At Startup Discovery School, we don’t believe local innovation needs to be “unlocked” , it already exists. What’s missing is trust, resources, and visibility.
That was the heart of our Senior Innovation manager Samantha’s message at the SHIFT Innovation Forum, where she spoke about how real climate solutions are already being built by people rooted in their communities. SDS has supported over 60+ early and idea stage ventures in 2024 alone, 74% of them women-led, raising more than £3+ million in funding and creating 80+ jobs.
These aren’t future ideas. They’re real businesses retrofitting homes, reducing waste, building healthier, more resilient systems. SHIFT reminded us of what our Just Transition Impact Report also highlights: early-stage public funding matters. Commercial connections matter. And place-based pilots are working: measurable, tangible, right now.
We’ll keep backing founders who are often overlooked but never out of ideas. Because local innovation is climate innovation. And if we’re serious about a just transition, it’s time to start acting like it.
