Climate Scale-Up accelerates the global expansion of existing, impactful climate innovations.

The solutions exist; we need to adopt them faster.

The Problem

The Missing Middle

The climate technologies we need already exist—but they aren't scaling fast enough. Early-stage startups have incubators, grants, and seed funding, but post-pilot companies lack access to growth capital and project finance. This "missing middle" leaves critical solutions stranded—underfunded, stuck at small scale, and unable to reach the markets where they're urgently needed.

This isn’t just a financing issue—it’s a systemic failure of coordination among investors, corporates, policymakers, and entrepreneurs. The result: a climate innovation ecosystem full of potential but slow on impact. Climate Scale-Up was designed to address this gap.

Paris Agreement’s Halfway Mark

Climate Scale-Up launched in 2023—exactly halfway between the 2015 Paris Agreement and its critical 2030 targets. This milestone was a wake-up call: ambition alone isn't enough. The systems for scaling climate innovation globally are slow, and the upcoming years will determine whether we succeed or fail. Climate Scale-Up exists to meet this urgency head-on—unlocking the capital, partnerships, and strategic coordination needed to deploy climate solutions faster, while there’s still time.

International Expansion

Climate Scale-Up accelerates the international deployment of proven technologies by connecting companies with strategic local partners, enabling swift market entry, and driving real-world commercialization.

For investors, we simplify the process of taking portfolio companies global. For innovators, we provide an unparalleled platform to build visibility, credibility, and strategic partnerships worldwide. Through high-impact events like Davos, we offer immediate access to global decision-makers—accelerating growth and removing barriers to international expansion.

Our Mission

To accelerate the global deployment of growth-stage climate solutions

We believe the solutions for a sustainable future already exist—our role is to scale them faster. Climate Scale-Up is dedicated to helping climate innovators secure the capital, corporate partnerships, and strategic support they need to achieve global scale and impact.

By 2030, our goal is to support 50 climate tech companies, enabling them to collectively raise billions in capital and contribute to the gigaton-scale reduction of carbon emissions.

Our Vision

A just, net-zero future where proven climate technologies rapidly reach every market in need—supported by an ecosystem that funds, deploys, and scales solutions effectively.

Our Timeline

2023-2024:

Establishing the Foundation

Climate Scale-Up Launched:

Created specifically to address the critical "missing middle" gap in climate finance.

Inaugural Davos Retreat:

Held the first Deal Day and immersive retreat during the WEF.

Cohorts Initiated:

Supported two curated cohorts totaling 22 growth-stage climate tech companies with proven potential for market impact.

2025:

Accelerating Climate Solutions

Educational Programs Launched:

Developed and released online courses designed for scaling climate technology and cultivating dynastic leadership.

Stewards of the Future Program:

Established a global network of influential climate leaders committed to driving systemic action and sustainable stewardship.

2026 and Beyond:

Scaling for Global Impact

Climate Finance Summit Series:

Organizing decentralized events from San Francisco to New York eventually expanding the decentralized, TEDx-style Climate Finance Summit model globally.

Climate Finance Dashboard:

Publicly releasing the Climate Finance Dashboard, providing stakeholders detailed analytics, predictive insights, and global market intelligence.

MIT Ecosystem

About MIT’s Climate and Energy Prize

Climate Scale-Up was co-founded by Tod Hynes, a Senior Lecturer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he teaches the graduate course "Climate & Energy Ventures." Tod is also a co-founder and ongoing advisor of the MIT Climate & Energy Prize (CEP), the world’s largest and longest-running competition for student-led climate and energy startups.

To date, CEP has attracted over 1,000 startup applications, provided world-class mentorship to more than 315 teams, and awarded over $3.4 million in non-dilutive funding. Teams compete annually for prize money exceeding $100,000, gaining critical resources and industry mentorship. Since 2008, CEP alumni have collectively raised more than $4.6 billion in investment capital, underscoring the profound impact and effectiveness of the competition in driving scalable climate solutions.

About MIT’s Sustainability Initiative

The MIT Sustainability Initiative integrates sustainability into education, research, and practical solutions. Climate Scale-Up’s Chief Advisor, Jason Jay, is the Director of MIT’s Sustainability Initiative. Under Jason Jay’s leadership, the initiative has been recognized for notable achievements such as engaging former Vice President Al Gore, who has participated in MIT events and praised the initiative's leadership in global sustainability education and policy advocacy. One of its flagship efforts, the Climate Pathways Project, utilizes the En-ROADS simulation tool to aid policymakers and stakeholders in understanding the impacts and effectiveness of various climate policies. This project enables informed decision-making by modeling complex climate scenarios and highlighting the most impactful policy interventions to guide global climate action.

Additionally, we collaborate with:

  • MIT Sloan Sustainability Initiative for faculty expertise, curriculum development, and strategic advisory

  • MIT’s Martin Trust Center for Entrepreneurship for research partnerships and tech validation

  • MIT Research for cutting edge research and development around climate finance and climate innovation

This foundation provides us with academic rigor, an entrepreneurial mindset, and a deeply connected global network—critical assets as we scale a movement to close the climate capital gap.

Meet the Team

  • Seema Gupta

    CO-FOUNDER, CEO

    Visionary leader at the intersection of climate innovation, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and global market expansion. Seema is mission driven and dedicated to accelerating the growth of high-impact climate tech companies. MIT Sloan Alumni

    🇸🇦 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

  • Tod Hynes

    CO-FOUNDER

    Investor, advisor, and educator at MIT, with a track record of co-founding multiple companies, raising over $500 M. Over 15 years, he has helped hundreds of student teams launch their own climate and energy ventures, driving innovation and impact in the sector.

    🇺🇸 Boston, MA, USA

  • Jason Jay

    CHIEF ADVISOR

    Jason Jay leads MIT Sloan's Sustainability Initiative, advancing the fields of sustainability strategy, systemic investing, and climate innovation to drive impactful change at the intersection of business and the environment.

    🇺🇸 Boston, MA, USA

  • Emmanuel Birba

    CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

    Specializing in sustainable infrastructure across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, with a track record of deploying over $3 billion in equity and debt, securing $100 million in co-investments, and leading major decarbonization and infrastructure projects.

    🇪🇹 Addis, Ethiopia

  • Dr. Marta Ra

    CHIEF GLOBAL STEWARD

    Sustainable finance expert, UN and European Commission energy advisor, Forbes Business Council contributor, and TEDx speaker, founder of Women in Sustainable Finance, shaping global strategies and enabling systemic change.

    🇨🇭Zurich, Switzerland

  • Evgeny Bunin, PhD

    HEAD OF INVESTMENTS

    Exited founder, AI innovator, and economist holding multiple AI patents. With deep expertise in strategy and technical development, he drives sustainable innovation at the intersection of AI, business, and global impact.

    🇪🇸 Valencia, Spain

Explore Career Opportunities

At Climate Scale-Up, we’re building a team of passionate innovators, investors, and strategists dedicated to accelerating climate solutions at scale. Whether you’re interested in venture investing, startup support, policy engagement, or ecosystem building, we offer exciting opportunities to drive impact in climate finance and technology.