Eligibility for software or science-based ventures
Who is the Venture Accelerator for?
The Venture Accelerator is a climate-focused accelerator for early stage software or deeptech/science-based startups.
To help you make a great application to the Venture Accelerator, we’ve broken down what we’re looking for, who’s eligible, and how our support differs for software or science-based ventures.
We’re looking for breakthrough ventures that can reduce and remove emissions on a global scale
What are the eligibility requirements?
The Venture Accelerator supports founding teams of early stage software or deeptech/science-based startups from any sector.
We’re looking for startups which:
- Have two or more founders.
- Are registered in the EU, or UK
- Are looking to raise €1-3 million within the next 12 to 18 months
- Are at TRL 6-7 preferred
- Have either not raised equity funding, or have only raised a small round, most likely without institutional capital.
- Are committed to building a venture with the ambition of reducing emissions by millions of tonnes a year – even if you don’t yet know how your idea will reach that target.
What counts as a “climate startup”?
Carbon13 works with startups addressing challenges to Earth’s Life Support Systems.
This includes the climate emergency. Emissions reduction and removal includes startups working on direct carbon capture/removal, or products or services which reduce emissions, from zero carbon concrete to regenerative finance to supply chain optimisation and biodiversity.
Other challenges to Earth’s Life Support Systems include biodiversity, water use, microplastics, eutrophication etc.
As an idea of the size of impact we are looking for, Carbon13 has a goal for emissions reduction of 10 million tonnes of CO2e emissions per year when at scale, per venture.
You do not need to know how you will reach this target when you apply, but you should have some understanding of your solution’s potential.
If you’re not sure if your startup counts as a climatetech startup or you have questions about how it could hit 10 million tonnes or equivalent, do reach out to us to ask.
You can also look at our portfolio to see the startups we’ve invested in and the kind of work they are already doing.
For founders of software-based ventures
Software-based climate tech startups are those which use software, data, AI, machine learning or quantum computing to solve their customers’ pain points and reduce emissions.
Founders of software ventures should come to the Venture Accelerator with:
- At least an MVP
- A deep understanding of the industry and pain point
- Evidence of traction
- A good problem-founder fit
With the revolution in AI, the bar has raised for software ventures to raise follow on funding in climate. Carbon13 brings its experience investing in and supporting high potential software ventures to achieve scale, defensibility, and impact.
Ensuring impact is locked into the venture
The Carbon Case is where Carbon13 pushes software ventures further than any comparable accelerator or investor. You’ll do the work to ensure that your claims on carbon (or equivalent) impact are credible and scalable.
You’ll have the confidence that you’re making a difference to emissions, and be locking in carbon impact into your value proposition, business DNA, and scoped emissions.
In today’s investment landscape, investors and customers are looking to founders to be as credible with their carbon calculations as with their commercial projections.
Evaluating the team, not just the idea
Carbon13’s selection criteria evaluates the team as well as the idea. 2026’s AI revolution has raised the bar for founders.
We are looking for teams who are AI first.
They should be able to execute at speed, have a deep commercial understanding of their market, and understand how to build products AI first.
Teams usually have at least one founder who takes on a CTO/CPO type role, and one who takes on the CEO role.
For founders of science-based or deeptech ventures
A science-based or deeptech venture to Carbon13 is one which uses technology developed from science, engineering, materials, chemicals or similar. These startups face different challenges to software startups across product, funding and commercials, and Carbon13’s support adapts accordingly.
How the Accelerator adapts to science-based ventures
There is a strong focus on commercialisation of your technology (which should be around TRL 6-7), including validating go-to-market strategies and establishing a fundraising strategy for a complex decarbonisation product.
To tackle the challenges unique to these types of ventures, our support includes:
- An expert approach to the sensitivities of IP strategy
- Pricing and revenue strategies for products with long deliverability timelines
- Niche technical expertise for product development
Your impact – long term
Science-based or deeptech ventures come to us to ensure that their innovation – full of potential for impact in the lab, workshop or garage – can realise that potential as a scaled commercial venture.
As part of this, you’ll build a carbon case to robustly prove a potential for 10 million tonnes of emissions reduction/removal per year when at scale, or equivalent impact such as biodiversity or water. Your whole founding team will be empowered to make long term business decisions based on impact, long after the programme ends.
What we’re looking for in the founding team
The Venture Accelerator is looking for founding teams of these ventures to bring deep expertise in the technology and its application, for example one cofounder should hold a PhD or equivalent experience. One cofounder should also be a credible commercial leader.
The team should bring IP, or have at least one cofounder who will lead the development of the product. As a guide, the benchmark for the technology readiness level is usually TRL 6-7. We would consider TRL 5 or 8.