AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS, February 25, 2025 /
EINPresswire.com/ --
Climate KIC is celebrating 15 years of driving transformative climate action and innovation across Europe and beyond. As part of this milestone, the organisation is entering an exciting new chapter, transitioning to independence from the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) and unveiling a new brand identity.
For the past 15 years,
EIT Climate-KIC has been a leader in bringing climate solutions to the European market, fostering collaboration between entrepreneurs, researchers, policy-makers, and industries to create long-lasting impacts. As a part of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), EIT Climate-KIC became a key public-private partnership focused on climate innovation, leveraging EIT funding to help build over 2300 start-ups - which generated EUR 1.1 billion of investment, created 15,000 full-time jobs and powered 790 new products. Today, it is Europe’s leading climate innovation agency and community, with a network of over 200 members, 6000 businesses, and 44,000 learners.
Crucially, though, in these past 15 years, the climate crisis has worsened, and the organisation has recognised the need to embrace a broader, more integrated approach. In addition to the work to bolster innovation, research and education, EIT Climate-KIC began to take a more
place-based approach.
As Climate KIC CEO, Kirsten Dunlop reflects: “We started with a call to action for place-based transformation, invoking the principle of ‘seeing is believing’ and offering long-term partnerships to show that transformation at scale is possible and beneficial. We called this approach Deep Demonstrations. In Leuven and Madrid, Gipuzkoa, Ireland and Slovenia, among others, we initiated systems innovation approaches to decarbonisation and adaptation, linking policy, finance, governance, technology, community engagement, visioning, learning and behavioural change.”
A transition to scale and accelerate impacts
As the EIT grant cycle comes to an end, and EIT Climate-KIC transitions from its EIT roots, the organisation begins a new chapter in its history. Today marks the milestone as EIT Climate-KIC becomes Climate KIC.
While the ties with EIT and Europe remain strong, this new independence allows the organisation to expand its global reach, diversify funding sources, and scale climate action beyond Europe. Climate KIC is now positioned to act nimbly and forge innovative collaborations that will accelerate systemic change worldwide. The organisation spent years learning how to navigate complexity, connect stakeholders, and foster systemic innovation.
“Today, we are entering a new chapter of our story: drawing down on everything we’ve learned to accelerate transformation at scale, at a time when urgency, complexity, and opportunity are converging,” says Dunlop. She adds: “The task ahead of us requires radical collaboration, mass mobilisation, and a new vision for progress – one that prioritises wellbeing, safety, and justice. The real challenge lies in joining up innovations and connecting them into larger socioeconomic and political systems of transformation and meaning-making.”
A refreshed identity
Today Climate KIC unveils its new name and brand, which reflect both its legacy and its vision. The brand identity presents a fresh take on elements of its history, yet embodies transformation, resilience, and its continued commitment to systemic change. It represents Climate KIC’s evolution to a foundation, ready to build new partnerships, orchestrate solutions and accelerate global climate action.
“As we navigate this new chapter of independence with the Climate KIC team and community members, we are committed to activating the positive tipping points that will steer us toward a future where people thrive within planetary boundaries. We don’t have the luxury of pessimism. Now is the time to act,” concludes Dunlop.
For more information on Climate KIC, please visit our new website: climate-kic.org or contact media@climate-kic.org
About Climate KIC
Climate KIC is Europe’s leading climate innovation agency and community, creating climate-resilient communities and fighting climate breakdown by mobilising systems change in countries, regions, cities, and businesses. Together with partners across the globe, Climate KIC orchestrates solutions and facilitates learning to bridge the gap between climate commitments and current reality, driving faster and more ambitious action.
Founded in 2010 upon the initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union, for over 15 years Climate KIC received funding and strategic guidance as an EIT Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC). Today, as an independent foundation, Climate KIC continues to collaborate with EIT and other EU institutions, as well as intergovernmental organisations, UN agencies, national and regional governments, cities, civil society, academia and the private sector to boost climate innovation across Europe and beyond.
Anne-Sophie Garrigou
Climate KIC
media@climate-kic.org