Image of Deputy Mayor giving a speech about climate tech to room of people with a window a view of the houses of parliament

Shirley Rodrigues, London’s Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, met with pioneering startups to recognise the incredible innovation happening within London's thriving climate tech scene.

The event, held at our London HQ on Tuesday May 30th, brought together climate tech startups and SMEs to celebrate the innovative, sustainable solutions that have received funding through the Mayor's Better Futures programme.

Better Futures, a dynamic partnership comprising key players from London's public and private sectors, supports innovation in climate tech across the Capital. Over the past six years, this programme has delivered advice and support to more than 200 SMEs that are developing low-carbon, circular economy, and clean technologies across Greater London.

As one of Better Futures' delivery partners, we hosted the event at our central London workspace within the iconic County Hall. The event provided a forum for businesses that had completed the programme to present and discuss their projects with the Deputy Mayor. It was also an opportunity to thank the delivery partners, including Imperial College London, Imperial College Consultant, Imperial College Hackspace, West London Business and OPDC for their continued commitment to the project.

Better Futures has been an integral support mechanism for SMEs operating in sectors like the built environment, transportation, and circular economy, many of which are now scaling rapidly. The programme has been key to enabling these businesses to secure funding, foster business growth, and win prestigious awards.

One notable SME that has benefited from Better Futures' support is Bundlee, the UK's first baby clothing rental subscription service. Since graduating from the programme, Bundlee has forged partnerships with renowned brands like Stella McCartney Kids and Patagonia. Their scalable system has attracted over 1,000 subscribers, with more than 60,000 clothing rentals completed. Notable investors in Bundlee include the co-founders of Monzo and Sweaty Betty.

The event also provided an opportunity for the Deputy Mayor to meet with some of the innovative companies working within the new Sustainable Ventures HQ at County Hall. Shirley Rodrigues spoke with members Skoon, Tripshift, Propelair, AirEx and Satellite Vu to learn more about their solutions to some of our most pressing environmental challenges.