The Global Entrepreneurship Centre (GEC) supports transformative companies that focus on sustainable technologies (sustech) for achieving circularity, the global climate targets of the Paris Accord and the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. Based in Germany, the GEC is a innovation hub and impact investor for scaling sustainable technology innovation and entrepreneurship. It addresses the scaling challenges faced by promising deep-tech startups with a clear focus on sustainable development goals, circular economy and climate protection from all over the world.

Challenges to address within the Call for Solutions

GEC is looking for sustainability changemakers. The selection process of the Call for Solutions includes a proprietary sustainability assessment, diligently carried out internally by the GEC. They are kicking off with their Call for Solutions on 24 April, which is focused on the four main sectors: building & living, energy, textile and food & agriculture but this time with a special focus on material innovation.

Special focus on material innovation in the focus sectors

Building & Living:

• Next generation building materials
• Circular buildings

Energy:

• Material efficiency solutions
• New battery technologies, storage and recycling

Textiles:

• Biobased & next generation materials
• Process innovation for existing materials

Food & Agriculture:

• Material innovation in agriculture processes
• New biological solutions, processes and technologies

As a founder or startup team

You are driven to make a difference! Your goals: successfully scaling your technology startup for tremendous impact! You’re working hard to further develop your technology, gain traction with initial customers and convince investors of your fantastic business plan! Tasks are piling up and you may ask yourself: ​

• What are the relevant priorities to scale our business, team and technology?​
• How can we secure sufficient investment to make a massive impact? ​
• How can we move from pilot projects to commercial agreements with our customers? ​
• Is our innovation sufficiently protected enough to scale up? ​
• What processes do we need to establish to enable exponential growth?

The GEC scale-up journey

The GEC supports founders of sustainability technology-focused startups (sustechs) through the scale-up process. Your scale-up journey starts in the GEC Catalyst to strengthen your foundations for scaling. Startups that successfully complete the GEC Catalyst may be eligible for the GEC Scaling Factory. The Factory programme consists of individualised in-kind services to advance your startup to the next level and become the sustech you strive to be. The whole GEC scale-up journey is worth up to €200,000 (grant and convertible loan investement as in-kind services). GEC Sustainability knowledge will be trained in both programmes.

Your benefits in a nutshell​

• Receive up to € 200,000 to power your scale-up journey (grant and convertible loan investment as in-kind services).
• Sharpen your sustainability story to build a true responsible business.
• Join the lifelong, collaborative community of likeminded start-up founders & innovators.
• Connect with industry partners, investors, scientists, and experts globally.
• Get access to the partner lab facilities, co-working space, and event space in Meerbusch / Düsseldorf, Germany.

Application possible until 14 May.

More information you can find here.