Startup News

ClimateClever raises expansion capital

Sebastian Tofts-Len
Sebastian Tofts-Len
// // WA-based startup ClimateClever has secured a second round of investment and is on the growth path ...

// WA-based startup ClimateClever has secured a second round of investment and is on the growth path …

Earlier this year, we reported on ClimateClever launching a new partnership program for local governments to help them empower their communities to take action on climate change.

Since then, the social enterprise has taken further strides forward, securing a second round of investment from a private trust during the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing the total capital raised by the company to $450,000.

The Trust’s Head of Investments says they are delighted to provide additional capital to ClimateClever.

“Their model can help thousands of families and schools reduce their consumption, saving money and resources. There are so many reasons why this is important as we grapple with both the current economic circumstances and rapidly changing climate.”

Private Trust’s Head of Investments

The recent investment has allowed ClimateClever to expand its web development team, and to launch its latest product – the ClimateClever Homes App – during COVID.

This activity has both fuelled the local green-tech industry at a time where jobs are scarce, and household utility bills are rising as people work from home.

They has also received funding through other partnerships including with Horizon Power and various Local Governments Authorities (LGA), who support local schools.

The City of Albany is one of the latest LGA’s to partner. Their CEO, Andrew Sharpe, is excited by the tangible data they will receive through the platform.

“This is the first time the City has had the ability to develop community targets and give feedback straight to the user. Implementing community driven initiatives like ClimateClever allow us to identify and deliver improvements in sustainability within the wider community.”

Andrew Sharpe

Climate. Clever.

The ClimateClever platform was originally launched in 2018 as a schools app, developed through research and pilots led by Dr Vanessa Rauland while she was an academic at Curtin University.

In 2019, after receiving initial investment, Dr Rauland left the university to manage the company full time as CEO and was joined by Alexander Karan as co-founder and CTO.

The ClimateClever app helps facilitate the actions of schools and homes (and soon businesses) to reduce their carbon footprint and save on their utility bills.

ClimateClever raises expansion capital
Taken from the ClimateClever website

“Technology is emerging as an essential way to measure impact and can demonstrate progress in achieving our climate and sustainability goals”, said Vanessa.

Having built the startup using various funding sources, Dr Rauland is keen to help other technology startups and purpose driven businesses to get funded. In 2020, she joined the WA Social Enterprise Council (WASEC) as a founding board member to help support and grow this sector in WA.

“The launch of the WA Impact Fund in 2019, the growing number of impact investors, and the recent establishment of WASEC, demonstrates a real and growing appetite for impact investment in WA.”

Dr Vanessa Rauland

Last year, ClimateClever also won a significant Lotterywest grant with several not-for-profit organisations led by Rise Network to create ‘Billbuddy’ – a version of the app specifically designed for low-income households and those experiencing financial hardship. This will further the startups social impact and mission.

Billbuddy will launch in August 2020.

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For more information, please visit the ClimateClever website: https://www.climateclever.org/

MAIN IMAGE: From left to right, Andrew Karan (CTO) and Vanessa Rauland (CEO), image taken from here. Curtin University is a sponsor of Startup News.

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Sebastian Tofts-Len

Sebastian Tofts-Len

Sebastian is an undergraduate economics student and research assistant at Curtin University. He mainly writes on startup funding, launches, events and grant programs.
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