Accelerators support early-stage, growth-oriented companies through education, mentorship, and financing. There are 969 accelerators in Europe and 29 around the world focused on sustainability, green IT and climate change accelerators.
Among them is Apple’s third Impact Accelerator class. This is a cohort of 12 companies that includes Black/Hispanic/Latinx and Indigenous-owned environmental solutions and service providers focused on green technology and clean energy. Morgan Stanley Sustainable Solutions Collaborative Cohort and Startup Wise Guy – a sustainability accelerator program focused on startups in Northern and Eastern Europe that provide B2B software or services that capture, store, or reduce CO2 emissions .
Adding to this growing list will be Ireland’s National Sustainability Accelerator and Innovation Platform, the 2050 Accelerator, launched in 2023 by Dogpatch Labs. The program is designed to bring together industry, government, academia and start-ups to solve Ireland’s sustainability challenges and make Ireland a sustainability testbed. innovation.
The first 2050 Accelerator cohort in 2023 had 12 startups from over 1,000 candidates. The global cohort comprised a diverse group of founders, of which a quarter were women.
Ashley Shak, head of sustainability and programs at Dogpatch Labs, said she believes collaboration is key to solving the climate crisis. Shaq brings her experience running sustainability accelerators globally through the United Nations, which led her to join the Dogpatch team to support the 2050 Accelerator.
“The 2050 Accelerator gives startups the opportunity to access the best expertise in a proven accelerator model, and the 2050 Ecosystem brings together industry, government, academia and startups to improve the country’s sustainability. We solve challenges together,” she said.
Focus and funding
Mr Schack said the Irish Government, like other governments in the EU, understands the urgency and importance of moving to a net-zero world.
“To achieve this, many of the climate technology solutions we are seeing will be hardware-based and expensive, meaning influence and collaboration with companies with the resources and connections will be essential. It will happen,” she said. “Our job at the 2050 Accelerator is to ensure these partnerships are realized and the pilots become a reality.”
Shaq believes the 2050 accelerator is different from other accelerators because it focuses on people, not ideas. “With a focus on helping startups develop high-impact pilot projects in collaboration with corporate partners, we have a team of 40 people from diverse backgrounds, including leading technology companies from both Ireland and Europe. We have more than just people.
High impact means that a startup not only has a measurable positive impact on its success, but also has a broader impact on the planet, Shaq said.
“While most accelerators focus on helping startups learn ‘how to start a business’, the goal of the 2050 Accelerator is to accelerate the development of climate technology innovations that will help transition to a net-zero society.” ”, Shaq added.
“We believe that our focus on developing real pilot projects makes our program very attractive for startups internationally as well, because we have a clear focus on working with very large corporate partners. There are tremendous business development opportunities,” said Shaq.
Dogpatch Labs’ 2050 Accelerator is partially funded by the Irish Department of Environment, Climate and Communications. “This makes us proud to be Ireland’s national sustainability champion,” Mr Schack said.
In addition to government support, the 2050 Accelerator’s corporate partners pay a fee to participate in the program.
“This fee will primarily help us recruit talented start-up companies and support them in traveling to Dublin,” Schaak said. “It also allows us to host memorable events like Launch Day and Showcase Day, which bring hundreds of sustainability enthusiasts and climate change advocates to Dogpatch. We can also complement the curriculum by inviting domestic and international coaches and mentors who have
Net zero focus
Mr Schack says that for Ireland to become a legitimate testing ground for sustainability innovation, we need to explore the diverse range of sustainability solutions that can be brought to Ireland.
“We strongly believe that addressing the global issue of sustainability requires a holistic approach that includes both the environmental and social aspects of sustainability,” she said. “The specific sustainability focus we place for each cohort may vary by partner company as we work with them to identify the most pressing issues facing their business. there is.”
Shaq said that thanks to this approach in 2023, we will now see startups from markets such as animal health, renewable energy and sustainable construction.
“Our main focus is decarbonisation towards net zero targets, hence the name 2050, but we also want to ensure that the start-ups we work with recognize the social impact of their technology. is important,” Shaq said.
EIO Diagnostics, a startup from the first cohort, has developed a thermal camera and artificial intelligence (AI) system that can detect early mastitis infections in cows.
“From an environmental perspective, this means that treating sick cows earlier reduces greenhouse gas emissions,” said Schaak. “But in an equally important social context, harnessing the power of AI means farm workers no longer have to worry about the tedious and dangerous job of testing sick cows.”
A pilot scheme with a big impact
The 2050 Accelerator has several ongoing pilot projects developed between startups and high-impact corporate partners.
“We will advance this partnership to enable both parties to develop pilots that have a measurable impact on sustainability issues such as the circular economy, carbon dioxide removal (CRD), carbon markets and animal health.” said Shaq. “Through this program, both businesses and startups will be pushed out of their comfort zones to accelerate progress and contribute to sustainability goals.”
The new pilot by BladeBridge is part of the 2023 cohort, which repurposes wind turbines to build pedestrian bridges and other sustainable infrastructure. According to Shak, BladeBridge founder Angie Nagle will expand the startup’s catalog through the 2050 Accelerator to also offer other products needed by corporate partner ESBs, such as communication poles and e-mobility hubs. It is said that it became.
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