- 500 Global and The Earthshot Prize are partnering on an investment strategy to identify, support and scale climate solutions across Emerging Markets.
- Supporting three themes at the intersection of climate impact and commercial viability: AgTech, Clean Tech, and Nature Tech.
- The strategy was announced at The Earthshot Prize Summit in Rio De Janeiro ahead of the 2025 Earthshot Prize Awards Night, targeting to roll out H1 of 2026.
500 Global, one of the world’s most active venture capital firms and The Earthshot Prize, the world’s most prestigious and impactful environmental award, are announcing today a new strategic partnership to accelerate climate innovation in Emerging Markets, as climate finance is more relevant than ever before.
500 Global intends to develop and implement an investment strategy designed to de-risk early-stage investments, unlocking private capital for a pipeline of high-impact climate solutions ready for growth, targeting H1 of 2026. Alongside its own pipeline, 500 Global will leverage The Earthshot Prize’s portfolio of climate solutions, drawn from five years of Prize nominations – 40% of which are based in the Global South – to create new opportunities to scale innovations.
Emerging Markets face 75% of global climate risk but receive only 15% of the capital to confront climate challenges. Through their partnership, 500 Global and The Earthshot Prize intend to address this imbalance and accelerate inclusive growth by supporting community-driven, future-focused initiatives that traditional funding often overlooks.
Thematically focused on the intersection of climate impact and commercial viability, they will prioritise supporting:
- Agtech – digital input and distribution systems, post-harvest storage and logistics, soil/carbon analytics, ag-fintech for access and risk, seed innovation.
- Clean Tech – off-grid and distributed energy platforms, EV and micro-mobility infrastructure, clean cooking and industrial process tech, demand response and energy efficiency tools.
- Nature Tech – oceans and coastal resilience, forest, land, and water restoration tech, MRV (measurement, reporting, verification) platforms, biodiversity marketplaces and carbon project enablers, regenerative land use models.
Building on this momentum, 500 Global and The Earthshot Prize will work together to channel risk capital to innovators, helping them overcome barriers to scale. The blended finance strategy will attract support from Development Finance Institutions, foundations, philanthropies, and private investors.
“With 500 Global’s deep emerging-market expertise and The Earthshot Prize’s global platform, we’re bridging inspiration and investment, moving from promise to practice, and actioning the collective need to redefine and align the climate ecosystem to accelerate solutions that deliver for both people and planet.”
To find out more about this year’s Earthshot Prize Finalists, please visit the website. To learn more about 500 Global’s Sustainable Growth practice, please visit the website.
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