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How we activated a Climate Innovation Ecosystem with 1900+ stakeholders

As part of the Nachhaltig Wirken initiative (2024–2027), Impact Hub Berlin set out to strengthen the climate innovation ecosystem in Germany.

The programme focuses on three core pillars: Connect, Enable and Inspire – combining ecosystem building, capacity development and strategic foresight.

THE GOAL

To move from fragmented initiatives to a structured, scalable climate innovation ecosystem.

The challenge

Climate innovation ecosystems often face:

  • Fragmented stakeholder networks
  • Limited access to structured learning and resources
  • Lack of shared insights and future-oriented guidance

At the same time, there was a need to:

  • Engage a diverse set of actors (startups, corporates, investors, public sector)
  • Ensure inclusivity in climate solutions
  • Scale impact beyond one-off events

Our approach

Using our Internal Innovation framework, we designed a multi-layered ecosystem approach built on three pillars:

 

Connect

Curated networking formats and flagship events to activate the ecosystem:

  • Impact Entrepreneurship Forum
  • Pitch & Pizza / Need for Speed networking formats

Enable

Capacity-building through the RISE Academy, offering:

  • Online courses (e.g. Impact Business Modelling)
  • Webinars and knowledge resources
  • Workshops and expert sessions

Inspire

Strategic foresight through:

  • Annual Trend Reports (e.g. AI for Inclusive Climate Action)
  • AI Stewardship Programme connecting global experts

This approach combined community building, learning and thought leadership into one scalable system.

Our strategic impact in the ecosystem

  • Strong growth of a structured climate innovation ecosystem
  • Increased accessibility to knowledge and networks for impact founders
  • Positioning of Impact Hub Berlin as a thought leader in climate innovation
  • Integration of AI as a tool for scaling climate impact

Our impact in numbers

  • 1,970 total participants across formats
  • 452 workshop participants
  • 150 participants at the Impact Entrepreneurship Forum (above target)
  • 247 RISE Academy users (179 based in Germany)
  • 4,756 stakeholders in the ecosystem database
  • 47.3 million media reach
  • 919 Trend Report downloads
  • 4.9/5 participant satisfaction
  • 80% mission-driven organisations among participants
  • 30+ cross-sector speakers involved