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Press releases
Wanted: Startups in energy transition – 10,000 SEK to all finalists and 2 MSEK to the winners
2025-05-21
One of Europe’s largest innovation challenges in energy and climate, Startup 4 Climate, opens today for the sixth year in a row. The competition, founded by Ellevio and GodEl, aims to accelerate the energy transition. The most innovative ideas with strong potential for scalability and climate impact will win. New for this year: All eight companies that qualify for the final will receive 10,000 SEK.
Startup 4 Climate was launched six years ago to support the transition from traditional energy systems to smarter, more efficient solutions that reduce environmental and climate impact through technological innovation. This can include products or services that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve energy efficiency, or influence behaviour.
Last year’s winners, Rebaba and Nordic Bio-Graphite, impressed the jury with their circular battery systems and fossil-free graphite solutions. Another past winner is Flower, now the Swedish market leader in its niche, which stabilizes the electricity grid with flexible energy services.
– With this competition, GodEl and we at Ellevio want to jointly support new ideas, innovations, and initiatives that help realize our shared goals for a sustainable future—one that benefits people without costing the planet, says Johan Lindehag, CEO of Ellevio, jury member, and co-founder of Startup 4 Climate.
– Startup 4 Climate feels more important than ever this year, as many entrepreneurs are struggling to secure funding in a tough economic climate. That’s why we’re giving an extra boost to the finalists pitching to the jury. Everyone should be able to afford to apply, says Maria Erdmann, CEO of GodEl and co-founder of the competition.
Digital Launch Event – Today, May 21 at 12:00
Learn everything about the competition! Rebaba and Nordic Bio-Graphite will join the event to answer questions.
Register here: https://startup-4-climate-launch-event-2025.confetti.events/
About Startup 4 Climate
- Founded by Ellevio and GodEl, the challenge is organized in collaboration with THINGS Stockholm and the climate action network We Don’t Have Time.
- The jury includes:
- Johanna Mossberg, VP Biorefinery & Energy, RISE
- Jane Walerud, investor
- Lina Bertling Tjernberg, professor of energy systems, KTH
- Stefan Krook, founder of GodEl and Kivra
- Johan Lindehag, CEO of Ellevio
- The application period for Startup 4 Climate 2025 opens on May 21 and closes on August 24.
- A public vote will follow, and one of the eight finalists will be chosen through this vote.
- For each valid vote, 5 SEK will be donated to Doctors Without Borders. In 2024, 7,200 people participated.
- A total of 8 companies will be selected as finalists and will pitch their innovations to the jury at the final event on November 13 in Stockholm.
- The prize pool is 2 MSEK: 1 MSEK each to two winning companies, plus 3 hours of coaching with a jury member of their choice and 1 year of membership at THINGS.
- All eight finalists will receive 10,000 SEK each.
Press Release: Fossil-free graphite and circular battery systems win Startup 4 Climate
2024-11-14
One of Europe’s largest innovation competitions for climate benefits, the five-year-running Startup 4 Climate, has announced its results. This year’s winners, the startups Rebaba and Nordic Bio-Graphite, impressed the jury with their circular battery systems and fossil-free graphite. The winners will each receive one million SEK and coaching from the jury.
This year, 63 companies participated, and over 7,025 people voted for their favorite company in the People’s Vote. On Thursday evening, the eight finalists pitched live to a captivated audience and an extremely impressed jury.
Read the full press release here:
Fossil-free cement and innovative wave power win Startup 4 Climate
2023-11-16
For the fourth year in a row, Swedish entrepreneurs have been awarded in one of Europe’s largest innovation competitions for climate impact, Startup 4 Climate. The winners of this year’s competition, startups Cemvision and Novige, convinced the jury with fossil-free, circular, and energy-efficient cement; and a combined wave-, sun-, and wind power solution, respectively. The winning companies will receive SEK 1 million each and coaching from the jury.
2023 has been a record-breaking year for the competition with 75 nominated companies and over 8 200 participants in the People’s Vote. On Wednesday evening the eight finalists pitched for a fascinated audience and a very impressed jury.
