Pears Challenge 2025: ClimateTech is a prestigious program for early-stage ventures addressing climate challenges in emerging markets. Test your venture idea in East Africa, gain access to invaluable market insights and mentorship, and make lasting impact where it matters most!
Expedite your validation & establish a foothold in the market
East Africa demonstrates an urgent demand for innovative technologies that can foster resilience and economic growth where prolonged droughts, erratic rainfall, and frequent flooding threaten livelihoods and economic stability. East Africa boasts a booming innovation scene, attracting the most startup funding on the continent for the second consecutive year of which 39% went to ClimateTech.
Join a distinguished cohort of ClimateTech entrepreneurs passionate about creating scalable impact where it's needed the most. Develop your innovative solution to foster sustainable livelihoods for millions in East Africa.
As a Pears Challenge: ClimateTech Founder you get access to:
Network of local partners
Startup grants
Validation trip to East Africa
Mentorship from experts
Feedback for fast iteration from the field
Post program support and fundraising opportunities
Access to R&D in the Negev
About the Program
Selection
During the selection process, we identify exceptional early stage ventures and ClimateTech startup ideas looking to validate their concept in East Africa.
APPLICANT CRITERIA:
Ideal candidates, individuals or teams, have an existing venture idea (ranging from concept to early-product) that targets emerging markets and has a strong impact potential. We are looking for venture ideas backed by personal expertise, professional background or deep research.
We look for open-minded, purpose-driven, and experienced professionals who are ready to learn the East African context, validate their idea and take it to the next level.
We seek out equal gender representation and diversity in our cohorts and encourage applications from people of all ages, ethnicities, and religious backgrounds.
This is your chance to:
Tackle Climate Challenges & Unlock Market Potential
Bring Israel’s cutting-edge innovation to address climate threats in East Africa while tapping into one of the world’s fastest-growing ClimateTech markets.
Collaborate with Local Partners & Experts
Learn from industry leaders, local innovators, and mentors to refine your solution and build a venture that aligns with real-world needs.
Gain Invaluable Market Insights
Understand East Africa’s ClimateTech landscape and uncover opportunities for scalable impact and business growth.
Travel to East Africa for market validation
Test your assumptions on the ground, engage with key stakeholders, and validate your solution where climate challenges create urgent demand for innovation.
Building Scalable, Financially Viable ClimateTech Solutions to Tackle Climate Challenges in East Africa
We are looking for solutions in a range of climate related areas such as:
Despite having a minimal contribution to global emissions, East Africa is one of the world's most vulnerable regions to climate change. The region faces rising temperatures, prolonged droughts, erratic rainfall, and frequent flooding, which threaten food security, water access, and economic stability. Sectors like agriculture, which form the backbone of East Africa’s economy, are particularly at risk, impacting millions of livelihoods.
At the same time, the region is undergoing a ClimateTech transformation. Governments, private sector players, and impact-driven investors are rallying behind scalable solutions in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, water management, and carbon markets. With 39% of all startup funding in East Africa flowing into climate-related ventures, there is a strong appetite for new technologies that can drive resilience and economic growth.
Pears Challenge 2025: ClimateTech is your gateway to this dynamic landscape—an opportunity to validate your early stage ClimateTech venture in a market where demand for innovation is rapidly growing. By tackling some of the world’s most urgent climate challenges, you can build a scalable business while making a lasting impact on millions of people.
Sustainable Agriculture
Water Sustainability
Supply Chain Efficiency
Nature-Based and Carbon Solutions
Blue Economy and Aquaculture
Supply Chain Efficiency
From Kenya to East Africa: Break Into Africa’s ClimateTech hub
In recent years, Kenya has emerged as Africa’s leading hub for climate tech innovation, driven by openness to innovation, a dynamic startup ecosystem, and pressing environmental challenges. It has led the way in clean energy, sustainable agriculture, water management, and conservation, making it a prime testing ground for climate-smart solutions.
Pears Challenge is an initiative of Nura: Global Innovation Lab, generously funded by the Pears Foundation.
This year, we’re proud to have The DeserTech and Climate Innovation Center as our anchor partner, leveraging the assets of the Negev to tackle the challenges and needs in arid climates.
.jpg)
.png)
Pears Challenge Alumni
The last six cohorts of the Pears Challenge have created nearly 20 new companies and raised over $24M in grants, seed financing and contracts and piloted technologies in markets across five continents, affecting the lives of individuals and communities in Angola, Nigeria, South Africa Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Senegal, Ghana, Israel, India, Mexico, Taiwan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Japan, Brazil, Ecuador, USA, Canada, Netherlands, Poland, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, Lithuania and Romania.
Frequently Asked Questions
Applications for Pears Challenge: ClimateTech are now open
We'd still love to hear from you! Get in touch with us if you are interested in joining one of our future programs.
Formerly - Pears Program for Global Innovation
Connecting between Israeli Innovation & Global Development Challenges
A Public Benefit Company ( Non- Profit Organization) registred in Israel (registration number- 517005658)
Quick Access
Office
Tel Aviv
2B Hub
32 Shoken Street
+972-3-771-8884
Social