52 startup ideas selected to the next stage of Startup Climate Action

A new desalination method that cleans saltwater using industrial waste heat, a platform helping retailers to become more sustainable, AI solutions for the cleaner planet, and eco-friendly materials and solutions making the transport industry greener are among the selected ideas that will continue to the next phase of Startup Climate Action.

See the list with the 52 selected ideas

The first phase of Startup Climate Action, Ideation, attracted more than 1000 registered users from 72 countries. Together, they formed close to 200 new startup teams from which 52 got selected to join the next phase. Of them, 80 % are mixed gender teams.

– We are very proud of the amazing results. It has been incredible to see that so many talented people want to take climate action and join a climate startup. We are really impressed by the high quality of the ideas and teams and it has been a difficult task selecting the 52 teams for the next phase, says Karin Ruiz, Deputy CEO at Sting and initiator of Startup Climate Action.

Now the 52 selected teams will continue to the next phase, Deep Dive, where they will be provided extended business coaching and mentoring, and an invitation to an exclusive one-day digital bootcamp consisting of workshops and inspirational sessions by high-profile climate experts and Swedish Climate Action startups.

After the Deep Dive phase, 13 qualified teams will be selected to Test Drive Climate Action, a pre-accelerator program by Sting and Norrsken focusing on validation of the business ideas.

The final step, the Climate Action Accelerator program run by Sting, will be launched in 2021.

The initiative, which focuses on UN Sustainability Goal #13 – Climate Action, was launched in June 2020 when 13 heavy-weight Swedish Climate Champions presented their 13 Climate Challenges.

The goal is to create more fast-growing Swedish companies that contribute innovative, scalable solutions to combat climate change. The initiative will also help put Sweden on the world map and make Sweden the "mecca" of the world for climate action startups.

– Our aim is to mobilize people with bright ideas and brilliant minds to team up to find solutions, and to create a movement of climate solvers that create and build the climate action startups of tomorrow, says Henna Keränen, Sting’s Head of Partnerships and Startup Climate Action Project Lead.

Startup Climate Action initiative receives funding from Vinnova and among the supporting partners are Stockholm Resilience Center, KTH Innovation, WWF, Almi Invest, the Swedish Energy Agency, IVL, RISE, Ignite Sweden, Dalarna Science Park, Lead, We Don’t Have Time and the 13 Climate Champions.

See the list with the 52 selected ideas