ClimaTech Connect is a European programme supporting start-ups with networking, mentoring, training, and financing opportunities, focusing on digital solutions that address climate change. The initiative has already supported 35 early-stage innovators across the EU, with four winning teams receiving grants of up to €25,000.
Data centres, which power global digital activity, consume enormous amounts of energy—about 1.5 per cent of global electricity, with some countries seeing even higher demand. In Ireland, for instance, major tech companies’ European headquarters account for 20 per cent of electricity demand. Energy consumption from data centres is projected to double by 2030 due to AI growth, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable solutions.
Federico Ruilova, CEO of Estonia-based GreenPow, is tackling this challenge by helping businesses optimize cloud computing for lower carbon impact. Using AI and data analysis, GreenPow directs clients to areas with abundant renewable energy and implements load scheduling to reduce energy costs and grid pressure. The start-up is one of the four ClimaTech Connect grant recipients.
Another winner, ASTRO kW, uses AI to help organisations in sectors such as agriculture and real estate manage energy consumption efficiently. Their technology reduces both costs and emissions while empowering clients to operate more sustainably.
Italy-based Latitudo 40 employs satellite image analysis to support urban planning and environmental monitoring. Their work tracks erosion, sea-level rise, tree coverage, and the cooling effects of city parks, helping governments and organisations make climate-resilient infrastructure decisions.
Jälle Technologies, also from Estonia, focuses on battery recycling, transforming graphite waste into graphene-like materials that can be used in electronics, biomedical technology, and energy applications. This approach promotes a circular economy and reduces environmental harm from battery disposal.
ClimaTech Connect, delivered by EIT’s Climate KIC and 28DIGITAL, emphasizes supporting women-led start-ups and innovators in European regions with lower innovation scores. By fostering collaboration, mentorship, and funding, the programme strengthens Europe’s climate-tech ecosystem and enables start-ups to scale their solutions, driving meaningful impact in the fight against climate change.
