Climathon is a 24-hour challenge taking place around the world at the same time, creating thousands of practical solutions to climate problems. 114 cities from 46 countries around the world participated in the international hackathon in 2018. It brought together around 5000 innovators, entrepreneurs, designers, social science specialists, engineers, students and even pupils to find innovative solutions to the challenges posed by climate change by joining their efforts.
Within 24 hours, continuous support is provided for the formulation and development of an idea, prototype development, specific training and presentation training is organised. Within 24 hours, solutions should be developed at the level of a functioning prototype and presented to the jury.
Around 40 participants are admitted for the hackathon who develop solutions in interdisciplinary teams during the event.
In recent years, the challenges addressed by teams at the Latvian national hackathon were regarding climate challenges for the local governments, and the solutions developed have been largely integrated and used to address the problem. Commercial solutions can be further developed in one of the support programmes.
In 2019, Climathon was held on 25 October.
ClimateLaunchpad – a leading competition in the world for eco-friendly business ideas
ClimateLaunchpad unites scientists, students, innovators and startups from more than 40 countries, whose ideas have a positive impact on climate change and who would like to use the opportunity to implement them on a global scale.
Teams that have not yet started their business or companies not older than one year, without a stable cash flow and investors, not yet selling their goods, service or prototype may participate in the competition.
Participation in the competition ensures training, allows raising different competencies, developing a business model and product cycles, extending the range of partners and promoting international recognition of their business ideas. For climate innovators from Latvia, participation in the competition allows to join the largest network of green-thinking entrepreneurs in the world.
The programme is implemented in a number of phases: a variety of training and capacity building activities are provided to teams at national level, presentation skills are strengthened and then the national finals follow. Three teams are selected at the national finals, who present themselves at the international finals in late October/early November to leading European investors, experts and entrepreneurs. Following the presentations, fifteen best teams compete for money awards of up to EUR 10 000 and a possibility to continue developing their idea at the Climate-KIC Accelerator.
Applications for participation in the ClimateLaunchpad competition of ideas can be submitted on the webpage of the competition. 7–10 teams will be selected for the Latvian national team.
Greenhouse – a pre-incubation programme for green business ideas
A support programme for early-stage business ideas.
EIT Climate-KIC Greenhouse unites young entrepreneurs concerned about climate change issues who are prepared to change the world and develop their own business ideas.
Teams receive co-financing of EUR 2500 for the development of their idea, mentoring of business experts, training, access to an international climate change network. The programme lasts for six months, then, when the idea receives support, it will also be possible to apply for further growth in the EIT Climate - KIC Accelerator programme.
Both individuals and teams can participate in the pre-incubator. This year five teams are planned to be accepted.
Climate-KIC Accelerator Latvia – a green technology acceleration programme
The programme aims to support initiatives to mitigate climate change impacts and commercialise ‘clean’ technologies. This year, EIT Climate-KIC Accelerator Latvia specially invites green tech startups that have already identified their business model and have already reached their first customer.
EIT Climate-KIC Accelerator Latvia offers individual mentoring, training conducted by experts, access to the EIT Climate-KIC Accelerator partner network, possibility to present their startup idea on the European Union level and financing in the amount of EUR 10 000 to EUR 50 000, depending on the team development level.
Novelty of this year's programme – teams will have two months of individual work with field mentors to achieve their goals in sales, marketing, investment strategy development and investor engagement, business model development and financial flow planning.
During the last two years, final presentations of teams for investors and stakeholders were held at the Digital Freedom Festival international technology and lifestyle festival.
10 teams are admittted for the programme.
It is possible to apply for participation in EIT Climate-KIC Accelerator Latvia at the EIT Climate-KIC webpage.
