Capacity-building Programme to accelerate Climate Technology Solutions in LAC

Deadline: 30-Sep-23

The EIT Climate-KIC, IDB Lab, and the Clean Technology Fund have partnered to advance climate innovation in Latin American and the Caribbean.

They are supporting innovation agencies, incubators, accelerators, ecosystem builders, venture capital investors, co-working spaces, and hubs to enhance their entrepreneurship offering for local climate start-ups across Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, and Peru. Implemented from June 2023 to May 2025, the initiative sets a pathway towards inclusive, sustainable growth, resonating with the goals of the Paris Agreement.

They offer climate technology acceleration services, giving participating LAC accelerators and start-ups access to:

• A global network of climate experts,
• a climate impact framework (to assess and validate the climate impact and business potential of startups),
• program management tools,
• climate acceleration content,
• coaching and mentoring networks, and
• access to peer and investor networks.

The proposal focuses on the following key areas of work whereas this CfA is limited to the stage and activities of Phase 1 and participating in Phase 1 is a pre-condition to be selected for the scope of work in Phase 2. Important is that it is needed to apply to the activities of Phase 2 through responding to a new CfA which will be published to the participating entities then.

Phases

• Phase 1: Capacity-building of Entrepreneurship Support Organisations (hereafter referred to as “ESOs”):
  • Identifying and selecting the most appropriate ESOs in the LAC region via an open call and objective selection process.
  • These ESOs will, depending on their needs, receive tailored capacity building and knowledge transfer in specific areas around supporting climate innovations.
  • These ESOs will build a programme strategy and design throughout the activities.
  • These ESOs may then understand the next CfA for scope and budget of Phase 2 and can then propose the implementation of ClimAccelerators to EIT Climate-KIC.
• Phase 2: Acceleration of climate innovations in LAC:
  • Selected ESOs from Phase 1 will then be funded and supported to implement ClimAccelerators:
    • Identify and select entrepreneurial climate innovations in the region of LAC via an open call and objective selection process.
    • Support the climate innovations by generating bespoke tailored capacity building and knowledge transfer around business acceleration and increasing climate impact.
  • While EIT Climate-KIC focuses on
    • Implementing the Climate Impact Framework with the climate innovations participating in the programmes
    • As well as advising the selected ESOs on the plan/curriculum and improvements of the contents being delivered to continue capacity building.
• Throughout both Phases:
  • Increasing the awareness from audiences of climate innovation ecosystems about the selected ESOs, new ClimAccelerators and participating climate innovations as well as the programme key insights and learnings of the scope of this work.
  • Community access for ESOs and climate innovations through incorporating them into alumni communities as well as organize events with the wider EIT Climate-KIC community.
• They intend to choose ESOs and climate innovations from as many of the following eligible countries as possible, including Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, and Peru.

Benefits

• Participating in the capacity building of ESOs, you will receive access to:
  • Tailored capacity building: The contents and capacity building will run over four months with biweekly workshops and bi-weekly mentoring sessions to build capacity and also to help co-create a proposal to accelerate ClimateTech innovations in your respective regions.
  • Tailored Tools: The open-sourced Operating System provides everything you need to successfully run your own ClimAccelerator, including management tools, content, coaching and mentoring networks, and more.
  • Climate Impact: They’ve developed a Climate Impact Framework that presents climate impact indicators alongside financial key performance indicators, allowing start-ups to assess and validate the credibility and business potential.
  • Positioning in the Global Climate Innovation Ecosystems
  • Global Network: Join the EIT Climate-KIC Community of 400+ organisations across the globe working to drive a net-zero carbon transition.

Outcomes

• The focus of the collaboration is based on:
  • Increasing the capacity and skills of staff at an Entrepreneurship Support Organizations (ESO) to better position themselves in the climate innovation ecosystem and focus on supporting climate innovations, as well as;
  • Design proposals and approaches towards climate-focused acceleration programmes within a specific region or industry to move forward with after the completion of the cohort.

Eligibility Criteria

• EIT Climate-KIC reserve the right to reject proposals where the proposed supplier:
  • Has insufficient technical, professional or financial capacity to deliver the services,
  • Has been bankrupt or insolvent (last 7 years),
  • Is sanctioned by a relevant authority,
  • Does not comply or has previously not complied with the Ethical Standards for Contractual Counterparties,
  • Has been convicted of crime, links to terrorism, breach of tax or social security obligations,
  • Is an individual prior employee of an EIT Climate-KIC or group entity (discretionary basis),
  • Will continue to be a full-time employee of an EIT grant recipient or EIT Climate-KIC partner during the contract term (discretionary basis).
  • Has its headquarter outside of the country mentioned in this document. If any of these scenarios apply, please make EIT Climate-KIC aware in your submission.

Requirements and Obligations

• The following obligations are requested from the participants:
  • Application to capacity building cohort,
  • Availability of at least two staff members to be available for 80% of the capacity building activities which focus on at least but not exclusively two workshops and two grouped mentoring sessions per month for a total of four months,
  • Focus on understanding of theory, practical exercises as well as co-creation of proposals focused on accelerating climate solutions which is to be submitted at the end of the cohort as a clear outcome, as well as
  • Provision of feedback, final analysis and results of learnings and takeaways during and after the cohort activities.
• The following deliverables are being required from the participants after the completion of the capacity building process of Phase 1:
  • A clear strategy, vision and mission statement to support climate innovations
  • A programme design and plan to accelerate climate innovations and ventures in either their geography and/or a chosen industry and sector

Required Experience and Capabilities

• The team delivering the services should be able to demonstrate the following experience and capabilities:
  • Experience in Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneurship Support of at least two years,
  • Previous experience of working on / supporting or leading accelerator programmes for Startups in the region
  • Working knowledge of entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystems in their region,
  • Developing and delivering analytical and audience-friendly insights,
  • Adherence to evaluation professional ethics and quality standards,
  • Basic written and spoken language competency in English,
  • be legally constituted as an organisation (private, public, NGO, etc).

For more information, visit EIT Climate-KIC.