British start-up Bio-cm wins international green business ideas competition  

Delft, The Netherlands, 14 October 2024 – Bio-cm from the United Kingdom won at the Europe Regional Final of ClimateLaunchpad 2024, one of the world’s largest green business ideas competitions for climate solutions.   

Bio-cm transforms agricultural waste into insulation boards for conventional building systems, giving new value to otherwise unused resources through an innovative fibre extraction process. This solution helps cut carbon emissions in the construction industry—responsible for 40 per cent of global emissions, while also creating additional income opportunities for farmers.  

This year, 110 teams from 14 countries in Europe took part in the competition powered by Europe’s leading climate innovation agency, EIT Climate-KIC.  

“ClimateLaunchpad was key in shaping our idea into a feasible business model, through their valuable expertise and experience,” says Roxane Alizad, co-founder of Bio-cm. 

Present in 44 countries, ClimateLaunchpad is a global programme that empowers entrepreneurs to combat climate change through innovation. It fosters ideas across various themes, including renewable energy, sustainable food systems, and urban mobility, helping turn them into tangible actions with lasting impact.   

Recognition for runner-up and third-place teams 
Six teams pitched their solutions during the European Regional Final. The jury awarded TERRAVERSA from Spain and wattwise from Austria, with the second and third place, respectively. The top three teams will receive cash prizes of up to €1,500, tailored industry support, and access to peer-to-peer networking to help them grow their businesses.  

From boot camps to the regional finals  
In total, 110 participating teams underwent support via a Boot Camp and comprehensive business training sessions. Following this preparation, they competed in a National Final, vying for a coveted spot among the top 32 teams advancing to the semi-finals. The most promising six teams then engaged in an online battle during the Europe regional final, presenting their innovative concepts live to a panel of expert judges.  

ClimateLaunchpad’s lasting impact  

ClimateLaunchpad’s impact extends beyond the competition itself. Alumni of the programme have gone on to create successful businesses that are making meaningful impact. 

Over the past decade, ClimateLaunchpad  has received 16,381 applications worldwide, helping nearly 5,000 participants become green entrepreneurs and creating over 15,000 full-time jobs. 

Emilie Bronsing, Programme Lead ClimateLaunchpad, TU Delft:  “It is great to see that we have so many enthusiastic and motivated participants again this year in the 14 participating countries in Europe. ClimateLaunchpad is an inspiring programme for people who want to make a difference and take their first steps towards developing climate solutions through entrepreneurship.  It is also great that we can deepen and expand the collaboration with Bank of America every year. We have seen great collaborations again this year. We congratulate this year’s winners and also encourage all ambitious and passionate innovators to connect, collaborate and build a fair, beautiful and climate-resilient society together.” 

Kirsten Dunlop, CEO, EIT Climate-KIC: “For 11 years, ClimateLaunchpad has been a dynamic platform for changemakers to take their first steps in building impactful climate solutions across sectors such as adaptation and resilience, the blue economy, circular economy, clean energy, sustainable food systems, mobility, and urban transformation. As we celebrate this year’s winners, we invite passionate innovators across the world, to look past the tensions and contradictory signalling of these times, to join forces, collaborate, and shape a fairer, more sustainable and climate-resilient future together.” 

Andrea Sullivan, International Executive, Social & Environment Group, Bank of America: “ClimateLaunchpad, in cooperation with EIT Climate-KIC, has a track record of nurturing exceptional entrepreneurs to deliver positive social and environmental impacts. The innovation and thinking are inspiring, and Bank of America is proud to be a longstanding partner. We are committed to Responsible Growth, mobilising capital to support the just transition to a secure and sustainable low-carbon economy and our partnership with EIT Climate-KIC enables that goal for us all.”  

 

More detailed information on all 2024 finalists: https://climatelaunchpad.org/finalists/   

About ClimateLaunchpad: ClimateLaunchpad, the world’s largest green business ideas competition, celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2023. Its mission is to unlock the world’s cleantech potential that addresses climate change. A green future demands thousands of innovations challenging the current business models. The competition supports aspiring and promising cleantech entrepreneurs with training, coaching, and networking opportunities. ClimateLaunchpad operates on a global scale, currently in 44 countries. ClimateLaunchpad was established in 2014 and is part of the Entrepreneurship offerings of EIT Climate-KIC. ClimateLaunchpad is run by local partners (National Partner Organisations) all around the world.   

About EIT Climate-KIC : EIT Climate-KIC is Europe’s leading climate innovation agency and community, using a systems approach to shape innovation to support cities, regions, countries, and industries meet their climate ambitions. Together with partners across the globe, EIT Climate-KIC acts to bridge the gap climate commitments and current reality by enabling decision makers to investors to act. They find and implement solutions in integrated ways and mobilise finance. They build skills to accelerate learning and explore innovation, opening pathways to shift mindsets and behaviours. Through radical collaboration, EIT Climate-KIC orchestrates large-scale demonstrations that show what is possible when cycles of innovation and learning are deliberately designed to trigger exponential decarbonisation and build resilient communities.    

About Bank of America: Bank of America has supported the ClimateLaunchpad’s European programme since 2021. Alongside financial support, Bank of America teammates have mentored start-ups, hosted networking events and served as jury members in National and the European Finals.  

Bank of America is one of the world’s leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 69 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 3,900 retail financial centres, approximately 15,000 ATMs (automated teller machines) and award-winning digital banking with approximately 57 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 4 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BAC).