Team for the Planet Offers €1 Million to Scale Climate Breakthroughs

The organization, which has raised €41 million since its 2020 founding, seeks projects capable of removing millions of tonnes of CO2-equivalent annually. Beyond capital, winners receive operational support from seasoned executives and access to a 133,000-strong shareholder network. Founder Mehdi Coly frames the prize not as a grant but as the inaugural funding round for future industry leaders, emphasizing that carbon reduction has evolved into a tangible economic asset.

Applicants face a rigorous multi-stage vetting process involving 10,000 volunteers, an independent scientific committee featuring experts from institutions like CNRS and École Polytechnique, and a final shareholder vote. The selected winners must adopt an open-licensing model, a strategy that has already proven successful in boosting the profitability of the organization's existing 14 portfolio companies. Unlike traditional venture capital, the fund ties financial gains directly to the achievement of specific climate targets, a model backed by institutional investors and private equity professionals.