Reviving ClimateLaunchpad in Estonia and Launching It for the First Time in Finland

Rebuilding the Early-Stage Climate Innovation Pipeline

As part of the Climate Engine project, the Estonian Aviation Academy successfully delivered the ClimateLaunchpad programme across Estonia and Finland, marking a significant milestone for the regional climate innovation ecosystem. The initiative brought ClimateLaunchpad to Finland for the first time and reintroduced the programme to Estonia after a two-year absence.

Estonia last hosted ClimateLaunchpad in 2023, with no editions taking place in 2024 or 2025. During this period, while previous cohorts continued to mature, a new generation of early-stage climate entrepreneurs lacked dedicated support, leading to a gradual thinning of the innovation pipeline. Although this gap was not immediately visible, the quality of applications and the enthusiasm of participants demonstrated a clear unmet need, making the programme's return a valuable addition to the ecosystem.

Across the two national bootcamps, the programme supported 18 early-stage climate ventures—11 in Estonia and 7 in Finland—working across a wide range of sectors, including the circular economy, resource efficiency, recycling, renewable materials, mobility, the marine and blue economy, food systems, clean energy, and climate adaptation.

Climate Engine's Contribution

Climate Engine provided the framework, delivery capacity, and partnerships that enabled the programme's successful implementation across both countries.

The Estonian Aviation Academy organised and delivered the national editions, with training led by ClimateLaunchpad global trainer Hira Wajahat Malik.

The programme's return was supported by a strong network of ecosystem partners. In Estonia, the Environmental Investment Centre (KIK), supported by project development specialist Anni Raie, welcomed ClimateLaunchpad's return and contributed through mentorship and participation in the final jury. The EIT Community Hub, with support from EIT Officer Sven Parkle, strengthened communications, recruitment, and outreach while adding further credibility to the programme. Corporate partner Tallink also contributed through mentorship and jury participation.

In Finland, partnerships with regional incubation hubs supported participant recruitment and programme outreach, while Nokia hosted the national final.

By integrating ClimateLaunchpad into Climate Engine, the project combined the reach and reputation of Climate-KIC's flagship entrepreneurship programme with the structured business support provided through Work Package 4, creating a stronger platform for early-stage climate ventures than either initiative could offer independently.

Outcomes and Impact

The programme successfully reopened a dormant pipeline for early-stage climate entrepreneurship and revitalised the climate innovation community across Estonia and Finland.

One of the programme's most notable achievements is the exceptionally strong representation of women entrepreneurs. Ninety percent of participating Estonian ventures and sixty percent of Finnish ventures are women-led, representing a remarkable concentration of female leadership in climate innovation.

Participating teams are currently progressing through the coaching and feedback phase, refining their business models while developing climate impact assessments and hypotheses. National finals will take place in late August, with the winning teams advancing to the ClimateLaunchpad Global Grand Final in Singapore in October 2026.

Beyond participation numbers, the programme demonstrated a clear demand for structured support for early-stage climate entrepreneurship and helped rebuild an important foundation for the regional innovation ecosystem.