CleanTech challenge welcomes Sky as new partner
LBS welcomes Sky’s support for world-leading competition for innovative clean technologies
Sky, one of Europe’s leading media and entertainment companies, has announced its support for the CleanTech Challenge 2025.
A global business plan competition for students with innovative clean technology ideas, the CleanTech Challenge was established in 2011 and is hosted by London Business School, attracting student applications from more than 25 countries. The challenge is intended to support early-stage ideas with a sustainability focus, providing business momentum and guidance.
“Supporting new ideas and innovation has always been an important part of our sustainability strategy at Sky. Collaborating with The CleanTech Challenge is a great way for us to share our knowledge and learn from the next generation of sustainability leaders. We can’t wait to see what they come up with,” said Fiona Ball, Group Director of the Bigger Picture and Sustainability at Sky.
The prize awarded by Sky will be called the ‘Sky Zero Prize’, a £20,000 cash prize to help the winning idea develop further. This funding will match that of Gore Street Capital, which has been supporting the competition since 2023.
Sky have been working hard to reduce their environmental impact and use their voice to engage others since 2006 when they became the first media company to go carbon neutral. In 2020, they launched their environmental impact programme Sky Zero, company- wide effort to contribute to a low carbon economy and inspire positive change for the planet. It’s supported by a science-based target to reduce absolute Scope 1, 2 and 3 GHG emissions by 50 per cent by 2030 from a 2018 base year.
The CleanTech Challenge is entirely organised by LBS’s small volunteer team of students. The School’s Institute of Entrepreneurship and Private Capital (IEPC) also provides support through promotion, mentoring, and the provision of facilities.
The CleanTech Challenge promotes an interdisciplinary approach, bringing together technical and business students to develop their ideas with the help of industry expert mentors.
Ethan Musca and Elan Code, both MBA Candidates at London Business School, lead the small team of LBS volunteers running the competition. Ethan said: “With Sky coming on board as a sponsor, we’ve been able to elevate the 2025 CleanTech Challenge beyond previous years, creating more opportunities for everyone involved. It allows us to provide a better experience for applicants, mentors, judges, and attendees alike, fostering a space where early-stage ideas can thrive within the London Cleantech community, regardless of whether they win the challenge or even reach the finals.”
At the Nuffield Hall, London Business School, on Thursday 17 April 2025, the top six finalists will compete for two £20,000 cash prizes. Pitches from teams representing top universities, including LBS, UCL, Harvard, Yale, and the National University of Singapore, will be competing in this year’s event.
Jane Khedair, Executive Director of London Business School’s Institute of Entrepreneurship and Private Capital (IEPC) said that the Institute is proud and pleased to once again support the CleanTech Challenge.
“The competition promotes an interdisciplinary approach, bringing together technical and business students to develop their ideas with the help of industry expert mentors,” said Khedair. “Through the IEPC, LBS has a proud track record of producing some of the UK’s most successful startups, with alumni collectively raising billions in venture funding. Our £2m Entrepreneurship Experience builds upon this legacy, ensuring that founders at every stage of their journey—whether pre-seed, scaling, or pivoting—can access the strategic resources they need to succeed.”
Tickets for this year’s CleanTech Challenge may be purchased here
Key facts about this year’s CleanTech Challenge:
This year attracted applications from 27 countries.
Out of 222 student participants, 38 were from Imperial College, 25 from LBS, with UCL, National University of Singapore, and Cornell also providing students. Overall, 87 Universities worldwide have been represented.
In terms of numbers, the top six countries of applications were the UK, USA, Singapore, Nigeria, India, and Turkey.
This year’s LBS finalists are a team comprised of an LBS Masters in Management student and three students from UCL. Their idea is a platform that uses machine learning and other technologies to optimise building facades, thereby improving energy efficiency.
Mentors/Judges will be from 13 leading London-based VCs and startups, including Sustainable Ventures, Deep Science Ventures, Carbon 13, and Fortescue Ventures. For the first time, teams have the opportunity on mentorship day to practice pitching to an American venture capital firm, Plug and Play, via Zoom.
