The Climate Challenge 2025: Launch Event
Come along to the launch event of the Climate Challenge, an early-stage climate entrepreneurship training programme for postgrads and postdocs.
Receive free training from experts and compete in teams for a chance to win a £1500 cash prize!
The Climate Challenge 2025
Delivered by Cambridge Zero in partnership with Carbon13, Cambridge Enterprise, the Maxwell Centre, the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership Canopy, King’s Entrepreneurship Lab and Energy IRC, sponsored by Moda Living
We invite small teams of postgraduate students and postdoctoral researchers to submit early-stage proposals for scalable ideas that facilitate decarbonising transitions and address climate challenges.
Who is the Challenge is for?
We’re looking for small (2–3 people) inter-disciplinary teams of postgraduate students and postdoctoral researchers. You don’t need to be a seasoned entrepreneur. You also don’t need to be part of the University, as long as teams are at least 50% University members (see eligibility section below for more details).
You don’t need to be a scientist or engineer to participate! We’re also interested in ideas related to economic, societal and behavioural change that could lead to reductions in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
What does the Challenge involve?
We’re interested in ideas that are in their initial conceptual stages, rather than fully formed projects or products. If you have an idea that is further along in its development, you might want to explore some of the other entrepreneurship projects offered at the University.
The Challenge is a learning and skills development opportunity in entrepreneurship, with the potential to translate into a business opportunity.
What problems do we want you to solve?
The brief for the Climate Challenge is deliberately broad, as solutions could involve anything from on the ground innovations that could drive systemic behavioural change in individuals and communities, to technological and digital solutions. Critically, we’re looking for solutions that are intrinsically scalable, i.e., they have significant potential to grow in size, capacity or scope. Don’t worry too much, as this can be developed in the Ideas Jam during the first training session.
Examples of previous Climate Challenge (previously named Carbon Challenge) projects:
Note that the climate/carbon challenges have taken different forms over time in terms of prize money, theme etc.
Climate Challenge 2024 (web page pending); Climate Challenge 2023; Climate Challenge 2022; Carbon Challenge 2018; Carbon Challenge 2017
WHEN: Friday, 24 January 2025
6.30 PM – 7.30 PM: Talk in Keynes Lecture Theatre
7.30 PM – 8.30 PM: Drinks reception and networking in the Chetwynd Room
WHERE: King’s College, Cambridge
TICKETS: get your free ticket here