ADD2477 Climate-KIC Membership

1.1. The GLA wishes to continue its partnership with Climate KIC to leverage the expertise and resources Climate-KIC has to offer in order to support delivery of the key objectives set out in the Mayor’s London Environment Strategy, the Economic Development Strategy and the Covid-19 Recovery programme – to support a sustainable recovery and the transition to a low carbon economy through maximising cleantech innovation across London.

1.2. Climate-KIC is a pan-European innovation agency working to accelerate the transition to ‘a prosperous and inclusive climate-resilient society and a circular, zero-carbon economy’. Their role is to catalyse deep decarbonisation and strengthen climate resilience through innovation.

1.3. One of Climate KIC’s key roles is to use its funding to stimulate innovation in addressing climate change. EIT Climate-KIC's portfolio of products includes services designed to challenge and develop clean-tech ventures and improve chances for success. EIT Climate-KIC supports entrepreneurs in different stages of maturity, from early stage ideation through seed funding and beyond.

1.4. The cost is £12,500 the GLA to continue its partnership with Climate KIC. This is an annual partnership fee, which was authorised for the year 2019 in ADD2365. This ADD requests the extension of our partnership with Climate-KIC for the year 2020.

1.5. In previous years, GLA’s partnership with Climate-KIC delivered multiple benefits and over £125,000 in added value at the cost of £12,500, including:

• expert resources: Climate-KIC contracted dedicated external support services (0.4 FTE) to develop a 3-year CleanTech London strategic framework and business plan; and

• funding: Climate-KIC funded two key projects that helped to advance the CleanTech London agenda. This includes £50,000 for the CleanTech London pathfinder project and £25,000 for a CleanTech Challenge as part of the Mayor’s Civic Innovation Challenge flagship programme.

1.6. This year, GLA’s Climate-KIC membership is set to deliver the following benefits:

• access to funding and resource to deliver the final year of the ‘Aggregating CleanTech Demand’ programme delivered in partnership with Knight Frank, Climate-KIC and the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) which aims to accelerate the procurement of cleantech goods and services by public bodies in London utilising the Thirty3 city-wide procurement portal; and

• support with the set up and delivery of the CleanTech London strategic partnership and its objective to bring together London’s cleantech sector, understand its needs and support its growth.

2.1. As part of the GLA’s Cleantech programme, Climate-KIC membership enables the GLA to work with Climate KIC in supporting a sustainable recovery and developing the concept and delivery of a clean tech cluster in London to help meet the Mayor’s net-zero carbon goals. Climate KIC will help with the setup of the following as part of GLA membership:

• creating market demand: build upon the work of the CleanTech London pathfinder project in 2018, through working with the GLA, London Waste and Recycling Board, London Legacy Development Corporation, Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation and London Boroughs, to foresight clean technology demand over the next 10-20 years. This 18-month project utilises the opportunity to demonstrate a clear pathway for city authorities to aggregate demand, attract supply side solutions and replicate a pro-innovation procurement model that helps them deliver on their net zero carbon objectives. This programme is complementary to the €9m EIT Climate-KIC Innovator COVID-19 emergency response fund, which will provide funding for start-ups and SMEs innovating in this space;

• access to funding: as a member of Climate KIC, GLA will have access to funding for innovation in climate change programs, including up to £217,318 for the ‘CleanTech London: Demonstrating demand for net zero carbon cities’ programme, as set out above; and

• providing support to develop the CleanTech London partnership through contributions to key work packages across multiple workstreams and leading on the innovation support mapping exercise.

3.1. Under Section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, as a public authority, the Mayor of London must have ‘due Regard’ of the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation as well as to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between people who have a protected characteristic and those who do not.

3.2. Strategic equality, diversity and inclusion objectives are enshrined within the GLA’s programmes and activities according to the Mayor’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

3.3. The activities delivered in partnership with Climate KIC will look to maximise its positive impact on equality for all Londoners, for example through ensuring innovation programmes are targeted at addressing some of the strategic inequality challenges facing Londoners. Any programmes delivered will be promoted through a wide variety of channels to reach out to underrepresented groups, events will be accessible and communication channels will be used to showcase and celebrate innovation across a diverse SME base.

Links to Mayoral strategies and priorities:

4.1. Both the Mayor’s Economic Development Strategy and the London Environment Strategy identify the importance of the clean tech sector in addressing London’s climate change challenges.

4.2. The Economic Development Strategy in particular sets out the Mayor’s ambition to lever London’s innovation to help solve London’s environmental challenges both to support business growth and help deliver London’s zero carbon ambitions.

4.3. The Recovery programme’s Green New Deal mission emphasises the importance of tackling the climate and ecological emergencies and improving air quality by doubling the size of London’s green economy by 2030 to accelerate job creation for all. Support provided by Climate-KIC for the delivery of key clean tech programmes will help support the continued growth and innovation of London clean tech SMEs, protecting jobs, and accelerating cleantech innovation to enable progress towards the objectives of the Green New Deal and the Mayor’s zero carbon target.

4.4. It can be confirmed that no conflicts of interest were noted in the drafting and clearance of this decision.

Key risks and mitigation:

4.5. Risk: Climate KIC is not a suitable partner for the GLA’s clean tech programme;

4.6. Climate KIC convenes Europe’s largest network focused on transformative climate innovation. They work with businesses, academia, research institutes, and governments to create critical mass and develop solutions to tackle global climate change challenges. They run an established program of acceleration and business support for cleantech start-ups and SMEs and have worked extensively in the UK and London. Climate KIC will provide valuable expertise and resource to help deliver the Mayor’s CleanTech innovation ambitions.

5.1 Approval is being sought for expenditure of £12,500 for the GLA to continue its partnership with Climate KIC. This is an annual partnership fee that will extend the partnership into the 2020-21 financial year.

5.2 The £12,500 partnership fee will be funded from the LEAP Core Fund budget for 2020-21.