Climate-KIC

Responding to the climate change challenge will require radical transformation in how we produce, distribute, and consume, in where and how we choose to live and travel, and in how we meet our requirements for energy, food, and water in the context of the environmental values we hold.

The aim of the Climate Knowledge and Innovation Community (Climate-KIC) is to be at the forefront of this "green revolution", providing the innovations, entrepreneurship, education and expert guidance needed to shape Europe's climate change agenda.

Climate-KIC was designated as a Knowledge and Innovation Community by the EIT's Governing Board on the 16 December 2009 in Budapest. The priority area which the KIC addresses is climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Climate-KIC vision

Climate-change mitigation and adaptation present not only a formidable societal challenge; they also offer huge innovation and business opportunities. Our vision is

• to lead the world toward low-carbon prosperity – Climate-KIC will help innovators capitalise on new business opportunities driven by Europe’s first mover response to climate change.
• to create an emerging climate-change innovation space – Climate-KIC will build the critical mass and forge alliances among existing businesses and new businesses with the aim of creating partnerships that jointly cover all elements of emerging value chains.
• to capitalise on public-private synergies to induce innovation – Climate-KIC will help governments and public agencies to develop effective policy frameworks and to pioneer early introduction of climate change products and services in collaboration with the private sector.

Climate-KIC community

To meet the climate challenge and deliver innovative business and technology solutions, Climate-KIC initiates creative partnerships between dynamic companies from Europe, the best European academic institutions and the public sector. Launched in December 2009 just one week after the 15th session of the UNFCCC Conference of Parties in Copenhagen, Climate-KIC is now well established with five Climate-KIC national centres in:

•  Paris (France)
• London (UK)
• Zurich (Switzerland)
• Berlin (Germany)
• Randstad area (The Netherlands)
• and a centre in Brussels (Belgium) which coordinates the six regional implementation and innovation communities.

Climate-KIC approach

Climate-KIC aims to significantly accelerate the innovation required for a transformation to a low-carbon economy, and to ensure Europe benefits from new technologies, company growth and jobs. This requires consideration of the full value chain from the innovative idea to research and development and further to testing and implementation, a process initiated and overseen by the Climate-KIC national and regional centres. Climate-KIC brings together the most committed and skilled partners needed to realize sustainable climate change innovations – be it new technologies or services.

Climate-KIC addresses four important markets:

    1/ Climate-KIC Education 


Attracts and develops future climate entrepreneurs and change agents – Climate-KIC’s education and training programmes will instill climate-change entrepreneurship into hundreds of top students and leading practitioners every year by combining climate change science and entrepreneurship with a strong programme of learning-by-doing and of exposure to Climate-KIC innovation activities.

    2/ Climate-KIC Innovations 


Creates promising new collaborations and pioneers new value-chain configurations – Climate-KIC is developing a dynamic and open innovation network in addition to managing an integrated network of community partnerships in which partners play a leading role in shaping directions for climate innovations.

    3/ Climate-KIC Pathfinder


Creates new pathways to low-carbon prosperity by fostering the conditions for ongoing innovation – Climate-KIC identifies markets and necessary framework improvements for removing systematic obstacles to climate innovations and replicates best practices within the Climate-KIC city partners, regions and beyond.

    4/ Climate-KIC Entrepreneurs


Builds platforms to connect and support the wider climate entrepreneurship community – Climate-KIC is designed around five geographical clusters that provide local innovation infrastructure for students, young entrepreneurs, R&D centres and venture capital investors. In addition, the Climate-KIC regional network facilitates knowledge and best practice sharing with a large group of climate entrepreneurs.

Find information on our business model, network of partners, innovation activities and contact details on the Climate-KIC website at www.climate-kic.org.

 

Climate-KIC News:

Applications open for Climate-KIC 2011 Postgraduate Education programme - Do you want to become a climate innovator? Apply by April 30 2011.

Young entrepreneurs find their way into European market for climate change innovation

For more information on the 2010 Climate KIC Summer School, please clickhere.