16 climate tech companies and climate tech startups to watch
From carbon capture to renewable energy and green building concepts, more and more organizations are working toward net zero. With the climate tech market as a whole forecast to reach a value of about $17bn in 2022, and projections of compound year-on-year growth of upwards of 20% in the years to come, many established climate tech companies and emerging climate tech startups are finding new ways to create a cleaner, greener tomorrow.
In this article, we’ll look at a list of some of the most well-known climate tech companies at work in the impact market today. Yet they’re flanked by a host of emerging climate tech startups working to develop pioneering solutions and areas such as energy and energy storage, machine learning, green buildings, future mobility and transport, climate intelligence, manufacturing, supply chain, food and agriculture and more.
Discover a growing database of climate tech companies and startups with the Way Beyond Work Impact Discovery Hub.
Carbon Engineering
Carbon Engineering is a Canadian clean energy company working on Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology, which removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and turns it into fuels like gasoline, jet fuel, and diesel. The company's mission is to provide a scalable solution to climate change by directly removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Carbon Engineering has raised millions in funding to date and is one of the leading companies working on direct air capture.
Enviva
Enviva is a U.S.-based wood pellet producer with operations in North America and Europe. The company produces wood pellets, which are a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels like coal and natural gas. Enviva's pellets are used for power generation and heating, and the company has plans to expand its production capacity in order to meet the growing demand for sustainable energy sources.
Orsted
Orsted is a Danish renewable energy company and the world's largest developer of offshore wind farms. The company has been working on developing offshore wind farms for over 25 years, and it currently has over 11 gigawatts of installed capacity around the world and aims for 30 gigawatts by 2030.
Tesla
Tesla is an American electric vehicle and clean energy company that was founded in 2003 by Elon Musk. The company produces electric vehicles, solar panels and batteries, among other products. Tesla's mission is to accelerate the transition to sustainable transportation and energy by providing sustainable products that are compelling to customers. Tesla has delivered over hundreds of thousands of electric vehicles, making it the world's leading electric vehicle manufacturer.
Vestas
Vestas is a Danish wind turbine manufacturer and the world’s largest producer of wind turbines. The company has installed over 60,000 wind turbines in 75 countries since 1979 and employs nearly 25,000 people worldwide.
LimeBike
LimeBike is a dockless bike sharing company that operates in over 70 cities worldwide. In addition to bikes, LimeBike also offers electric scooters and pedal-assist bicycles. One of the company's primary goals is to get people out of their cars and onto bikes or scooters for short trips around town.
SunPower
SunPower is a solar panel manufacturer that supplies residential, commercial, and utility-scale solar systems. The company has installed over 30 gigawatts of solar energy capacity around the world.
Neste
Neste is a Finnish oil refining company that produces renewable diesel and other biofuels made from waste and residues. The company has a goal of becoming climate neutral by 2035.
V Charger International
V Charger International manufactures electric vehicle charging stations for homes, businesses, and public places like parking garages and shopping centers. The company has installed EV charging stations in over 15 countries around the world.
Windavia
Windavia is a Swedish wind power company that develops both onshore and offshore wind farms. The company has a goal of supplying 10% of Sweden's electricity needs with wind power by 2030.
Aclima
Aclima develops environmental sensing networks that measure air quality data at large scale and high resolution. The data collected by Aclima's sensors helps cities plan for air pollution abatement measures.
Aquagen
Aquagen is a water technology company that develops affordable, sustainable solutions for water treatment and desalination. Aquagen's technology can be used in a variety of applications, including power plant cooling, agricultural irrigation, and municipal water treatment.
GreenPowerMonitor
GreenPowerMonitor is a software company that provides solutions for monitoring, data analysis, and control of renewable energy plants. GreenPowerMonitor's software is used by solar, wind, and water companies around the world to optimize their plants' performance.
SOLshare
SOLshare is a startup working to build a decentralized network of small-scale renewable energy grid operators. SOLshare's goal is to help make renewable energy more accessible and affordable for people living in rural areas.
SunFunder
SunFunder is a crowdfunding platform for solar projects in developing countries. SunFunder provides financing for solar home systems, mini-grids, and other off-grid applications.
Watershed Materials
Watershed Materials develops sustainable alternatives to concrete made from waste materials such as fly ash and bottom ash generated by coal-fired power plants. Watershed Materials' products are stronger and more environmentally friendly than traditional concrete products.