UN Women Climate Tech Accelerator

Deadline: 21 June 2024

UN Women Climate Tech Accelerator program is providing comprehensive support and resources to turn high-potential women-led climate tech startups into high-growth, high-impact, gender-responsive enterprises that are investor and market-ready.

The programme is seeking to find a diverse cohort of female entrepreneurs that are spurring technological innovation to address persistent challenges to climate change in South-East Asian countries within the ASEAN region whilst offering more opportunities for women in the blue and green economy.

The UN Women Climate Tech Accelerator, powered by the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) is an initiative supported by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, the Republic of Korea, and implemented by She Loves Tech. It aims to support women entrepreneurs who are working on Climate Tech solutions in the ASEAN countries.

Objectives

Over 9 months, the programme is targeted to enable women-led climate tech startups:

Increase Business Capacities
Drive Social Change
Unlock Access to Finance
Widen Network and Strengthen Advocacy

Programme I

An intensive 3 month programme for startups to participate in training workshops, inspiring panel discussions and fireside chats as well as policy-impacting advocacy. This first phase of the program will culminate in a Demo Day in front of investors and strategic partners to showcase their solutions and growth.
- Phase 1: Capacity Building and Strategy Refinement
  - Duration: 3 months (August – October 2024)
  - Mentorship from industry experts and successful entrepreneurs
  - Targeted support to refine offering and growth strategy
  - Access to fundraising opportunities
  - Capacity building for increased impact, including and especially gender-impact
  - Training to develop leadership skills and advocacy, and strategic thinking to drive impact
  - Dedicated coaching for personal and professional growth
- Demo Day: Pitching to Investors and Strategic Partners
  - At the end of Phase 1 (November 2024)
  - Pitching to a curated audience of investors, including venture capitalists, family offices, and impact investors actively seeking to support and invest in climate tech innovations
  - Exposure to potential strategic partners

Programme II

The second and third phase of the programme focuses on a more tailored approach of mentoring and advisory, accompanying the startups in their growth journey toward investable and influencing startups in the climate technology ecosystem in ASEAN. Women founders will establish themselves within the growing community of She Loves Tech entrepreneurs and delve into the opportunities of the wider ecosystem.
- Phase 2: Regional Mentoring and Semifinal
  - Duration: 3 months (December – February 2025)
  - Regular check-ins and office hours with experienced investors, industry experts, and successful entrepreneurs in climate technology
  - One-on-one mentorship session for personalized guidance, feedback, and support
- Post Programme Engagement
  - Duration: 3 months (From February 2025 onwards)
  - Access to curated events and resources provided by the She Loves Tech Community
  - Continued engagement with the She Loves Tech and UN Women networks, fostering ongoing support and connection
  - Further opportunities for networking, partnerships, and potential collaborations

Eligibility

They are looking for women-led startups in the pre-seed and seed stages with climate technology products or solutions focused on, but not limited to:
- Renewable Energy (solar, wind, bioenergy, tidal, wave, ocean thermal energy, energy storage)
- Energy efficiency and related solutions reducing women’s domestic chores time (i.e. water/firewood fetching, cooking, etc.)
- Green and Sustainable Transportation (electric vehicles, sustainable urban mobility)
- Water Management (conservation, purification, desalination)
- Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry (reforestation, precision farming, crop health monitoring, aquaculture)
- Waste Management (recycling, upcycling, waste-to-energy)
- Green Buildings and infrastructure (energy-efficient buildings, smart home tech, sustainable materials construction)
- Climate Resilience (early warning system, adaptation technologies, risk assessment tools, GHG and ecological data)
- Supply chain management (route optimization, fleet management, inventory management, marine logistics)
- Blue economy solutions (Marine ecosystem monitoring, marine biotechnology, coastal resilience)
They also encourage applications from male co-founders and mixed teams startups!