#France #Lyon #Greenhouse Gas #Team for the Planet #Climate Innovations

Team for the Planet Launches Global Innovation Challenge

In a bold initiative, Team for the Planet has announced a worldwide call for innovations aimed at tackling climate change. Researchers, engineers, and entrepreneurs from across the globe are invited to participate in this challenge, which offers each winner a substantial reward of €1 million to help scale their impactful innovations. This initiative aims to attract groundbreaking technologies that can significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions on a global scale.

Founded in Lyon in 2020, Team for the Planet believes that decarbonizing the economy is essential not only for environmental sustainability but also for creating lucrative business opportunities. As noted by Jean Jouzel, former Vice-Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), meaningful innovations are critical in achieving large-scale decarbonization. He emphasizes that many viable solutions already exist but are not yet deployed at a sufficient scale.

Expanding Beyond Financial Support

Unlike a traditional financing model, the prize goes beyond simply providing funds. Winners will also receive crucial mentorship through partnerships with experienced business leaders, access to a vast network of 133,000 shareholders, and the use of an open-licensing model that has been shown to increase project profitability tenfold. The eligibility criteria for applicants are broad and inclusive, allowing participation regardless of nationality or legal structure, as long as their innovations can measurably impact greenhouse gas emissions, potentially reducing millions of tons of CO₂ equivalent annually.

A Unique Evaluation Process

The evaluation process for applicants is exceptionally rigorous. Each submission undergoes a thorough review by 10,000 trained volunteer assessors and is further evaluated by an independent scientific committee comprising 14 experts from prestigious organizations like CNRS, CEA, and INRAE. This is followed by scrutiny from 13 private equity professionals and a final vote from shareholders. Since its inception, Team for the Planet has sifted through over 1,700 proposals, resulting in the funding of 14 innovative companies across energy, industry, transportation, agriculture, and construction sectors.

Turning Environmental Preservation into Profit

As of January 1, 2026, shares that were previously valued at €1 will be re-evaluated annually based on the actual value of the underlying portfolio, marking a world-first approach where profits are only recognized once the climate targets of a company are met. The statistics are compelling: €41 million has been raised over five years, positioning this effort as Europe’s largest crowdfunding campaign and drawing interest from venture capital and institutional investors. “Avoided CO₂ has become an economic asset,” remarks Mehdi Coly, the founder. He adds, “The winner won’t simply win a prize; they will sign the first funding round of what could be a globally leading company in the decarbonization space.”

Additional Information

Interested applicants can find information on how to apply on their official website, with the winner's announcement set for December. The prize consists of €1 million in equity along with entrepreneurial support for the selected innovations. Founded as a non-profit limited partnership, Team for the Planet has garnered the backing of the French government and prominent investors, including the Mulliez family and the Duval Group. With a goal of supporting 100 companies in total, the organization measures its successes in 'climate dividends,' where one dividend equates to one ton of avoided CO₂.

Through initiatives like this global innovation challenge, Team for the Planet is not only championing climate action but also redefining what it means to invest in a sustainable future.