A Year in the Life of an Environmental Project
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Climate action, startups and investors
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Are you addressing the causes or impacts of climate change and environmental issues? We can provide you with international support. Join the acceleration and get a mentor, professional advice, international contacts, and a chance for a direct financial contribution.
You will participate in various activities designed to help you advance your business and take your next big step. As a part of an international consortium, you will experience cross-border cooperation and get to exchange resources, contacts, and know-how. In addition, individual support for business leaders is an important part of the program.
We will help you develop your basic entrepreneurship skills and broaden your vision.
During Stage 2 you will be guided by a chosen experienced mentor who will help you get on the right course and stay on it.
| Stage #1 | Stage #2 | Stage #3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Innovativeness | |||
| Team | |||
| Climate Benefit | |||
| Scalability | |||
| Programme fit | |||
| English Proficiency | |||
| Long term perspective | |||
| Feasibility | |||
| Investment Readiness |
The ClimAccelerator operates under a three-stage process. Companies that are selected to progress to Stage 2 will receive investment from EIT Climate-KIC in the form of our Climate-SAFE.
The Climate-SAFE has been designed as a founder-friendly, and efficient means for Climate-KIC to invest in Europe’s most exciting Climate-tech companies. The Climate-SAFE is a simple agreement for future equity – a convertible investment.
The key terms of the Climate-SAFE are:
The Climate-SAFE is structured as a cash + services investment and grants access to the following package of support:
If you have any questions about this please contact the Climate-KIC Investment team on [email protected]
Q: Will Stage 2 startups still receive Climate-KIC support via the Climate-SAFE investment, even if they do not proceed to Stage 3?
A: Yes, Climate-KIC will invest in and support all startups that proceed from Stage 1 to Stage 2 and receive the larger grant funding package. They do not have to enter Stage 3 should they not wish to.
Q: What happens if a startup refuses to sign the Climate-SAFE?
A: We have designed the Climate-SAFE to be as founder-friendly as possible and with an offering in line with other accelerator programmes across Europe. If a startup does not wish to sign the Climate-SAFE then they can not proceed through the programme.
Q: Who is responsible for monitoring the portfolio and engaging with startups should the longstop date be reached?
A: Climate-KIC will be fully responsible for monitoring the portfolio, we will have regular communication with the startups and will manage any conversion process
Q: What is the ‘long-stop date’?
A: The long-stop date is an agreed timeframe, starting from when the agreement is signed, where the company will go out and raise further funding that will trigger the conversion of the Climate-SAFE. If the long-stop date is reached and there has been no further funding then Climate-KIC, along with the Company shall determine a fair valuation for the conversion with an external valuator.
Q: What is a ‘valuation cap’?
A: A valuation cap is a key feature of most convertible investments. It is an upper limit on the valuation at which a convertible investment will convert. Climate-KIC chose not to include a valuation cap in our Climate-SAFE, this way, we do not limit the valuation of the companies we invest into.
Example 1. With a €5m valuation cap
Investor A invests €50,000 into Company
Company raises €2m investment at €10m pre-money valuation
Investor A receives 0.83% equity
Example 2. With no valuation cap
Climate-KIC invests €50,000 into Company
Company raises €2m investment at €10m pre-money valuation
Climate-KIC receives 0.42%
Q: How much equity will Climate-KIC take from the startup?
A: As with all convertible investments, this is entirely dependent on the valuation that the company raises at in their subsequent funding round. We do not have a valuation cap, and so will follow whatever valuation is agreed with the later stage investor (typically investors would put a cap in to ensure they take a minimum amount of equity, like 7-10%)
Example 1. Company raises at a valuation of €5m
Climate-KIC ownership = 50,000/5,000,000 = 1%
Example 2. Company raises at a valuation of €10m
Climate-KIC ownership = 50,000/10,000,000 = 0.5%
Q: How is the support package structured?
A: As part of the investment, the startup will receive access to the ClimAccelerator and the €25,000 grant funding. Further to this, Climate-KIC will provide additional services as outlined in the Climate-SAFE deck.
Q: Is there a limit to how many additional services a startup can use?
A: No, there is no limit, Climate-KIC is incentivised to support the startups growth
Q: Is there a price list for the services?
A: No, there is no limit, Climate-KIC is incentivised to support the startups growth
Q: How long will startups have access to the services that Climate-KIC is providing to portfolio companies?
A: Climate-KIC will provide the additional services for the duration of time that we’re shareholders in the business – in most cases through to an exit scenario.
Q: What happens if the startup winds up before the longstop date and without raising a qualifying round?
A: If there are any proceeds from the company winding up (sale of assets) then this will be distributed amongst shareholders including Climate-KIC as per ownership.
Q: What if I sign the SAFE and during the process I decide to ditch it and sell/terminate the company?
A: If sold – with SAFE included. If terminated – then the SAFE will not be implemented.
Q: What happens if I don’t meet the expected raised amount (i.e. I don’t earn the required amount of money) – how could this situation and procedure look like in reality?
A: It is not related to turnover but the next round of investment. If the next round of investment is lower or does not take place at all, C-KIC will select a third party after an agreement with the startup, who will financially appreciate the startup and then conversion will take place.
Q: C-KIC is buying a share of my company – is it forever or just for the 24 months?
A: Forever.
ClimAcclerator is designed for companies, startups, university projects, non-profit organizations, associations, local governments, and spinoffs. In other words, for any legal entity. You must meet the following criteria.
you deal with water savings, climate education, zero waste, green technologies or similar
you are a start-up project that is ready to develop and scale in the future
you have a functioning team of at least 3 people, and you can communicate in English.
Thanks to our partners, we can offer you our acceleration support for a fraction of the actual price.
The total price for the participation differs per country. Please check the local websites for more information. The fee is paid only by projects that will be chosen to continue to the acceleration stage itself. Bootcamp and introductory workshops are free.
Write to [email protected] or contact your regional manager.
Petra Grgasović
+385 953 985 352
[email protected]
Kateřina Lorencová
+420 737 101 391
[email protected]
Elena Kalimeri
+30 210 321 0146
[email protected]
Giulia Berti
+381 621 630 621
[email protected]
Martin Jarc
+386 41 298 582
[email protected]
Leave us your contact details and we will inform you about important moments – about the upcoming finals or about the the start of the acceleration next year.
Stage 1 Open Call History
Czech Republic – from the 16th of February 2022 with a cut-off date of the 21st of April 2022
Slovenia – from the 16th of February 2022 with a cut-off date of the 18th of April 2022
Greece – from the 16th of February 2022 with a cut-off date of the 18th of April 2022
Serbia – from the 16th of February 2022 with a cut-off date of the 18th of April 2022
Croatia – from the 16th of February 2022 with a cut-off date of the 27th of April 2022
Stage 1 Open Call Extension
Registration of start-up applications is prolonged in all the ClimAccelerator Beyond 2022 consortia countries except the Czech Republic (Greece, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia) from the 16th of February 2022 till the 29th of July 2022! Second extented deadline for Stage 1 in Serbia and Croatia was closed 15th of October 2022.
Stages 2 and 3 Open Call
Registration of start-up applications for Stages 2 and 3 is open in all the ClimAccelerator Beyond 2022 consortia countries from the 16th of February 2022 till the 29th of July 2022!
Slovenia open call for stages 2 and 3 till 19th August 2022.
Our community and coworking spaces are an ideal work and event background for individuals, startups, and small businesses. We’re part of a global network, with 8 accelerator programs for smart ideas, our calendar is packed with interesting events. 
Kateřina Lorencová