Climate Tech Entrepreneurship Training for Scientists, Engineers & Founders
A free, EU-funded online masterclass with expert mentorship. Build the
entrepreneurial skills to move your climate tech innovation from the lab to
market readiness.
— What CITE does
The Masterclass
CITE supports professionals like you across the climate tech sector — AgriTech, FoodTech, Bioeconomy, Green Chemistry, WaterTech and the Circular Economy.
If you are relentlessly curious, resilient and deeply committed to solving a real problem, this masterclass is for you.
The challenge we address
Many climate tech professionals come from a scientific or engineering background. They are technically strong, but often lack the entrepreneurial skills increasingly demanded by the market. CITE closes that gap. In the masterclass you will learn to:
- Understand the climate tech landscape and its market opportunities
- Identify and define customer profiles to tailor products effectively
- Validate innovative solutions through market research and analysis
- Master investor storytelling and investor readiness to secure funding
- Outline comprehensive funding strategies for successful venture building
What participants gain
CITE helps participants develop, refine and scale sustainable initiatives that reduce environmental impact, modernise industrial processes and drive the green transition. You leave with:
- Market-driven communication skills
- A clear business case
- Stronger entrepreneurial confidence
- Industry-aligned competences
- Access to mentors and experts
— The ClimateTech journey
From Idea to market Impact
Markets shift and strategies evolve, but strong entrepreneurial skills help you adapt and build companies that last. Here is the path CITE takes you through:
Innovation
Climate tech innovators start with strong scientific or technical solutions to environmental challenges.
Market Insight
Participants explore industry needs, identify opportunities and understand where their innovation fits.
CITE Masterclass
Through structured training, participants build entrepreneurial competences and sharpen their business logic.
Pitch & Positioning
Participants learn to present value clearly to industry stakeholders, investors and decision-makers.
Market Impact
Innovations become scalable initiatives that contribute to sustainable growth and the green transition.
— The missing link
The CITE VET Platform
CITE exists because two worlds that should collaborate often run in parallel.
Climate tech innovators rarely engage with vocational education and training (VET), and VET providers rarely treat start-ups and innovation-driven professionals as a target group for training.
ClimateTech Professionals
Strong in research, engineering and sustainable solutions — but often unfamiliar with entrepreneurial training and market-driven communication.
- Scientists & Engineers
- R&D professionals
- Climate Tech start-ups
- Innovation-driven SMEs
CITE Entrepreneurial Masterclass
VET Providers & Training Institutions
Strong in practical skills development and labour-market alignment — but often not connected to emerging climate tech sectors and start-up ecosystems.
- VET providers
- Trainers & adult education actors
- Industry-oriented learning experts
- Transational cooperation partners
- Start-Up ecosystems
— Two audiences, one Platform
Who CITE Supports
CITE is an EU-funded project designed to bring together climate tech professionals and trainers / VET providers, because the green transition needs innovation and skills development to grow side by side.
Climate Tech Professionals
Gain entrepreneurial competence, market-driven communication skills and stronger investor readiness.
Scientists & Engineers
Translate technical expertise into business language without leaving your technical field behind.
SMEs & Innovation teams
Strengthen market positioning, refine sustainable initiatives and modernise industrial processes.
VET Providers
Engage a new learner group and connect vocational training with emerging climate tech sectors.
Trainers & Institutions
Modernise your training offer through competence-based, industry-aligned, entrepreneurial learning.
European Partners
Build transnational capacity, exchange know-how and strengthen cooperation between innovation and education.
— Skills
Practical Skills for the Real Economy
VET stands for Vocational Education and Training. In plain terms, it means practical, job-connected learning that builds real skills for the real economy.
For climate tech professionals this matters because success is not only about technical excellence — it is also about market competence, entrepreneurial confidence and communication that matches real labour-market needs.
CITE is the bridge
CITE applies vocational, industry-aligned training methods directly to climate tech innovation. It helps start-ups and professionals see the value of structured skills development, while helping VET providers recognise start-ups as a meaningful target group for training.
✓ Labour-market relevance
✓ Continuing education for working-age individuals
✓ Industry-oriented Masterclass design
✓ A steady pipeline of qualified, market-ready talent
— Networking & Cooperation
Building a European ClimateTech Ecosystem
CITE fosters cooperation between stakeholders and builds the capacity to work transnationally across Europe.
✓ Connect learners with mentors and industry experts
✓ Encourage collaboration between start-ups and training institutions
✓ Build transnational know-how and cross-border cooperation
✓ Create an ecosystem that strengthens skills and market relevance