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13 top European high growth climate start-ups kick off GreenQ

Over the next two months 13 of Europe’s top high growth climate start-ups, including Edinburgh based ECCI-alum Carbogenics, are taking part in the GreenQ programme, aimed at facilitating lasting partnerships between European high growth start-ups seeking scaling opportunities in China.

The participating EIT Climate-KIC start-ups hail from all over Europe, from Norway to Slovenia, Greece, Spain and Scotland, with innovations spanning from Weco's (France) ecological toilets to HOPU's (Spain) smart cities solutions and MYWATER's (Slovenia) mission to accelerate the world's transition to sustainable water consumption.

Sole Scotland representative Carbogenics, a University of Edinburgh spin-out, progressed through ECCI’s Low Carbon Innovation and EIT Climate-KIC Accelerator programme. Represented by Lidia Krzynowek, Carbogenics produces sustainable carbon adsorbents from difficult to recycle organic waste, including coffee cups and wastewater screenings. The functional carbons enhance anaerobic digestion, remove odours and pollutants from wastewater and can be used as plant fertilizer.

2020 programme

After an introductory session in week one with Mary Ritter (International Ambassador and Former CEO of EIT Climate-KIC), the cohort of 13 today took part in a CEO session, hearing from Gordon Mcgregor – (CEO of Ashburn Energy) and David Westwood (Chief Operating Officer of Nomad Energy Solutions).

Future sessions will focus on specialist themes relevant to doing businesses in China, including understanding legal, strategic and finance frameworks and focusing on markets and advances in areas such as smart cities, water, waste and circular economy.

The programme culminates in an opportunity to meet directly with potential partners and customers in December.

Ed Craig, Dean of the Low Carbon College and Head of Innovation and International at ECCI said: “Throughout four workshops, an expert conference and a 1 to 1 bespoke mentoring scheme, these 13 high growth SMEs will have access to up to date and cutting-edge professional support on successfully entering, accessing and succeeding in the Chinese market.”

“From there they’ll be supported to connect with at least two, carefully selected major Chinese corporates, enabling the SMEs the access to a wider range of networking opportunities to cultivate strategic business connections around the globe.”

GreenQ programme

The GreenQ Programme focuses on facilitating lasting partnerships between European high growth start-ups seeking scaling opportunities in China and Chinese organisations seeking to learn and partner with high growth and scalable technologies from Europe.

The programme is run by ‘EIT Hub China’, as part of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Global Outreach programme, in partnership with the Low Carbon College in Lingang, Shanghai – a joint initiative between Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the University of Edinburgh. This organisational partnership enables European high growth start-ups to access facilities, knowledge and networks to support their scaling in Asia.

Green Q was developed for University of Edinburgh by ECCI’s Head of International and Dean of the China-UK Low Carbon College Ed Craig.

The 13 high-growth SMEs on the programme are, from cohort 1 (2019) - KITRO, Weco-Toilet, Invertapro, ECCI- alumni Carbogenics, Whole Surplus and Circularise, and cohort 2 (2020) - B’zeos, Hawa Dawa, Hopu, Parity Platform, Volvero, My Water, Out of Box.