Decarbonization Challenge
Update: February 2023
The Green IT Challenge 2023 is now live. Visit our new Challenge page for details!
Update: April 2022
On April 19th, Orange Silicon Valley hosted an in-person and virtual hybrid gathering at the company’s office in San Francisco for the Decarbonization Challenge. Five finalists were selected — Agtools, Carbon Reform, Daanaa, Syzygy Plasmonics, and Verdigris. Learn more about the results here.
The Challenge
Industry contributes one third of global carbon emissions and represents one of the most challenging sectors to decarbonize. Converging technologies like AI, IoT, and 5G are creating an opportunity to measure and control industrial carbon emissions for the first time using deep tech approaches. There is an urgent need to ensure these solutions are rapidly adopted at scale
Contestants will be evaluated based on their use of digital technologies and readiness for commercial engagement. They will also be evaluated on their decarbonization potential, as quantified by a tool developed by Clean Energy Ventures.
Why Apply?
Admitted startups will have the opportunity to pitch their projects to Orange, including executive partners EDF, BNP Paribas, NVIDIA, Delfingen, Business France and Clean Energy Ventures in San Francisco, California on April 19th.
Finalists will be invited to an all-expenses paid trip to Paris, France, where they’ll attend the ChangeNow (opens in a new window) conference, the world’s largest event for the planet, and meet Orange’s board and top executives.
Finalists will also win access to Orange’s network (opens in a new window) in Europe and Africa and visibility through the Orange group’s digital and social media channels.
Applications close April 7th.
About Orange’s carbon strategy
By helping to build the innovation ecosystem for decarbonization, this Challenge complements Orange’s commitment to becoming Net Zero by 2040 for the three scopes described by the GHG Protocol. To achieve this target, the Group has for several years worked to reduce a majority of its CO2 emissions. This involves implementing a rigorous energy efficiency policy, increased use of renewable energy, and the deployment of circular economy programs. Most recently, the group launched Orange Nature, committing €50 million to create the carbon credits required to capture a significant part of the Group’s residual CO2 emissions.
Launch partners
Timeline
Desired qualifications*
- Startups can be any stage from seed to late stage, and incorporated in North America
- Technology must be commercially ready for use by industry (technology readiness level of six or above)
- Interest and capacity to partner with multi-national corporations
- Able to estimate the carbon impacts of their products/services (note: solutions do not need to be marketed as decarbonization solutions prior to application)
- Example technologies: Digital Twins, IoT, and IIoT; AI; Big Data; 5G; Advanced Robotics; Cloud and Edge Computing; Augmented Reality; Smart Sensors and Smart Trackers; Management SaaS; Satellite Remote Monitoring; Computer Vision; and related technologies
- Products and services must specifically target industrial sectors with unique physical infrastructure such as: Telecommunication networks, any specialized manufacturing facility (e.g., cement), construction, the energy grid, wastewater, and related sectors
For questions please email Arpan Soparkar.
*If your startup works in one of these high-impact sectors, but does not meet all of the listed criteria, we still strongly encourage you to apply.
**Orange Silicon Valley, its affiliates and partners will evaluate each application based on internal criteria and reserve the right to select companies for each phase of the competition in their sole discretion.