Empowering Women-Led Climate Startups: Announcing the SHE WINS Climate Programme

Brussels, Belgium, Friday, December 13, 2024 

EBAN, adelphi, and VC4A, supported by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), are thrilled to announce the launch of SHE WINS Climate—a groundbreaking initiative designed to empower and scale women-led startups tackling global climate challenges.https://www.eban.org/?attachment_id=41262

This ambitious programme seeks to identify and support 25 innovative women-led climate startups from regions spanning Eastern Europe, Central Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. By offering a comprehensive suite of training, mentorship, and investment facilitation opportunities, SHE WINS Climate aims to foster the next wave of sustainable solutions driving meaningful environmental impact.

What SHE WINS Climate Will Deliver

The programme is structured around five impactful modules tailored to equip startups with critical skills and resources to scale successfully:

1. Investment Readiness Training:
   • Navigating venture capital processes, funding types, and investor relations.
   • Developing robust financial projections and data rooms.
2. Pitching Your Startup:
   • Crafting compelling narratives and creating investor-ready pitch decks.
   • Building confidence in delivering pitches and handling Q&A sessions.
3. Climate-Tech and Female-Founder Training:
   • Utilising toolkits to align solutions with climate finance and gender-specific market opportunities.
   • Exploring global climate agenda alignment with expert guidance.
4. Peer-Learning Meetups:
   • Collaborating with sector peers to co-create solutions and scale innovative ideas.
5. Deal Facilitation:
   • Showcasing high-potential startups through a curated Dealbook for global investors.

Selection Criteria

Who can apply?

This programme is designed for startup founders who are women, whose startups focus on climate change solutions or technologies, and whose startups operate in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia (see country list below). Before submitting this Expression of Interest, please ensure that you meet the following eligibility criteria:

Criteria for participants: 

• You must be 21+ years in age 
• You must identify as a woman 
• You must be the founder, co-founder, owner, or executive of the startup
• You must be fluent in English 

Criteria for startups:

• Your startup must be women-owned/women-led (see definition below).
• Your startup must be legally registered and in business for at least 1 year at the time of submission. 
• Your startup must be early stage but past the ideation stage, targeting pre-seed, seed, and Series A funding. More mature businesses will also be considered unless at the growth or exit stage. 
• Your startup must be have the majority of employees, assets, or operations in one of the following countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Czech Republic, Georgia, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Maldives, Moldova, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, or Vietnam.
• Your startup must focus explicitly on climate change solutions or technologies and climate change must be core to your startup’s mission, strategy, and operations. Solutions and technologies could address greenhouse gas emissions reductions, energy efficiency, adaptation and resilience, circular processes, sustainable products or services, pollution reduction or prevention, conservation, and/or nature-based solutions. Startups with only a minor focus on climate change are not eligible.  

Definition of women-owned/women-led:
≥ 51% owned by a woman/women; OR
≥ 20% owned by a woman/women, with: ≥ 1 woman as CEO/COO (President/Vice-President); and ≥ 30% of the board of directors comprised of women, where a board exists.

Stay Tuned

This initiative is a bold step toward fostering inclusive climate innovation while spotlighting the vital contributions of women-led enterprises in addressing the world’s most pressing environmental challenges.

Details about the application process and deadlines will be shared soon. Stay connected with us for updates on how to participate and join this transformative programme.

Together, let’s empower women to lead the charge in building a sustainable future!

About the Partners

• EBAN: The European Business Angels Network is a leader in angel investment and entrepreneurship across Europe.

• adelphi: A leading independent think tank and public policy consultancy on climate and sustainable development.
• VC4A: A platform that connects startup ecosystems and supports entrepreneurs with mentorship, training, and funding.