Climate Launchpad green business ideas competition 2026 for young Entrepreneurs (Win a Fully Funded trip to the Global Grand Final in Singapore)

Program Description

Innovation and invention can lead the way to a clean future. The ClimateLaunchpad is the world’s largest green business ideas competition. Have a green business or idea you want to develop further? Then join the competition. You don’t need a business plan yet, early ideas are welcome. The programme is free and all applicants get free access to an online green start-up mini-course. ClimateLaunchpad is built for early-stage climate innovators, especially if you’re at the idea or concept stage.

The free programme guides you step-by-step through the fundamentals of building and testing a climate venture, in a supportive, global community designed for first-time founders.

Eligibility Criteria

Anyone with a promising cleantech idea who dreams of becoming an entrepreneur should join. You can be a new start-up, SME, researcher, student, public organisation, consultant, engineer, a combination of the above or something that doesn’t fit a job title.

You can only apply in your own country and you can only enter if:

• You have not yet started a business or your company has been incorporated for less than two years
• Your new venture has attracted less than € 200,000 in total funding
• You have not yet sold products, solutions or prototypes on commercial terms.

You cannot enter ClimateLaunchpad if you have:

• Already been accepted into Climate-KIC (pre-/Clim)Accelerator with the same idea
• Already been accepted into ClimateLaunchpad (or the former CleanLaunchpad) in a previous year with the same idea

Benefits

National Final

• First Place Winner: Trip to Singapore, including return travel, 2-nights hostel accommodation, invitation to an official networking event, ticket to attend the ClimateLaunchpad Global Grand Final, and a booth at the event innovators fair
• First & Second Place Winners: Trip to Singapore, including return travel, 2-nights hostel accommodation, invitation to an official networking dinner, ticket to attend the ClimateLaunchpad Global Grand Final, a booth at the event innovators fair, and a pitching spot at the Global Grand Final

What you can expect

• Access to a global community of climate innovators and like-minded individuals
• Free to join, with no programme fees
• No equity taken, you stay 100% in control
• You keep full ownership of your ideas and intellectual property
• Hands-on boot camp training and expert coaching
• Opportunities to pitch and gain visibility at National, Regional and Global Finals

Themes

The selected themes for this year:

• Adaptation & Resilience
• Blue Economy
• Circular Economies
• Clean Energy
• Food Systems
• Sustainable Mobility
• Urban Solutions
• The Next Big Thing

The Programme

Step 0 – Start Learning

After you apply, you’ll unlock an online climate entrepreneurship course covering climate basics, systems thinking, and entrepreneurial mindset.

Step 1 – Build your idea

Selected teams join an interactive virtual boot camp with expert trainers to strengthen their idea, business model, and pitch.

Step 2 – Test and Refine

You’ll receive targeted coaching to test assumptions, refine your story, and prepare to pitch.

Step 3 – Compete Internationally

The Top-3 teams from each country advance to pitch online against the strongest start-ups across Africa, the Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific.

Step 4 – The Global Stage

We bring together our worldwide community of climate innovators, including National Final winners and top regional teams, to celebrate bold ideas and breakthrough solutions.

Application Process

Application Deadline: Varying by Country

Accepted participants get a 3-day boot camp, mentoring, and the chance to compete in National and Regional finals. Top performers win a trip to the Global Grand Final in Singapore.