This post was written by Dr Emily Reichert, CEO of Greentown Labs, a climate tech startup incubator in North America. She is also a judge for the Climate Challenge Cup, a new international competition, delivered by The Young Foundation in the UK and MetroLab Network in the US, which celebrates research partnerships to combat climate change. Register to watch the final live from COP26.

  • The problem: Individual action is not enough to mitigate the accelerating climate crisis.

  • Why it matters: A clean energy future is possible, but not without collaborative action.

  • The solution: Technical and technological solutions; collaboration and innovation; and both civic and corporate partnerships are required to bring meaningful climate action to scale.

Snowstorms in Texas. Hurricanes in New York. And a recent report from the US government’s Federal Emergency Management Agency found that America’s five fastest-growing cities — Phoenix, Las Vegas, Houston, Fort Worth and Seattle – face an increasing risk of hurricanes, flooding, wildfires, heatwaves, and other climate-related disasters. The same is true for cities across the globe, and the clock is ticking on our ability to change the trajectory and avoid the worst impacts on humanity. 

Without a doubt, the climate crisis is accelerating, but the good news is that a clean energy future is possible - and it is something that everyone can be part of.  

‘Technical solutions’ 

This is an exciting time for climate tech startups at the centre of a growing energy innovation ecosystem, but there’s a critical need for more partnerships and greater collaboration – with corporations, universities, governments – to create meaningful climate action. 

Greentown Labs supports entrepreneurs who are developing technology to decarbonise all sectors of the economy, and to ensure the resilience of people and infrastructure already feeling the impacts of climate change. These startups tackle challenges in complex industries, including electricity, buildings, transportation, agriculture, and manufacturing. From electrification to digitisation, zero-emission vehicles to energy storage, offshore wind and carbontech, it’s about working to develop technical solutions to climate change. 

All hands on deck

And now, as over 200 nations convene at COP26, the United Nations 2021 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, the need for collaboration and innovation has never been clearer. We have less than a decade to mitigate global temperature rise and the worst impacts of climate change. We need all hands on deck.   

Creating a global energy transition – one that is clean and green and just for all – is the opportunity of a lifetime. But to get there, we must engage everyone, from students to mid-career workers in climate tech innovation, development, and deployment. There is a role for all, regardless of their background, training, or experience; a challenge of this size means there is more than enough work to go around, and ample opportunities to find a satisfying career in climate tech for the next 30 to 50 years, both in the US and around the world. 

The power of partnership

That’s why I’m thrilled to take part in the Climate Challenge Cup, a new international startup competition delivered by The Young Foundation. The Cup highlights the critical role partnerships between research bodies, civic organisations, and local and international communities can play in advancing climate action. Entrepreneurs featured are pushing the envelope in climate tech, both by improving current technologies and by developing technologies the world has never seen.  

Such partnerships, bringing together incredibly innovative entrepreneurs, can inspire others to act. Together, we are creating supportive and inclusive research, developing civic and corporate partnerships, and building bridges to advance climate action.  

Collaboration is essential to bringing meaningful climate action to scale. Each of us - from students to heads of state - can take part in this global energy transition and help build a better world for future generations to enjoy.

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