Eight of Sweden's hottest greentech companies ready for the final in Startup 4 Climate
23-09-29
Startup 4 Climate, the energy transition’s answer to Dragons Den with four times as much prize money as Robinson, has attracted a record number of contributions and an unprecedented interest from the public ahead of this year’s edition of the competition. Now the jury has named seven out of eight finalists with submissions covering everything from fossil-free cement, fusion energy and organic batteries, to AI for buildings. Climate gaming also gets a chance after the game Climatopia received the most votes out of 8,200 in The People’s Vote.
The eight finalists will now proceed to the final round on November 15, where they will pitch their innovations to the jury. Here you can find Johanna Mossberg from the Swedish Energy Agency, angel investor Jane Walerud, professor Lina Bertling Tjernberg, Stefan Krook who founded GodEl and Kivra, and Johan Lindehag CEO of the energy company Ellevio.
“A success factor for the climate and energy transition is new ideas, technical innovations and scalable solutions. The purpose of Startup 4 Climate is to highlight and support innovations in the energy field with measurable climate benefits, and over the years the competition has become a platform for many startups that can take the next step in their development. The climate wins when new technology, entrepreneurship, and social interest come together,” says Johan Lindehag, CEO of Ellevio and jury member.
Startup 4 Climate is founded and run by Ellevio and GodEl, in collaboration with the innovation hub THINGS and social climate network We Don´t Have Time.org.
Rekorddeltagande i innovationstävlingen Startup 4 Climate
2023-08-29
När ansökningstiden nu löpt ut för årets upplaga av Startup 4 Climate, en av Europas största startup- och innovationstävlingar för klimatnytta och energiomställning, står det klart att intresset slår alla tidigare rekord.
– Årets upplaga har fått mer än dubbelt så många anmälningar och ett startfält som breddats ordentligt. Konkurrensen kommer att bli stenhård och superspännande, säger Anna Quarnström, tävlingsgeneral och hållbarhetsutvecklare på GodEl.
Nu börjar omröstningen av Folkets Röst – där vinnaren direktkvalificerar sig till shortlist.
Ny omgång för en av Europas största tävlingar för energi- och klimatinnovationer
2022-05-10
Efter förra årets rekordsäsong öppnar nu Startup 4 Climate, en av Europas största innovationstävlingar för start up-företag inom energi och klimat, upp för en ny omgång. 2021 års upplaga slog rekord i antalet bidrag från unga företag med banbrytande idéer för energiomställning och påtaglig klimatnytta. 2 miljoner SEK ligger i potten och den namnkunniga juryn ser fram emot att få djupdyka i nya innovationer för energiomställningen.
2 miljoner kronor i potten för startups med idéer för klimatet
2023-05-24
Idag startar en av Europas största innovationstävlingar inom energi och klimat, Startup 4 Climate. Tävlingen har instiftats av Ellevio och GodEl i syfte att accelerera energiomställningen. De bästa idéerna med störst mätbar klimatnytta vinner.
Sveriges bästa klimatinnovationer har korats
2021-11-12
Batterier av trä och virtuella kraftverk – det är Sveriges mest lovande klimatinnovationer. Det står klart efter att juryn och folkets röst utsett vinnarna i Sveriges största innovationstävling med klimatfokus, Startup 4 Climate. Vinnarna, Ligna Energy och Krafthem, utropades under prisceremonin på FN:s klimattoppmöte COP26 sent igår kväll och får ta emot en miljon kronor vardera.
Nu har innovationerna pitchat – vinnarna offentliggörs på COP26
2021-10-15
Sveriges största innovationstävling inom energi – Startup 4 Climate – fokuserar på unga bolag som utvecklar innovationer med mätbar klimatnytta. I år deltog 30 innovationer som tillsammans fått över 5000 röster av folket. Den 14 oktober pitchade åtta finalister sina innovationer för tävlingens jury. Vilka som vinner offentliggörs den 11 november i samband med FN:s klimatkonferens COP26.
Questions or requests?
Ellen Jurell
PR manager, GodEl
For press questions, please contact Ellen at
+46 79 102 35 19
ellen.jurell@godel.se
Jesper Liveröd
Presschef, Ellevio
For press questions, please contact Jesper at
+46 70 929 96 23
jesper.liverod@ellevio.se
Social Media Press Kit
And don’t forget to use the official hashtags of the competition if you post anything on social media:
#S4C
#Startup4Climate
#EnergyTransition
#WeDontHaveTime
#ClimateAction
Make sure we see it, by tagging us @GodEliSverige and @EllevioAB.