Climate-KIC at ECCI teams up with top start-up events

ECCI has teamed up with two top events in the entrepreneurial calendar to engage start-ups and innovators with its EIT Climate-KIC programme of funding and support.

As part of its partnership with Europe’s biggest climate entrepreneurship programme, the centre is sponsoring the Startup Summit on Wednesday 1 November 2017 and Engage Invest Exploit (EIE) 2018 in April next year.

ECCI is supporting the Business Builder stage at the Startup Summit, which takes over the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh next week, and the centre’s Deputy Director and Head of Innovation Ed Craig will speak at the event.

The Startup Summit is a one day dive into all things start-up, exploring the ever-changing landscape of business, surviving in the start-up world and growing into a thriving business. It aims to give attendees direct access to the founders, executives and investors behind some of the world's most successful companies.

ECCI is also helping to judge applications for next year’s EIE event, which provides companies with a 4-month programme focused on refining their business proposition and preparing them for securing investment. It culminates in an investor showcase where entrepreneurs pitch to an audience of 800 investors, business advisors, potential partners and customers. The deadline for applications is Thursday 30 November 2017.

ECCI is sponsoring a brand new Energy, Climate and Cleantech category at the EIE event itself, on Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 April 2018.

EIE 2018 kicks off a three-week celebration of Scottish entrepreneurship called CANDOFest, spearheaded by the Can Do network. The festival aims to bring together the people who can help realise Scotland's potential to be a world-leading entrepreneurial nation and deliver improved economic, environmental and social value.

Ed Craig, Deputy Director and Head of Innovation and Enterprise at ECCI, said:

“We’re hugely excited to be sponsoring these events, which offer unrivalled opportunities for companies to skill up and tap into Scotland’s vibrant start-up and technology investment scenes.

“We’re looking forward to talking to ambitious new Scottish businesses about the opportunities ECCI offers through Climate-KIC, including funding and support to help businesses develop a rock-solid business plan and take their target markets by storm.

“If you’ll be at these events and would like to find out more about how we can help your idea go stratospheric, come and find our stand – we’d love to meet you.”