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17-18 June 2025 | Palmer Events Center, Austin

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11 Oct 2023

Cleantech Group Names the 2023 Cleantech 50 to Watch

50 Remarkable Early-Stage Companies Confront the Climate Crisis

San Francisco, CA ­– October 11, 2023 — Cleantech Group has just released the Cleantech 50 to Watch, an annual list of top global early-stage private companies showcased for their excellence in sustainable innovation.

The entrepreneurs on the list are creating new technologies that are poised to address the climate crisis from soil monitoring to solar to water scarcity and everything in-between.

To create the list, inputs are combined from the Cleantech 50 to Watch expert panel of 32 leading investors, corporate and industrial executives who are active in technology and innovation scouting.

The panel nominated the companies that most impressed them with their early-stage high-impact solutions.  These were combined with Cleantech Group research on public early-stage awards who then put the companies through qualitative and impact filters.  A shortlist of 150 companies was reviewed and scored by the expert panel to reach the final 50.

The Cleantech 50 to Watch companies are located in 21 countries.  This year’s list indeed includes examples of countries outside of North America, Europe, or North Asia punching above their weight in early-stage cleantech innovation:

  • 4 companies from Africa – EarthBond (Nigeria), EWaste Africa (South Africa), Koko Networks (Kenya), Octavia Carbon (Kenya)
     
  • 4 companies from South and Central America – NILUS (Chile), Strong by Form (Chile), Symbiomics (Brazil), Plybion (Mexico)
     
  • 3 companies from New Zealand – (spkl, Neocrete, Tectonus) and 1 from Australia (MGA Thermal)

These innovators are delivering sustainable solutions in these five industry groups:

  • Agriculture & Food
  • Energy & Power
  • Materials & Chemicals
  • Resources & Environment
  • Transportation & Logistics

“The companies in this year’s Cleantech 50 to Watch are younger, faster, and gutsier,” said Anthony DeOrsey, Research Manager, Cleantech Group. “This year’s list is a testament to the dynamics that we are seeing slowly crescendo in the overall cleantech innovation universe, and indeed the same ones that will be necessary to tackle the most pressing climate challenges.”

In its fifth year, this highly anticipated annual report brings you the complete list of leading companies with case studies on a subset of the group.  To download the Cleantech 50 to Watch complimentary report, click here.

The Cleantech 50 to Watch companies will be recognized at the upcoming Cleantech Forum Europe on November 14-16 in Tallinn.  Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with many of the companies on the list, along with many other rising stars.

About Cleantech Group

Cleantech® Group is the leading authority on global cleantech innovation. Since 2002, our research, consulting and events have catalyzed opportunities for sustainable growth powered by innovation.  At every stage from initial strategy to final deals, we bring corporate change makers, investors, governments and stakeholders from across the ecosystem, the access and customized support they need to thrive in a more digitized, de-carbonized and resource-efficient future.

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