The Venture Launchpad

The startup accelerator for carbon reduction and removal

Next cohort start: TBA

Image Reaforma are repurposing construction and manufacturing waste into low carbon building materials

The Carbon13 Venture Launchpad accelerates founders working on the solutions to the climate emergency, as part of the global effort to reach Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050.

On this 20-week programme, you’ll work intensively on what growth means for your venture, plugging into an unrivalled ecosystem for climate entrepreneurship.

You’ll explore and validate how your commercial growth and carbon impact are interlocked, understanding how to maximise your carbon impact to net 10 million tonnes of emissions reduction per year when at scale – and the traction you’ll need to achieve it.

You’ll also pitch for £120,000 of pre-seed investment from Carbon13.

“The insights from the Venture Launchpad were truly eye-opening, and now our financial modelling, growth, and go-to market plan are all aligned with our carbon targets.”

Shruti Grover
CEO and Cofounder of Pattern Project

“It’s the bespoke nature of the support, you’re tapping into specialist advice every week… the quality of content is just better.”

Chloe Donovan
MD, Natural Building Systems

“Going through the Carbon13 programme where Reaforma was incepted was the catalyst to jumping into the deep end. I cannot state it any clearer that the Carbon13 Venture Launchpad is THE place to go if you’re looking to take a leap into the world of climatetech.”

Munraj Sembhi
CEO and Cofounder of Reaforma

Who should apply to the Venture Launchpad

The Venture Launchpad supports founding teams of early stage software or deeptech/science-based startups.

To be eligible for the Launchpad, your startup should:

Have two or more founders.
Be registered in the UK or be able to.
Have not raised equity funding, or been diluted less than 10%.
Be 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.

We’re particularly looking for solutions which are able to address the next cohort’s theme of food, land and nature.

Explore the requirements in full

The strongest ecosystem for climate tech is now your personal brains trust

The Venture Launchpad is a highly personalised programme to your venture’s specific milestones. Carbon13 can achieve this because our ecosystem is one of the strongest and richest support systems in climate tech entrepreneurship today. Think of us as one giant brains trust focused on entrepreneurship and carbon reduction.

Domain Experts

over 350 with sector specific, entrepreneurial, and technical expertise, mission driven for the climate

Corporate partners

such as EY, Arm, and Barclays Eagle Labs, eager to work with startups

Entrepreneurs in Residence

who embed into your startup. All are successful founders themselves.

Carbon experts

who guide and push you to maximise your carbon impact, then quantify it for a Carbon Case.

Investor partners

support you on your investment readiness and your long term fundraising strategy.

At a glance

Across two Phases of ten weeks, founders will rapidly develop their venture. Founders will:

01 - The key benefits

Carbon Pitch and carbon case for net 10 million tonnes of CO2e emissions reduction per year
1-1 weekly deep dives with Entrepreneurs-In-Residence (all successful founders)
Milestones on product/market fit, go-to-market, and team and culture.
Investment Pitch and strategy for raising the next round
Opportunity for pre-seed investment from Carbon13 of £120,000
Investor networking
Presentation at a Climate Innovation
Showcase to partners and investors

02 - The application process

Applications for Venture Launchpad Cohort 3 will close on the 16th October.
Applications are assessed on a rolling basis with both written and interview stages.

03 - The Venture Launchpad structure

The next cohort starts 13th November
20 week programme split across two Phases
4-5 hours of mandatory, and 4-5 hours opt-in programming a week, all remote
Opportunity to pitch for investment of £120,000 at the end of Phase 1 in January 2024
In-person demo day at the end of Phase 2

Our next cohort: Land, Food and Nature

We’re proud to partner with Barclays Eagle Labs for the next cohort of the Venture Launchpad broadly themed on land, food and nature. Barclays Eagle Labs is on a mission to support the UK’s entrepreneurial community, and have deep connections to the UK’s food and agriculture industries – 1 in 4 farmers bank with Barclays.

Agriculture and the food system is one of the largest contributors to carbon emissions, and a leading cause of nature decline. Yet how we produce food and manage the land can also be a leading driver of the solutions.

What if we can...

...create more food with fewer inputs to support today's producers and future generations.

...ensure every family can consume a healthy, varied, and affordable diet with little wastage.

...support and accelerate a transition to regenerative and sustainable farming, fishing and production methods through enabling access to the right incentives, financial support, business models and data insights.

...create a countryside with space dedicated to nature, biodiversity and carbon capture, with the process and results valued and measured accurately.

...empower rural communities to come together and engage actively with Net Zero.

Our Beliefs

We believe entrepreneurs will change the trajectory of the world, not through old models, or the wisdom of crowds, but by exploring areas where no footprints exist.

This uncharted territory requires a technical approach, one with carbon aptitude and carbon maths, accelerated by leaps of visionary imagination.

Our Cambridge origins taught us the importance of world-class carbon, commercial and scientific understanding.

We are a people business. We care deeply about the success of those who choose to take giant steps.

Real transformation doesn’t come from a single individual but unencumbered communities with original thought.

Our entrepreneurs will test traditions, render new vision, and have the courage to ask the contrarian questions, because ultimately they are the creative force that will adjust economies for a net zero future.