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Kickstart and Climate Lab launch a pilot in Austria to enable startups to join the climate-neutral efforts of leading corporations - Atos and Wien Energie
Climate Lab and Kickstart Innovation announce their strategic partnership to enable climate-focused startups to join the efforts of leading corporations in achieving a climate-neutral future
16th May 2022 - Climate Lab and Kickstart Innovation have joined forces to direct their shared expertise and network towards solutions to accelerate change addressing the climate crisis. In March 2022, Climate Lab was launched as a collaboration between the Austrian Climate and Energy Fund together with Wien Energie, EIT Climate-KIC and Impact Hub Vienna. Its mission is to enable innovative, bold alliances to achieve climate neutrality goals as quickly as possible. Climate Lab is matching leading corporations that have committed to net zero emissions with the startups, scientists, NGOs, and public sector organizations that can help make it happen. Clear synergies were found between this mission and the work of Kickstart Innovation, an open innovation platform and spin-off of Impact Hub Zürich that has facilitated more than 200 partnerships between well-established startups and large corporations to drive sustainability and positive impact since their inception.
This year’s pilot is in alliance with Wien Energie and Atos in Austria, next to all partners in Switzerland. The goal is to explore sustainable solutions connected to reducing CO2 levels at scale: building and construction, energy, and e-mobility for this year. Climate Lab and Kickstart Innovation are accepting applications from startups around the world working in the Smart Cities industry currently until 24th of May. The startups will have an opportunity to engage with the partners in Switzerland and Austria during the program between September and November.
Kickstart: “Since 2016 we've been creating innovation impact by matching startups and corporations to address society’s challenges, with industry leaders including AXA, Swisscom, PostFinance, Coop, La Mobiliere and many others. We are committed to the open innovation process to tackle the increasing sustainability challenges, and are excited to do so in partnership with Climate Lab as well as engage in Austria even more.” said Kickstart Innovation CEO and Co-Founder Katka Letzing.
Climate Lab: Impact Hub Co-Founder and Climate Lab Director Hinnerk Hansen agrees: “We see the commitment from a number of big companies to lead the change to a net zero future - and their willingness to do so in collaboration with others. By partnering with Kickstart Innovation we are excited to create many such opportunities between companies in Austria and climate startups from around the world.”
More info and the application link.
For more information, please contact: press@kickstart-innovation.com
About Kickstart
Kickstart is one of Europe's largest zero equity, multi-corporate open innovation platforms. Our mission is to build innovation ecosystems with purpose, by fast forwarding innovation. We bring together public and private organizations, startups, investors and experts, with the shared ambition to deliver next-generation products and services and have a meaningful impact at scale. Each year, Kickstart engages 100 entrepreneurs to collaborate with key players for proofs of concept, pilot and commercial projects and other innovation partnerships. Additionally, through the intrapreneurship program Kickstart helps established organizations to promote and accelerate internal innovation.
Kickstart is a spin-off of Impact Hub Zurich and was launched in 2015 by digitalswitzerland. In 2022, Kickstart runs six verticals: New Work & Learning, Finance & Insurance, Food & Retail, Health & Wellbeing, Smart Cities; and an Intrapreneurship together with partner organizations across industries: AXA, Coop, Swisscom, La Mobilière, PostFinance, ETH Zürich, CSS, Galenica, City of Zurich, Credit Suisse, CSEM, Empa NEST, Sanitas, University Hospital Zurich, Axpo, Panter, SATW, Impact Hub Switzerland, Canton de Vaud, Santenext, Swiss Federal Office of Energy SFOE, Swiss Healthcare Startups, Growpal, Switzerland Global Enterprise, Ringier, Wenger & Vieli AG, Google for Startups, Nespresso, Meyerlustenberger Lachenal Ltd., South Pole, WECOCO, Day8, HealthTech Cluster Switzerland, Pepicon, Climate Lab, Atos Austria, Wien Energie, MAVA, Swiss Leap, EPFL, gfm and more.
About Climate Lab
Towards net-zero, together. Climate Lab is the place for innovative, bold alliances to achieve climate neutrality goals as quickly as possible. At Climate Lab, we offer community, space and programs to put competition aside, find effective solutions to collaborate and build a climate-neutral future across sector and industry lines. With a special focus on the fields with the biggest potential to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions energy, mobility, and construction we are matching leading corporations that have committed to net zero emissions with the startups, scientists, NGOs, and public sector organizations that can help make it happen.
Climate Lab started in March 2022 as an initiative of the Austrian Climate and Energy Fund together with Wien Energie, EIT Climate-KIC and Impact Hub Vienna.
