Last year, more than 10,000 South Australians signed a petition demanding immediate action on climate change.
This petition, tabled in Parliament, drove our state to become the nation’s first to declare a climate emergency.
To further strengthen South Australia’s climate and sustainability credentials, the State Government is proud to partner with national organisation Climate Salad to present the inaugural SA Climate Tech Showcase on Wednesday, 8 February.
This event will see around 20 startup founders share their future-focused innovations with potential corporate customers, investors and students.
In turn, investors representing four national venture capital funds, as well as new crowd-funding platform Swarmer, will explain their role in Australia’s climate tech sector—each pitching the benefits of startups partnering with their organisation to scale up and reach new markets.
Charlotte Connell, Climate Salad’s Director of Climate Tech Ecosystems, said that, for a relatively small sector, climate tech is growing rapidly and making a huge impact.
“From our sample study of only 171 companies, Australian climate tech startups have raised more than $1.4 billion in capital,” she said.
“Half of that has come from overseas investment, and these companies have created 4,000 jobs with another 2,000 in the pipeline.
“We're hoping the South Australian Climate Tech Showcase helps to activate the ecosystem in the region, connecting startups with customers and potential capital to scale their solutions.”
Participating climate tech startup founder, Matthew Shorten of Trellis, said the event provides an opportunity to meet with others working on climate action, and to get some insights into new developments and technologies on their way to market.
“It provides a platform to showcase our technology and to talk about how we integrate with our clients’ existing business systems to help not only mitigate their businesses impact on the environment and climate change, but improve operational efficiencies and reduce costs,” he said.
“The attendance of investors brings numerous benefits to the table. Along with the ability to provide valuable insights and guidance, they can help navigate the complexities of a scaling business.
“Additionally, they can provide access to capital, which is crucial for growth and scaling of operations.”
