RURAL CLIMACCELERATOR IBERIAN EXTENSION CALL

WHAT IS RURAL CLIMACCELERATOR IBERIAN?

A climate acceleration program designed to promote innovation in rural areas of Spain and Portugal, solving urgent climate challenges by fostering sustainable and scalable technological solutions.

The Rural ClimAccelerator Iberian is aimed at 18 innovative impact initiatives, which, over 26 weeks, this second edition is focused on three main topics, connection with the innovative ecosystem of the Iberian Peninsula, investment readiness and connection with real challenges for proof of concepts to develop their projects and make rural areas more connected and sustainable spaces.

BENEFITS OF THE PROGRAM

Participants of the Iberian Rural ClimAccelerator will receive technical support and personalized mentoring, but will also become part of the EIT Climate-KIC community and enjoy increased visibility in the global market. In addition, they will have the opportunity to participate in important networking events, such as 4YFN, VDS+, Web Summit and the International Startup Congress, with exposure to more than 100,000 attendees, which increases their chances of accessing investment and the market. The goal is clear: to help these initiatives become innovative and fundable companies, scalable and with a significant impact.

Birth of Rural Climaccelerator

Rural areas in Europe are essential to the continent's way of life, but face major vulnerabilities, especially in the Iberian Peninsula. Challenges such as declining infrastructure and services, poor connectivity and reduced mobility have led to a decline in the rural population. However, at Innobound we believe that impact innovation can transform these vulnerabilities into opportunities. “We strongly believe that innovation can secure the future of rural areas, addressing challenges such as digitalization, depopulation and connecting these areas with green technologies,” says Thais Glod, CEO of Innobound.

In the first edition, Rural Spain ClimAccelerator, 11 startups participated such as Agrolinera, Floc Ammonia and Clic Recycle, focused on the valorization of agricultural waste; others such as Xizan, Water2KW and ZenitSolar bet on green and renewable energy; and social impact projects such as Rooral and Tunnll worked on improving life in rural areas. In addition, natural and forest heritage management initiatives such as Planet AI Space and Forest-Chain were also part of this innovative ecosystem.

Open call

The Rural ClimAccelerator Iberian 2024 is focused on four key thematic areas:

Nature's services: Promotion of sustainable land use, preservation of biodiversity and restoration of ecosystem services.

2. Rural Connectivity: Improving access to emerging technologies and promoting digital literacy to create opportunities in rural areas.

3. Rural as a Service: Valorization of rural products and services, from biological solutions to energy communities and high-quality products.

4. Wellness and Growth: Harmonious development of rural heritage, tourism and improvement of living spaces, both indoors and outdoors.

Important Dates

- Entries open until October 25, 2024, 23:59 hours (CET).

- Selected startups will be announced on 12 November 2024, and

- Kick-Off of the program will be November 19, 2024.

 

For more information, do not hesitate to check our INFODAY session recording video: https://youtu.be/uxV09yzgHAU 

Link to our Rural ClimAccelerator Iberian website: https://innobound.eu/rural-climaccelerator-iberian 

Application form link: https://www.f6s.com/rural-climacelerator-iberian/apply 

 

For any further information, please contact [email protected] or [email protected]