At TEP Birmingham, collaboration is at the heart of what we do. We bring together innovators, private investors, the public sector, and academia to drive green growth and deliver a cleaner future for all.
The University of Birmingham is one of our long-standing partners and over the years, we have created an environment where entrepreneurs and innovators can become part of a community that is shaping Birmingham’s Green Energy and Innovation Quarter.
One of the ways that we work with University of Birmingham is facilitating the Climate Innovation Platform, a business development programme that supports climate focused businesses to reach commercialisation.
What’s involved?
Led by University of Birmingham, delivered in partnership with Energy Systems Catapult and supported by HSBC UK, the programme invites climate focused SMEs into an energy incubator to drive commercialisation of their innovative cleantech products and services.
After the initial application process, fifteen SMEs (based in the UK) are selected to access six months of Business Development and Incubation Support. With a mix of online and in-person sessions based in Birmingham, programme participants have access to expert support from University of Birmingham, Energy Systems Catapult, and Sustainable Ventures.
Additionally, they will have access to free or subsidised space onsite at TEP Birmingham allowing them the room to grow, as well as access to green energy and the valuable input of a community of like-minded CleanTech entrepreneurs onsite.
Following phase 1, 5 SMEs will be selected to receive a further 6 months of support, alongside the opportunity to access additional funding of up to £15,000.
The impact so far
The Climate Innovation Platform has been running since 2021 and has supported 100+ climate-tech entrepreneurs from across solar and hydrogen energy, home and transport decarbonisation, and energy data and analytics. They have collectively raised over £85 million in public and private investment, created more than 90 jobs, and filed over 15 patents.
At TEP Birmingham, we are delighted to have helped drive this growth and are equally excited to see CIP programme alumni continuing to be part of our onsite community as members, strengthening and celebrating the CleanTech cluster.
These include First Editions, a sustainable drinkware brand, and Voltempo, a pioneer in HGV electric vehicle charging, who went on to secure £49 million in Department for Transport funding to roll out its groundbreaking decarbonisation technology across the UK.
Registration for Cohort 6 of the programme is now open, and activity will commence in early 2027.
David Horsfall, Director of Property & Sustainability at TEP Birmingham said: “We’re constantly reminded of the necessity for the development of climate conscious technologies, whether that be extreme weather incidents or the ever-approaching 2050 Net Zero deadline.
“At TEP Birmingham we believe in innovation in action, and that’s why we’re delighted to support the Climate Innovation Platform as an incubator for the solutions we need to see in society. I can’t wait to see the results of this upcoming cohort.”
Deborah Smith, Climate Innovation Platform – Incubation Manager at the University of Birmingham, added: “The impact of the programme is undeniable and I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved so far. In collaboration with programme partners, we’ve created a robust clean tech community, which is constantly evolving and developing as cohort members grow their businesses. I’m excited to see applications arrive for the sixth cohort and to deliver another 12 months of business incubation!”
Interested? Find out more and register your interest in the programme here and, learn more about our other collaborative programmes by clicking here.
