Solar Impulse network joins forces with Climate KIC to accelerate innovation

Climate KIC, Europe’s main climate innovation initiative has joined forces with the Solar Impulse Foundation, the team behind the world’s first round-the-world solar-powered flight. Together, they will scale up the development of and investment in climate solutions. 

Both organisations support a growing network of entrepreneurs and changemakers in the field of cleantech and climate innovation. The World Alliance for Efficient Solutions, established by the Solar Impulse Foundation, brings together those involved in developing, financing or promoting products, services, processes and technologies, before selecting 1000 of the most promising ones for presenting to governments, businesses and institutions to encourage them to adopt more ambitious environmental targets and energy policies. 

Since 2010, Climate KIC has helped its start-ups raise €550 million in external investment, incubated more than 1000 climate-positive companies and created 2240 jobs through its start-up community. 

Climate KIC and the Solar Impulse Foundation/World Alliance will build on this, supporting each others’ regional and international initiatives, with the aim of enhancing the impact of clean, smart and energy efficient technologies.

Bertrand Piccard, the founder of Solar Impulse Foundation, and Kirsten Dunlop, Chief Executive Officer of Climate KIC, with the signed agreement.

The partnership will see both organisations share their innovator and entrepreneur networks, and support the development of technologies with the potential to tackle climate change systemically, efficiently and profitably. Climate KIC believes the technologies it supports through its Accelerator Programme can benefit from the pioneers behind the Solar Impulse.

The two organisations will also support each other’s work by active involvement at their respective high-profile events, including the Climate Innovation Summit 2018, which will connect policymakers, businesses, start-ups, entrepreneurs, investors and academics, enabling them to share best practice and create the opportunities to scale-up the solutions that accelerate climate action.

“Governments, companies and institutions must urgently adopt more ambitious environmental and energy policies. They should stop compromising for minimal targets, but rather should base their negotiations and objectives on the reality of what clean profitable technologies can offer today. Not only for future generations, but for the current benefit of people, industry and the planet,” Solar Impulse Foundation founder, Bertrand Piccard said.