Kazakhstan ClimAccelerator
Vision and mission
The Kazakhstan ClimAccelerator of Deutsch-Kasachische Universität (DKU) is implemented in partnership with EIT Climate-KIC (https://www.climate-kic.org/) since the beginning of 2022. It aims to mentor young enterpreneurs of Central Asia, providing an opportunity to ‘accel’ their working eco start-ups and open it up for investors.
Participants
Kazakhstan ClimAccelerator represents the next stage after the Ecothons and International Green Business School (GBS) "Eco-Talk", working in Central Asian region since 2018. Kazakhstan ClimAccelerator has been initiated to offer the incubator' finalists and interested working young eco-enterpreneurs an opportunity to further 'accel' their eco-business and open it up for international investors.
Background and description
Green economy is one of the key priorities of Central Asian countries. The direction of business development plays the leading role in what green growth targets will be achieved. Europe demonstrates an example in supporting small and medium business transition to circular economy principles with the focus on eco- and system innovations. Therefore “Eco-Talk” International Green Business School (business incubator) and Kazakhstan ClimAccelerator make a special emphasis on learning from successful experience of EU countries.
The green business incubation and acceleration programs were initiated by DKU to facilitate a better generation of eco-business ideas among youth of Central Asia and to help them build cooperation with interested stakeholders at a larger scale in order to address the pressing need in environmental sustainability.
Program
This year 7-10 successful environmentally friendly start-ups (DKU eco-business incubator alumni) are taking part in the first acceleration program (Oct 10th - Dec 15th 2022). The Agenda covers such themes as: sustainable business; marketing, and finance. The program elements are guest lectures, mentoring sessions and networking events.
Mentoring topics will be based mainly on the needs of start-ups and will be implemented across the whole program in the form of individual consultations and coaching sessions. Education (master classes, online materials, guest sessions) will follow a three-stage approach of Climate KIC and will last for 1,5-2 months. Networking is a key important component of the accelerator, which is expected to enrich the eco-start-ups with new ideas and partnerships. The networking is expected to be facilitated at the regional (through national and regional partners of DKU) and global level (through Climate KIC).
Partners (2022)
EIT Climate-KIC, international experts and coaches of Climate-KIC network, Lufthansa, Liebherr Kazakhstan, MOST Ventures, International Monetary Fund, and several independent experts in the field of sustainable business and environment.
Mariya Genina, Manager of Kazakhstan ClimAccelerator, DKU
Inna Matveenko, Director of green business hub, DKU
Barbara Janusz-Pawletta, Vice-rector for International Cooperation, UNESCO Chair Holder in Water Management in Central Asia,