In certain corners of the world, being climate-positive isn’t a good thing. That’s British understatement. And at Innovation Zero World Congress in London’s Olympia, there is a long shadow hanging over the event.
The spectre of the US – and its ‘anti-woke’ allies – lurks in the background of every presentation and Q&A session. How will climate efforts be affected? Has the global (read US) political situation set things back irretrievably? What is the best way to move ahead?
Rachel Kyte, the Special Representative for Climate at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, put it succinctly. There is an “attempt to make toxic the commitment to net zero” in certain quarters. Not very difficult to work out what she means.
Rachel Kyte, the Special Representative for Climate at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (left) and Dr Rhian-Mari Thomas OBE, co-Chair of Innovation Zero World and CEO of the Green Finance Institute. Picture: Innovation Zero.
But, on stage at the UK’s largest net zero congress, and striking a more optimistic tone, she continued, “Most countries are not changing direction. Most countries have their sleeves rolled up.” She concluded: “The UK has something the rest of the world needs. We have innovation, leadership and we are making progress.”
Picking up the positive baton, Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, was clear: “There must be no turning away from net zero.”
And John Flint, CEO of the UK’s National Wealth Fund, also sees light along the net zero tunnel. “The void left by others stepping back gives us a great opportunity.” He also encouraged the UK government and businesses to increase the country’s risk appetite.
The sentiment that the seismic changes sparked by the US could benefit the UK and Europe is shared among the hundreds of start-ups, financiers, NGOs and other constituents of the growing climate action ecosystem attending the event.
There’s a strong collective effort to dig heels into the shifting sands. The attitude is ‘keep calm and carry on’, but with upper lips stiffening. And with wallets at the ready, if somewhat guardedly.
John Flint, CEO of the UK’s National Wealth Fund. Picture: Innovation Zero
Good! In fact, jolly good!
I came to the same event last year and it felt much more focused on people selling stuff. Yes, that’s also happening this year, but there is a palpable sense of gritty determination coming through. A sense of climate ‘purpose’ – yes we are still allowed to use that word.
And language generally is important here. Speaking to some start-up founders at the event, they felt that even in the US, there’s still a lot of positive momentum in the climate space. Investors are investing, companies are still being set up, corporates are focusing on decarbonisation. Except it’s all being reframed in language acceptable to the regime. It’s fine if you just talk about ‘security’ or ‘domestic manufacturing’ or ROI, just don’t mention anything ‘green’. If they are right, the rhetoric from the administration is worse than what is actually happening on the ground. That remains to be seen.
Populists often create enemies in order to coalesce support. However, far from reducing climate action, the US seems to be doing a very good job at energising the massed ranks of climate-positives on the other side of the Atlantic.
In Star Wars, a small band of plucky rebels overthrew the Empire and its dreaded Death Star. At Innovation Zero, it’s clear that there is a huge, fully formed rebel base committed to delivering climate targets. But instead of attacking, it’s digging in to win by creating unstoppable momentum.
Technology Innovators
Each year, climate tech companies can compete for coveted awards at the event. Winners of the Innovation Zero Awards 2025 are:
- Cemvision AB, a company based in Sweden, won the Industry Award for Mature Solutions, for its Cemvision Re-ment Massive solution – a platform using three ultra-low carbon cements to avoid calcination, which is the main source of CO2 emissions in traditional cement.
- PulpaTronics, a UK based company, won the Monitoring, Reporting & Verification Award for Promising Solutions, for their sustainable radio frequency identification tags. The business developed sustainable radio-frequency identification tags which eliminate metal mining, simplify manufacturing and minimise environmental impact.
- Converge, a UK based company, won the Monitoring, Reporting & Verification award for Mature Solutions for its Concrete DNA solution, a platform using cutting-edge AI and smart sensors to improve construction efficiency and decarbonise concrete.
- ZeroAvia, a UK based company, won the Transport, Logistics and Supply Chain award for Promising Solutions, for its 600 kW hydrogen-electric powertrain solution for commercial aviation. This solution can power a 10-20 seat aircraft, using hydrogen fuel to create electricity via fuel cells. The electricity then powers electric motors that drive the propellor(s), with only low temperature water and heat produced as byproducts.
- The Mobility House, a company based in Germany, won the Transport, Logistics and Supply Chain award for Mature Solutions, for their Zero Zero solution: this is the world’s first AC vehicle-to-grid offer, enabling cars to be charged for free with zero emission energy.
- FermTech, a UK based company, won the Land & Water award for Promising Solutions, for its Koji Flour solution – a fermented food ingredient made from side-streams in the brewing industry, giving it an ultra low carbon footprint.
- Medusoil SA won the Land & Water award for Mature Solutions, for its Medusoil Biominerals solution. The company specialises in biocementation solutions for soil stabilisation.
- Adia Thermal Ltd, a UK based company, won the Built Environment award for Promising Solutions for its Adia Thermal heat pump solution, making heat pumps cheaper than gas boilers and using machine-learning to achieve faster installations.
- Cambridge Electric Cement won the Built Environment award for Mature Solutions for its recycling cement product, which takes cement recovered from demolition waste and uses it as a flux for the steelmaking in electric arc furnaces, by-passing the factors that make conventional cement production a major contributor to CO2 emissions.
- Futraheat Limited, a UK based company, won the Energy & Power award for Promising Solutions, for its Greensteam High Temperature Heat Pumps and TurboClaw Turbocompressor solution. Their technology delivers consistent, high-quality process heat with minimal maintenance needs.
- Tozero GmbH, a German-based company, won the Energy & Power award for Mature Solutions for its Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling solution.
- Both FermTech and Futraheat Limited won the Industry award for Promising Solutions, again for its Koji Flour and Greensteam High Temperature Heat Pumps and TurboClaw Turbocompressor solutions.
Professor Paul Monks CB, Chief Scientific Adviser for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero commented: “While government can do a lot to support the sector, it is the innovators being celebrated this evening who are making a difference and unlocking the vast potential of the transition.”
