In January the UK Accelerator welcomed seven promising new climate start-ups in their first call of the year.
The application round was the most competitive yet, with applications from start-ups across the country with exciting climate innovations. However, it was these top seven start-ups that made the final cut. Climate-KIC UK add start-ups in the textiles, smart home systems, food waste and paper manufacturing to their portfolio, led by entrepreneurs from various fields and backgrounds.
New start-ups
The new UK start-ups admitted to the accelerator are:
- Adaptavate CleanLaunchpad winners Tom and Alberto have developed a bio-composite plasterboard alternative.
- Alchemie Technology Hannah and her team are bringing to market a more efficient and waste-reducing digital dispensing solution for selectively coating and patterning fabrics.
- CO2i This Oxford-based team can significantly reduce the amount of water needed to generate biomass. They join us in Stage 1 of the programme, working to develop their business model.
- Design by Sol Solveiga and her Bump Mark have been hitting the headlines, and for good reason – she has developed a bio-reactive food expiry label that only goes bad when the food does.
- Desolenator Already named one of the Guardian’s ‘Start-Up of 2014’, Desolenator can purify water from any source with the power of the sun. After a successful crowd-funding campaign and lots of press coverage – watch this space in 2015!
- Eddy Labs This Imperial team have a smart home device that can detect events through sound, reducing the need for multiple smart systems and changing energy habits.
- Nafici Environmental Research Florence and Shahriar have a low carbon, small-scale technology, that uses wheat, barley and oat straw wastes to produce paper pulp.
- Cambond This Cambridge-based start-up has developed a next generation biomass-based adhesive platform that can be used in construction, packaging, medical devices and cosmetics.
The Business Model Bootcamp
The new start-ups kicked off their Accelerator experience with a Welcome Session in early January, introducing the start-ups to the wider Entrepreneurship team and giving them a brief on what to expect.
Later in the month, the start-ups were invited to join the coaches for a two-day Business Model Bootcamp working on their value proposition, customer relationships and revenue model in the form of Alexander Osterwalder’s business model canvas.
The Climate-KIC Accelerator
The new teams will now be able to get involved with a programme of business coaching, Masterclasses, the Venture Competition, the Climate-KIC network and taking up a hot-desking package at our associated Incubators.
If you are interested in becoming a Climate-KIC start-up, click here for more information. The next call deadline is Sunday 8th March.