Six events to find or fund your big idea
If you need inspiration or investment to do something new in 2025, one of these free events could be for you.
IMPETUS Accelerator
Online Webinar . February 19 . 13.00 - 14.30 GMT . LINK
Secure grant funding of up to €20,000 plus mentoring and training for an idea that supports circular communities with citizen science - it needs to involve the public in scientific discovery as defined formally here. Successful initiatives from the second round of funding were diverse, including ChargeConnect, which improves electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, and The Museum of Food Waste, which aims to reduce waste in school canteens.
This is the third and final round of funding from the IMPETUS project. You must be located in a country eligible for Horizon Europe grants, which includes the UK.
Join the upcoming webinar for potential applicants to find out more.
Application deadline: March 13 . 12.00 (noon) CET . LINK
Via Peter Thirup Baeck (NESTA).
Talking Textiles
London . February 25–28 . 10.00 - 16.00 GMT
Meet six Green Grads with a fresh perspective on textiles at the Crucial Trading showroom in the Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour (SW10 OXE). Scarlett, Joanne, Yahvi, Sofia, Jaime, and Jess will be in residence for four days at the end of February, offering demonstrations and explanations of their use of fibres, biomaterials, dyes, and other eco-friendly techniques.
Via Barbara Chandler (Green Grads).
Carbon13 Venture Builder
Online Webinar . February 25 . 17.30 - 18.10 GMT . LINK
Applications are open to join the eighth Carbon13 programme for ideas with the potential to reduce carbon emissions by 10 million tonnes. You can apply for the five-month, three-phase programme without an idea, team, or investment. Phase one is all about teams and finding co-founders to progress. If you are in a team, phase two is about qualifying to pitch to the investment committee who decide which teams receive a £120,000 investment and continue in the program. As a funded team in phase three, you will use part of the funds to accelerate your new venture with the support of contacts and partners.
A wide range of ventures have emerged from the previous seven iterations.
Join the upcoming AMA webinar to ask Simon Dierks anything. He has mentored more than 400 founders in the programme.
Application deadline: March 9 . 23:59 GMT . LINK
Planetary Civics Inquiry Launch
Online . February 26 . 16.00 - 18.00 CET . LINK
The Planetary Civics Inquiry is "an alliance of researchers, educators, policymakers, designers, and practitioners committed to transforming the structures and processes that shape how we govern our entangled planet".
At their two-hour online launch later this month, they promise "a cross-continental conversation, initiated by Dark Matter Labs, RMIT University, Politics for Tomorrow and RISD Center for Complexity on how local and planetary scales intertwine – and what that means for governance beyond national boundaries".
There will be an introduction to planetary civics, a Q&A and a panel discussion on cities and bioregions as planetary actors.
Climate Story Fund
Online Webinar . February 26 . 16.30 - 17.30 GMT . LINK
Applications opened last week for the DOC SOCIETY Climate Story Fund which supports "compelling independent media storytelling and impact strategies that can help audiences envision the just transition, and activate them to make these visions a reality". Over 50 projects have received $4M in grants since 2021. They have reached their target audiences on the BBC, Disney+, Hulu, Netflix, POV, Spotify, YouTube and even WhatsApp. Their grantees and projects are listed on the Climate Story Fund project page.
You can apply for grant funding of up to $125,000 for unfinished nonfiction projects or 'impact pilots' for completed projects, whether nonfiction or fiction. All funded projects must be completed within a year.
Join the upcoming Q&A webinar to find out more.
Application deadline: March 10 . 7:00 PT . LINK
Regenerative Design Education Anti-Conference
Bristol . June 26 . 10.00 - 17.00 GMT LINK
Not a typical event, but a "call to action for those already challenging the status quo in regenerative education". Expect unconventional facilitation and a mix of workshops, talks, and activities. There will be the chance to collaborate with others developing regenerative practices, share their inspirations and challenges regarding current methods, and explore partnerships and shared visions.
Organisers have affiliations with the Architectural Association, Engineers Without Borders UK, Kingston University, UCL, University of Bath, University of Bristol, University of Sheffield, University of Warwick and the Regenerative Design Lab.
Applicants should be immersed in regenerative education with ideas, questions, and "a readiness to think big".
Apply now and expect to hear within a month. "Early application is encouraged."