Scotland's low carbon dream team all set for take off

Scotland’s new low carbon dream team – 14 cutting-edge Scottish start-ups hoping to make their millions from climate innovations – today moved into ECCI.

They are the brains behind low carbon innovations ranging from a brand new alternative to plastic made from eggshells, to a smartphone app for charity shoppers and a shower curtain made from hemp.

The companies are part of the Climate-KIC Accelerator & Greenhouse schemes – high profile EU-funded support programmes for start-ups – which gives them funding and support to translate their inventions into business plans.

Climate-KIC was brought to Scotland for the first time ever by ECCI last year and in its first year helped 17 start-ups scoop 14 awards, more than £400,000 in investment and save the equivalent of more than 260,000 tonnes of carbon in a year.

The companies each got the chance to look around their new office, meet some of the experts who will be working with them and learn about the programme they will be embarking on.

ECCI, with an award-winning hub in Edinburgh and a new base in Hong Kong, brings together people from business, research, communities and governments to turn good low carbon ideas into reality. It supports a thriving community of low carbon enterprises and provides policy insight and evidence to help inform government decisions.

ECCI’s Head of Enterprise and Innovation Ed Craig said:

“ECCI’s ambition is to create a vibrant zero carbon future - so it’s hugely exciting to welcome this latest batch of low carbon entrepreneurs with equally big ideas onto our successful accelerator programmes.

“Scotland has a world-leading approach to tackling climate change, and we’re looking forward to being able to offer our home-grown climate innovators the money and expertise to take on growing global markets.”

Martina Zupan, Founder and CEO of Alterwaste, said:

“Getting onto the Climate-KIC Accelerator programme is a big step forward for our business.

"Professional support and additional finance available inside the low carbon community will help us develop our business further and speed up our growth to reach our goal of reducing carbon footprint sooner.”

Kasey Hou, Founder of Kasey Hou, said:

"Running a start-up business is like putting puzzles together, because it requires bits and pieces of different expertise.

"With support and resources from the Climate-KIC Accelerator, I'm confident that I'll be able to put every piece of puzzle together and have a successful business launch."

Find out more about the innovative start-ups being supported through our Climate-KIC Accelerator and Greenhouse programmes.