Startmate and Boundless Earth, the philanthropic enterprise of Mike Cannon-Brookes, have accelerated their partnership to recruit and upskill 300 new founders and operators into local weather tech startups over the subsequent 18 months. 

Startmate has launched its inaugural Local weather Tech Fellowship final week as a part of the plan. The 8-week digital program with Boundless Earth is working each six months throughout three cohorts of 100 folks in Australia and New Zealand inspiring them to make the transfer into the local weather tech sector. 

Startmate Program Supervisor Julia West mentioned they hope to see a surge of remarkable expertise enter the local weather tech sector.

“We all know folks in Australia and New Zealand have the talents and drive to make a distinction,” he mentioned.

“We wish to assist them transition from caring deeply about local weather change to actively working to unravel local weather issues.” 

Late final yr Boundless Earth CEO Eytan Lenko introduced the launch of Startmate’s Local weather Tech Fellowship throughout Blackbird’s Dawn Pageant. 

Startmate shouldn’t have any drawback reaching the 300 goal, having already obtained greater than 1200 Expressions of Curiosity to take part in this system.

This system prices is $1,650, however Startmate provides full and half scholarships. Particulars about these are right here.

Lenko advised the primary cohort final week that they’re “altering the story” with their involvement within the fellowship.

“We’d like a whole lot of 1000’s of Australians working in local weather jobs within the subsequent few years. However we have to present pathways for folks to affix this trade, and we have to change the idea that local weather jobs are solely somebody hammering in photo voltaic panels in a subject or constructing a wind turbine,” he mentioned.

“Everybody can have a local weather job – a software program engineer, an accountant, a manufacturing unit employee. The range of the members on this fellowship is a good instance of this. These are all expertise we want as we transition to a zero emissions future.”

Over the subsequent two months local weather tech founders, operators and traders throughout AU and NZ, from organisations reminiscent of Local weather Salad, Grok Ventures, Wedgetail, Artesian, Vow, Goterra, Nice Wrap, Brighte, Fleet House, Xylo Programs and Loam Bio will converse to the fellowship recipients about their expertise and insights

Lenko mentioned {that a} decade in the past, being in a local weather job felt a bit lonely.

“Right now, it’s a distinct story. The variety of people who utilized for the fellowship offers me an enormous quantity of hope,” he mentioned.

“It’s all about harnessing the eagerness round local weather to get issues executed rapidly. When folks work beneath the idea that change will occur and so they construct companies and make selections in corporations with this in thoughts, then change truly does occur.”

Cannon-Brookes arrange not-for-profit Boundless Earth final yr as a part of his $1.5 million local weather funding pledge. It makes use of philanthropy, funding and direct advocacy as a part of a mission to show Australia right into a renewable power superpower by 2030.

Extra in regards to the Startmate Local weather Tech Fellowship right here.