For the seventh consecutive year, Startup 4 Climate – one of Europe’s largest innovation competitions focused on energy and climate solutions – is now open for applications. Swedish startups with groundbreaking ideas and the potential to deliver both climate impact and scalability have the chance to compete for a total prize of SEK 2 million.
Startup 4 Climate was founded seven years ago by the energy companies Ellevio and GodEl with the ambition of accelerating the energy transition. By supporting solutions that are smarter, more resource-efficient, and combine technological innovation with reduced climate and environmental impact, the competition promotes sustainability alongside competitiveness and business value. The innovations can include products and services that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve energy efficiency, or drive behavioral changes that contribute to a more sustainable future.

Last year’s winners, Zparq and Enairon, impressed the jury with their electrified boat motors and energy-efficient compressor technology. Another notable success story is Flower, a previous winner that is now Sweden’s market leader in flexibility services for grid stabilization.

The submission period is open until midnight August 23 rd. Apply now! 

62 competitors became 8 finalists – and when the sixth round of Startup 4 Climate is decided on November 13, the two innovations that are most inspiring, most scalable and have the greatest potential to accelerate the climate and energy transition will be selected.

Here´s the 2025 shortlist:

Caplyzer – Green hydrogen (Vällingby)
EcoPhi – Grid optimization (Göteborg)
Enairon – Energy-efficient industrial compressor (Halmstad)
Hagnesia – More efficient generator/electric engine (Göteborg)
Kitocoat – Increased lifespan of vegetables (Stockholm)
Lumine North – Sustainable lighting – Winner of “Folkets röst” (Karlstad)
Simply No Waste – Utilization of food waste (Malmö)
Zparq – Boat electrification (Stockholm)

Read the full press release here:

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.

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.

To the Shortllist

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.

Read more

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.

Read more.

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.

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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.

Read more.

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.

Read more.

The winners of the sixth edition of Startup 4 Climate have been announced: Enairon from Halmstad and Zparq from Stockholm. Enairon’s energy-efficient industrial compressor and Zparq’s lightweight, portable electric boat motor impressed the jury. The winning companies each receive one million SEK.

On Thursday evening, November 13, the eight finalists presented their innovations to an impressed jury and audience.

“The competition this year has had a strong and evenly matched field. The winners, Enairon and Zparq, have great potential to contribute to the energy transition. Several previous winners have made significant progress after their Startup 4 Climate victory, and I’m convinced that this year’s winners have an equally promising future,” says Johan Lindehag, CEO of Ellevio and chairman of the jury.

Read full pressrelease here:

For press questions, please contact Ellen at
+46 79 102 35 19
ellen.jurell@godel.se

For press questions, please contact Jesper at
+46 70 929 96 23
jesper.liverod@ellevio.se

Please contact Helen at
helen.iwefors@purposepr.se