We believe that women are a driving force in climate tech

At the heart of what KPMG High Growth Ventures does is to help startups, this December they're supporting the ecosystem with a particular focus on women in climate tech. We caught up with partner, Amanda Price on the intersection between women, climate tech and startups.

Why is supporting the Climate Tech community important to you as a business? 

We are at a critical juncture in the world, where the actions that we take today will shape the future of our planet. We believe that startups play a key role in this transformation: the climate tech community are the ones that are building the technologies today that will lead to a more sustainable tomorrow. We are proud to support these founders as they tackle one of the biggest challenges of our generation.

Why is it important for KPMG High Growth Ventures to support and recognise the Woman in Climate Tech Award 2022? 

There has been a collective effort to support female founders in recent years, and we have made progress – but there’s still a long way to go. Women are still underrepresented in Australia’s climate tech startup ecosystem and, more importantly, women are also less likely to engage in self-promotion than men. This leads to a vicious cycle where women don’t hear about the successes of other women, even though that’s precisely what we all need to be aware of and celebrate.

We believe that women are a driving force in climate tech. We’ve seen it firsthand: Olympia Yarger from GOTERRA, Emma Weston from Agridigital, Julia Kay from Great Wrap…these are all examples of incredible women who are taking an active role in shaping the future. Recognising these women with the Woman in Climate Tech Award is the first step in inspiring more females to forge their own path in one of the fastest-growing secotrs in Australia.

What are some of the ways KPMG High Growth Ventures can support startups in the climate tech sector? 

KPMG High Growth Ventures can help climate tech startups access the support they need to maximise their impact. This could be anything from accessing grants and government incentives to accelerate innovation, structuring their business effectively from a tax standpoint, or maturing the finance function as the business grows. We have subject matter specialists who operate at the intersection of sustainability and finance, joining the dots between the two to build and scale impactful and profitable businesses.

In addition, climate tech startups have to ensure their ESG reporting is sound if they want to maintain a strong pace of growth. For climate tech startups seeking to raise funds to grow and expand, reporting on and seeking to minimise carbon emissions from operations is a differentiator when it comes to securing funding, accessing grants and growing a solid customer base. We assist climate tech startups to build a robust and credible approach to measuring impact that avoids greenwashing, builds trust, allows them to own their ESG narrative.

What are some of the opportunities you see coming out of Climate Tech? 

The biggest opportunity is that the opportunities are almost endless! First, we live in a time where there’s a growing openness and demand for innovative climate tech solutions, whether that’s at the B2B level or the consumer level. We have no doubt that this demand is only going to rise in the future with increased government mandates and consumer demands for sustainability and transparency.

Second, there are plenty of funding opportunities out there for climate tech startups right now. According to The State of Australian Startup Funding report, investor interest has shifted to climate tech – and this trend is absolutely going to continue. If you’re a founder in climate tech with a promising product and a sound business fundamentals, you’re in a strong position to raise capital in 2023 and beyond. 

Finally, as global leaders in this space, climate tech startups in Australia and New Zealand are in a fantastic position to export their products and services to the world. A third of ANZ climate tech startups are already operating internationally, and founders should be considering international expansion as part of their mid- and long-term growth plans.

What excites you most about Climate Tech in Australia?  

We’re only at the beginning of the journey! It’s impossible to predict the inventive and disruptive ways that founders will use technology to tackle climate challenges in the future, and that’s precisely what makes it so exciting. Every day, the KPMG High Growth Ventures team and I hear about a startup doing something absolutely incredible, and it’s a pleasure to have front row seats to the change as it happens.

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Nominations for 2022 Woman in Climate Tech close this Friday and to see the winner announced, join us for the Climate Tech Festival and Awards on December 7 in Sydney.

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photo from @unsplash

Christina @ wocintechchat.com

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