AWS and IRCAI Fuel Climate Tech Innovation
In a powerful stride toward a more sustainable future, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and the International Research Centre on Artificial Intelligence (IRCAI) have announced the newest recipients of their Compute for Climate Fellowship. The 2025 cohort includes 23 climate tech startups from around the globe, who will receive a combined USD $4 million in AWS credits to develop groundbreaking solutions at the intersection of artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and climate action.
This initiative not only scales up from last year’s eight participants but also highlights a broader, more inclusive vision for climate innovation, bringing emerging technologies and communities together to combat one of the greatest challenges of our time.
A Fellowship Empowering Bold Climate Innovation
The Compute for Climate Fellowship is a collaborative initiative that supports startups developing proof-of-concept solutions using AI and cloud technologies to tackle climate and environmental challenges. By offering substantial AWS computing credits, expert mentorship, and research guidance, the programme empowers entrepreneurs to turn ideas into scalable technologies with global impact.
According to Davor Orlic, COO at IRCAI, the fellowship exemplifies how public-private partnerships can deliver tangible solutions:
“The climate crisis demands bold, interdisciplinary solutions. We’re deepening collaborations across sectors to harness AI for climate action. These startups are creating scalable tools that can transform how we protect our planet.”
23 Startups Tackling Climate from Every Angle
This year’s diverse cohort includes startups from the United States, United Kingdom, Kenya, Australia, France, and Canada, all focused on critical sectors like clean energy, sustainable agriculture, decarbonisation, and indigenous rights.
Here are just a few of the standout participants:
- Rainstick (Australia): Merges genomic, environmental, and indigenous knowledge to enhance seed performance and restore native ecosystems.
- 80 Acres Farm (USA): Builds vertical farming systems with AI to grow pesticide-free produce year-round.
- Amini (Kenya): Uses AI-native infrastructure to convert fragmented climate data into actionable intelligence for the Global South.
- Aionics & Cusp AI (Global): Pioneering materials discovery for energy storage and low-carbon tech using generative AI.
- Aura Aero (France): Engineering next-generation aircraft for low-carbon aviation.
- Climate X & Climavision (UK/US): Delivering high-resolution climate risk and hyperlocal weather forecasting solutions.
- CounterCurrent (Australia): Optimising ocean freight routes with real-time weather and sensor data.
- Barnwell Bio (USA): Using metagenomic sequencing to detect livestock pathogens, improving food system sustainability.
- Eavor Technologies (Canada): Scaling geothermal energy as a zero-emissions power source.
The fellowship also champions climate justice, supporting technologies that help protect indigenous communities’ land, culture, and livelihoods, often disproportionately impacted by climate change.
Backing with More Than Just Money
Each startup will receive:
- Substantial AWS cloud computing credits for scalable experimentation and deployment.
- Scientific mentorship from IRCAI’s global network of researchers.
- Access to AI expertise and engineering support from AWS.
- Alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, ensuring each project contributes to a broader planetary mission.
Jon Jones, AWS’s Vice President and Global Head of Startups, underscored the transformative potential of this alliance:
“This is about accelerating systemic change—whether in clean energy, agriculture, or monitoring ecosystems. We’re giving these startups the tools and support to scale solutions that truly matter.”
Proof That the Fellowship Works
Previous fellows have already proven the programme’s real-world value. Kenny Lee, co-founder of Aigen, a solar-powered robotics startup, said:
“The fellowship helped us cut our AI model development time from weeks to days. It’s been a game-changer for our ability to scale fast and impact agriculture on the ground.”
Gilberto Loureiro, CEO of Smartex, credited the fellowship with helping the company expand textile waste reduction technologies to global manufacturing hubs:
“We scaled faster and more efficiently, helping factories reduce emissions in one of the most pollutive industries worldwide.”
A Vote of Confidence for Climate Entrepreneurs
As funding for clean technology faces uncertainty in global markets, this fellowship signals strong and unwavering support for climate entrepreneurs. It shows that visionary technologies combined with strategic backing can create real pathways to sustainability.
By investing in a mix of early-stage innovation and high-impact experimentation, AWS and IRCAI are helping climate founders bridge the toughest part of their journey: from concept to demonstration, and eventually, to scale.
And by focusing on innovation as the foundation, the programme turns today’s technological potential into tomorrow’s climate resilience.
Building a Greener, Smarter World
With mounting urgency around climate change and the increasing accessibility of AI and cloud technologies, initiatives like the Compute for Climate Fellowship are not just timely—they are essential.
By 2025’s end, these 23 startups will have leveraged their AWS resources to prototype, test, and refine tools that may revolutionize the way we manage our food systems, power our homes, move goods, and protect the planet.
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