Solve the most urgent problems in climate and build the solutions - become a cofounder of a scalable climatetech startup through Carbon13’s Venture Builder.
Software is crucial to how our world can decarbonise the way it travels, eats, makes and powers the world - and developers use Carbon13 to focus only on the most urgent problems, to make the biggest impact on emissions as quickly as possible.
We're looking for developers, data scientists or Machine Learning specialists to become co-founders/CTOs of startups that fight climate change, through joining our eight-month Venture Builder programme which starts on the 14th March. Apart from 9 days in Cambridge, you can participate in the rest of the programme from anywhere in the UK.
You'll join a cohort of over 70 founders, made up of scientists, experienced founders, leaders from emitting industries, engineers, sustainability leaders, and more. All are ready to find a cofounder and start working on solutions that can reduce carbon emissions by millions of tonnes.
What startups have developers built on Carbon13?
Through the eight-month Venture Builder, software ventures that founders have launched so far include materials discovery through quantum computing, AI-driven design of low carbon buildings, intelligence for green investment, regenerative farming platforms, and commercial food waste management. You can view our portfolio of ventures at www.carbonthirteen.com/our-portfolio
Working on an MVP?
Unlike accelerators, you do NOT need an idea or MVP to join Carbon13, though you can apply with one if you do. You will either be supported to find an idea to develop which can significantly reduce emissions, or join a cofounder/team who bring IP or an idea or strong insights into an emitting industry
You may choose to apply your skills to a software idea or you may choose to cofound a hardtech or deeptech startup with a scientist/engineer cofounder. Half of our ventures are software, half are science-based/hardtech.
Applications are open now for our next cohort
- Cambridge Cohort 5 starts 14th March - apply by 7th March
It is possible to start this programme alongside a full time job and many of the 80 cohort members chose to do so. Apart from nine in-person days in Cambridge, you can do the programme from anywhere in the world. The rest of the programme is delivered remotely. Please get in touch if you questions about the time commitment.
Our mission: Save the climate and aim big - before it's too late
Carbon13 is the Venture Builder for the Climate Emergency. We are laser-focused on supporting founders solving for the climate, and the climate only. To do that, we ask every new founder on our Venture Builder to aim big, to build a solution with the potential to reduce carbon dioxide (or equivalent greenhouse gases) by 10 million tonnes per year - and all our support is designed to help you reach that figure.
Why? The climate doesn't have time for us to waste on false starts, tinkering at the edges, or greenwashing.
How does Carbon13 work?
On Carbon13 you are building a startup as part of a cohort of 70 founders. You are not sat in a room being told what you already know. Our programme is designed to amplify the work you're doing, because the planet doesn't have time to waste on theory or incremental ideas.
-Phase 1: Teaming & Ideation in 6 weeks
You will find a cofounder in the first 6 weeks. As a technical founder you most likely will team up with a founder with a proven track record in founding startups or industry leadership in emitting sectors. On average 90% of the 70 founders on the cohort form teams within 6 weeks.
-Phase 2: Validation in 9 weeks
Your team will intensely work on:
Team strengthening | Carbon intelligence | Rapid iterations of concepts | Business model forming | Prototype testing | Intellectual property | Customer development | Stakeholder development | Behaviour change | Governance | Venture incorporation
-Phase 3: Acceleration in 4 months
After Phase 2, we invest pre-seed into 14 ventures. They then use Phase 3 to focus on market, product, business model and strategy to prepare the venture for further seed-stage investment.
We also help you look at scaling strategies, managing growth pains and developing a funding strategy.
Learn More
We are running a series of webinars available to everyone who would like to learn more about Carbon13 and how to build startups with breakthrough solutions for the climate. Our next one for developers and data scientists can be found here - https://carbonthirteen.com/webinars/
Carbon13 in numbers:
- £5+ million investment across 44 ventures since 2021
- 70% have already raised further funding
- 50% of the ventures are software, 50% science or hardware based
- 70 potential cofounders on every cohort
- 35 technical, 35 commercial cofounders
- 90% of each cohort forms a cofounding team within 6 weeks
- 100s of domain experts, carbon experts, entrepreneurs in residence
- 10 million tonnes of emissions every year. We only launch startups that have the potential to reduce emissions by 10 million tonnes.
From Food to Construction to Materials to Carbon Capture
Carbon13 is sector agnostic so founders can explore ideas in any emitting industry. We tailor our support accordingly for software or science-based ventures - whether it's support on go-to-market strategy, IP protection, fundraising or team building, you'll be accessing a brains trust of hundreds of experts, peers, and partners.
We've invested in 44 ventures since 2021, all built through the Venture Builder, with another 14 to come in summer 2023. 70% have since gone on to raise further investment, with more closed rounds expected soon. You can view our portfolio of ventures at www.carbonthirteen.com/our-portfolio
We caused climate change. Let's fix it.