EIT RIS was introduced by the European Parliament and the Council in 2014 to advance the innovation performance of countries ranking low on the European innovation scoreboard. Generally speaking, countries in Northern and Western Europe are innovation leaders, while Southern and Eastern Europe lag behind.

Through the collaboration and interlinking of leading entities from higher education, research and business areas, EIT has expanded its activities across Europe and offered opportunities for EIT RIS countries and regions to engage and prosper. 

One such programme is the newly revamped ClimAccelerator which has already received almost 100 applications from Latvian, Lithuanian, Estonian and Slovakian start-ups of which 37 were selected by a professional jury. 

These start-ups will participate in a 3-stage ClimAccelerator programme and learn the fundamentals of business, product development, and investment strategies. Beyond guaranteed funding available at each stage, selected entrepreneurs will benefit from hands-on workshops, equity-free investments, personalised coaching, networking, and access to investors. 

“Riga Technical University is proud to be the leading partner of the consortium, and we believe that the intensive two-month program will benefit startups to take their venture to the next level, and also strengthen our partnership to continue to work towards our common goal: creating a green and sustainable future for Europe and beyond,” said Pizika.

The programme will conclude with the International Investors Day on 15 November, gathering more than 40 investors interested in the cleantech sector. It is supported by EIT Climate-KIC and Green Little Fund, and organised by a handful of EIT RIS partners committed to systemc change. 

Together, these organisations offer expertise in green business development, innovation, and commercialisation support:

Clean Tech Estonia – An Estonian cleantech sector development powerhouse aimed at empowering research and innovation towards impactful and systematic sustainability.

Riga Technical University – The only polytechnic university in Latvia and the largest university in the country.

Green Tech Cluster – A cooperation platform for the development of green and smart technologies in Latvia and Baltic Sea Region.

Sunrise Valley Science and Technology Park – A Lithuanian non-profit organization specialized in entrepreneurship development, business promotion,  science collaboration, and other innovation support services for young, innovative enterprises.

Civitta – A Slovakian management consulting and data analytics company catering to corporations, start-ups, SMEs, governments and NGOs.

The results of the Baltics & Slovakia ClimAccelerator programme are guaranteed to innovate, catalyse, and scale the potential of high-impact solutions. Start-up by start-up, the RIS community inches closer to Industry transformation and shaping a climate-positive new normal.