Green energy start-ups win $50,000 each in Expo Live funding

Thirty-six entrepreneurs will have the chance to display their ideas at Cop28 in the UAE

More than 30 climate start-ups have secured funding from Expo Live Innovation programme to scale up their businesses and present at Cop28 later this year. Chris Whiteoak / The National

More than 30 climate start-ups have each secured $50,000 in funding from the Expo Live Innovation programme to scale up their businesses and develop climate-friendly solutions.

The winners will also be given the opportunity to showcase their plans during Cop28 in the UAE later this year.

The competition ran last month at Expo City in Dubai and attracted entrepreneurs from Sri Lanka to Sierra Leone.

The 36 winners were selected from a total of more than 1,200 grassroots groups, across waste management, technology solutions for farmers and food security projects.

More than 40 companies were invited last month to pitch their plans before a judging panel that made the selections.

The entrepreneurs from Bangladesh, Botswana, India, Israel, Germany and Singapore are among those who will receive guidance and grants to fight climate change.

“When it comes to securing a sustainable future for our planet, we must act fast, and we must act now,” said Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Co-operation and chief executive of Expo City Dubai Authority, in a statement.

“As we saw first-hand throughout Expo 2020 Dubai, grassroots and community organisations are on the front line of climate change, ripe with creative solutions that can make a real, positive contribution.”

She said Expo City was keen to connect the innovators with decision makers to promote collaboration and create a global impact in the UAE’s Year of Sustainability.

The Expo Live project that was launched before the World Fair in Dubai has supported 176 innovators from 90 nations.

The programme that continues as part of Expo City Dubai is estimated to have had a positive impact on 5.8 million people, by restoring 36 million hectares of land and saving 6.3 million litres of water.