Here’s the irony. While an important subset of tech entrepreneurs are focused on the mitigation of climate change, the innovation economy as a whole is playing a significant role in pushing emissions to ever-higher levels. From co-working sectors to server farms, computers are collectively consuming ever-increasing amounts of electricity, creating an enormous carbon footprint in the process.
So what can be done? Well, U.K. energy provider Octopus Energy has joined forces with entrepreneur networking platform Tech Nation to relaunch an initiative designed to help businesses of all sizes cut their emissions while also providing climate tech startups with an opportunity to enter into conversations with CEOs, CTOs and government officials. Earlier this week I spoke to Tech Nation CEO, Carolyn Dawson, and Octopus Energy Product Marketing Manager, Rebecca Dibb-Simkin about the thinking behind the scheme and the potential opportunities for startups.
First some context. Originally created as a government-backed body tasked with supporting innovation economy entrepreneurs, Tech Nation almost disappeared in 2023 when public funding was withdrawn. A few months later it was bought by Founders Forum and since then many of its programs and activities have continued, with a particular focus on networking and peer support as a means to help founders to flourish. Founded in 2015 by current CEO Greg Jackson, Octopus specializes in renewable energy with activities running from generation to retail supply.
The first iteration of Tech Zero was launched in 2021 by energy company Bulb – subsequently acquired by Octopus – and Tech Nation. As Dibb-Simkins explains, the intention was to simply provide a forum in which tech businesses could discuss ways to reduce their carbon footprints.
“The idea was to enable tech businesses to understand their own emissions and put businesses at the heart of the battle towards net zero,” she says.
Encouraging Tech Business To Lead
A few hundred companies took part in the Tech Zero, including some of the U.K.’s already well-established innovation economy brands, such as Monzo and Starling Bank. Tech Nation’s Carolyn Dawson says the tech startup and scaleup sector was and is a natural focus for the initiative.
“Tech companies are often early adopters by the very nature of their entrepreneurial, go-getting styles. That means we can make an impact faster because of the likelihood of these companies wanting to engage with some of the startups working in the sector. That was a real win-win from our point of view,” she says.
But what does that mean in practice? Dawson cites an upcoming event in September which will involve round table meetings between business leaders to discuss ways and means to become more sustainable. There will be, she says, opportunities for those working in climate tech to talk to a larger body of tech businesses and explain the solutions on offer.
“We may have been talking about this issue for a long time, but there is still an education piece around the tools that are out there and available to help businesses support these targets,” she says. “For us it is not just about putting a network of peers together it is also about driving the enterprise-to-customer relationships. There are still lots of companies developing in this space and coming out with software and data solutions.”
Creative Solutions
And as Dibbs-Simkins is keen to stress, the need for solutions is more pressing than ever. “When Tech Zero started tech accounted for two percent of global emissions. Now it accounts for eight percent,” she says. “So you’ve got the different levels. On one hand, the tech industry is one of the big drivers of emissions. On the other hand, there are people with the brains, the creative thinking and the bravery to solve the problems.
Dibbs-Simkins hopes the Tech Zero program will also help to find new solutions. She cites the opening event of the relaunched initiative – a hackathon in which developers were invited to come up with emissions reduction concepts. The winner – dubbed Starfish – is a platform that would allow “solar communities” to buy and sell excess energy from each other, creating a distributed network. Will this come to fruition? Dibbs Simkins says she hopes that this and other hackathon products will get developed. We’ll have to wait and see on that one.
The Big Picture
My conversation with Dawson and Dibbs-Simkins took place on a big news day for renewable energy in Britain. The newly-elected Labour government unveiled more details of a plan to create clean power company Great British Energy and announced a deal to free up more seabed for the construction of offshore wind turbines. Meanwhile, to emphasize the need for urgency, stats from the U.K. Met (Meteorological) Office confirmed what most people had already noticed – climate change has resulted in a hotter, wetter country, with more rain meaning not only increased incidences of flooding but also sewage overspills.
But does the government’s commitment to climate mitigation extend to an interest in solutions developed by startups? Or more to the point, can Tech Zero play a part in fostering relations. “We see ourselves as providing a voice for the founders and a way to build a bridge between founders and those making the policies,” says Dawson.
Dawson says there is a real role for the government to play in supporting climate innovation. She cites the example of pension industry reforms that could direct more investment to the sector. “We have a real strength and position to be a leader in this space.” In that respect, creatinglinks between founders and government are a priority.
So how can startups get involved? To date, Octopus and Tech Nation have used their existing communities to bring people on board while also reaching out via social media and other channels to attract new people. The initiative – which has already attracted 400 businesses – is free and open to all.
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