Imperial College
Imperial College’s strengths
EarthScale is led by Imperial through a collaboration between Undaunted and the Imperial Enterprise Lab; both recognised by the Financial Times as among Europe’s top 60 startup hubs. Imperial brings world-class research, deep climate expertise, and a thriving innovation ecosystem centred in the White City Innovation District, with access to more than 4,000 expert researchers, state-of-the-art facilities, investors, and policymakers.
As lead institution, Imperial works closely with five regional hubs, connecting ventures to in-house expertise, specialist facilities and networks across the UK. Explore Imperial’s strengths below.
A partnership between
Background
Since its founding in 1907, Imperial has placed innovation and entrepreneurship at the heart of its mission. Its Science for Humanity strategy, launched in 2024, reinforced its commitment to turning scientific discoveries into real-world solutions.
- Imperial has some of the best-resourced entrepreneurship facilities in the UK.
- 59 patents filed and £390m raised to date for 18 cleantech spinouts.
- Named Europe’s leading large university (£1bn+) for startup creation in the Redstone University Startup Index (2024).
- Awarded Outstanding Entrepreneurial University at the THE Awards (2025).
- Over a decade of climate innovation leadership, founding Climate-KIC and the Greenhouse accelerator.
Regional strengths
One of Europe’s leading climate tech hubs, London’s strengths lie in its robust innovation ecosystem, significant access to capital and a large concentration of talent and startups.
Investment
A top global destination for climate tech VC, second only to the Bay Area (2023). London VCs have raised over half of Europe’s dedicated climate tech funds.
Startup ecosystem
Home to one of the largest concentrations of climate tech startups in Europe, and second globally for climate-tech funding rounds.
Policy leadership
The Mayor’s goal of achieving net-zero by 2030, backed by robust strategies such as the London Environment Strategy and the London Plan, creates strong market demand for sustainable solutions.
Infrastructure
The White City Innovation District provides specialist labs, co-location spaces, and a thriving community of deeptech and climate innovators.
Established partnerships and facilities
Undaunted
Has supported over 175 companies from across the UK, who have raised over $1bn, created 2000 jobs and will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 30MtCO2eq (by 2030).
Read more about Undaunted
A hub for the UK’s climate innovation community, creating new routes into green entrepreneurship and supporting the acceleration of startups and SMEs tackling climate change.
Since 2012, they have developed and refined their model for accelerating applicable, practical and adaptable solutions that make a difference on a global scale.
Undaunted is a partnership between Imperial’s Grantham Institute and The Royal Institution, based in Scale Space within London’s White City Innovation District. This academic context is key. It embeds them within world-class facilities, expertise, and networks, allowing them to embrace high-quality deeptech solutions and tackle harder-to-change sectors – keeping climate and public good at the core of everything they do.
Imperial Enterprise Lab
A dedicated hub for innovation and entrepreneurship at Imperial College London, which boasts a vibrant network with over 200 experts and mentors and an 800-strong investor community.
Read more about the Imperial Enterprise Lab
Offers dynamic support for students, staff and alumni, including expert mentorship, training, community events, and access to funding and co-working space.
Flagship programmes – WE Innovate, the UK’s first university-based women’s entrepreneurship programme, and the Venture Catalyst Challenge, which boasts the largest prize fund of any UK university pre-accelerator – have supported over 1,000 participants across more than 10 years.
The mission is simple: to unlock entrepreneurial potential and help turn bold ideas into ventures that shape a better future for both people and the planet.
Our partners
A national network
Cranfield University
World-class industrial and pilot-scale facilities, including water, clean energy, agriculture, aerospace, automotive and more.
Imperial College
A collaboration between Undaunted and the Imperial Enterprise Lab; world-class research, deep climate expertise and a thriving innovation ecosystem centred in the White City Innovation District.
University of Derby
Their Institute for Innovation and Sustainable Engineering focuses on sustainable engineering solutions, supporting innovation in design, manufacturing, product lifecycle management and more.
University of Exeter
Home to 1500 climate and sustainability experts across 34 specialist environmental institutes and centres of excellence.
University of Leeds
Their Priestley Centre for Climate Futures is a world-leading climate centre that connects its climate experts with businesses, policymakers, and communities to transform how we address climate change.
University of Nottingham
State-of-the-art facilities that support sustainable manufacturing and low-carbon innovation.
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The network is actively welcoming new university partners to join, grow, and strengthen this unique and impactful collaboration.
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