In spite of the war, the EBRD has launched a new edition of its Climate Innovation Vouchers program in Ukraine. Operated by Greencubator, a Ukrainian non-profit for sustainable entrepreneurship, this €1.5 million program has provided grants of up to €50,000 to more than 35 startups so far.
The program targets innovative SMBs develop or implement technologies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase energy efficiency and prevent climate change.
The goal is to help startups address problems that hinder the development of their climate technology. The beneficiaries choose a service provider among those selected by the programs, and uses the grant to cover 75% of the service cost, says the the program’s web page)
To apply, startups must develop climate-friendly technologies that reduce emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases. The program is reserved for small and medium-sized business with at least 1 year of operations before the application date. The beneficiaries are expected to co-finance the project,
Examples of companies that received grants in the previous editions include BioSENS (food safety), Charge Group (electric transport), Ekodar (energy efficiency), Hempire (low-carbon construction), The Good Plastic Company (new materials), ReLeaf (new materials), Toka (electric transport), Zond (energy efficiency), and many more.
The initiative — a component of the EBRD’s FINTECC initiative — is supported by the EU under the EU4CLIMATE initiative. Ukraine was the first country to benefit from these vouchers when the program started back in 2017. In the 2022 edition, €500,000 of new grants were made available to a dozen Ukrainian companies.
Applications should be made no later than September 30 via this link.
