Tech For Our Planet

Tech For Our Planet is looking for innovators who are providing key digital and data technology solutions to tackle important climate challenges. If this is you, apply now to be in with a chance to pilot and pitch your solution. Applications will close June 25th.

This challenge programme is an initiative run in partnership between the Cabinet Office and PUBLIC to explore and showcase how digital and data solutions can make a major and essential contribution to the global climate effort.

Successful companies will work with external partners on rapid pilots to demonstrate the value of their technology in advance of COP26. In-kind support will be provided for competition winners, including industry introductions and mentorship to ensure the pilots are as relevant as possible to government priorities.

The programme will culminate with each company presenting their pilot, and the potential of their technology on stage at COP26.

Looking to the future, innovators will work with HMG on bringing solutions to market and creating a legacy towards COP27 and beyond, that will expand to include hardware and engineering solutions.

Who can apply?

There will be a preference for suppliers who fall within the category of Small & Medium Sized
Enterprise (SME). Suppliers must have internal resources within their organisation that have experience of writing code on the technology for the potential solution. Suppliers need to be able to dedicate sufficient resource in the timeline, and must be able to immediately allocate the resources outlined in their plan for the piloting phase.

There are six challenges, as follows:

CHALLENGE 1: IN OUR HOMES
How can we use technology to drive behavioural change and more sustainable consumption habits in our homes? This challenge invites companies to pilot solutions using technology to support individuals, families and homes to build more sustainable habits at home by becoming more mindful of their energy consumption, emissions, resource usage and waste management.

CHALLENGE 2: ON OUR PLATE
How can we use technology to promote more sustainable land use and waste management practices on our farms? This challenge invites companies to explore how data, AI and digital technology can support more sustainable farming methods and waste management on farms in the UK and abroad.

CHALLENGE 3: THINKING SMART
How can we better capture and share energy consumption data across the grid? This challenge invites companies to capture and share energy data across the entire grid, from buildings to homes, to Vehicles, to EV charging, and to use this data in the future to better predict, and manage, energy consumption.

CHALLENGE 4: ENGAGING COMMUNITIES
How can we use technology to allow local and international communities to have their say on climate priorities and initiatives? This challenge invites companies to explore the ways that technology can facilitate international climate discussion as governments and citizens, including local and indigenous communities in affected nations, work together to democratically implement interventions to mitigate climate change and adapt to its effects.

CHALLENGE 5: GREEN FINANCE
How can we use technology to make financial services greener? This challenge invites companies to work closely with relevant financial institution partners, such as international investment banks, pension funds, development banks, and VC investors to pilot new approaches for promoting greater environmental sustainability in investment activities

CHALLENGE 6: FOR OUR WATER
How can we use technology to support aquatic ecosystem protection, including ecosystem recovery, and preventing biodiversity loss? This challenge invites companies to explore how technology can be used to monitor the status of marine ecosystems using multiple data sources, as well as techniques to protect and recover at-threat ecosystems where they are identified.