Women in Cleantech
Women in Cleantech seeks to answer these questions…
Women in Cleantech (WiCT) is a project funded by the Mayor of London, led by Undaunted. It seeks to explore the questions laid out above by developing an active and collaborative network and bringing together a suite of resources to recognise and support women entrepreneurs, innovators and leaders. It is a strand of the London Sustainable Development Commission (LSDC) work across Cleantech and Innovation.
Is cleantech entrepreneurship missing out on the Diversity Dividend?
The LSDC conducted a survey and a series of workshops in 2018 to deep dive into the issues, challenges and opportunities for women led cleantech enterprises and those women looking to start one.
Its research, and resulting report – Is Cleantech Entrepreneurship missing out on the Diversity Dividend? (December 2018) – identified further work needed to help address some of these challenges.
The Action Plan developed from this initial evidence base aims to ensure that the London cleantech economy benefits from attracting female innovators to the field, keeping them in a thriving business community and helping them succeed in cleantech entrepreneurship as current and future market leaders. The plan is divided up into four workstreams each being led by one of our four steering group members.
Women making waves in cleantech innovation
Kate Hofman
Kate Hofman is Founder of GrowUp Farms (which progressed through Undaunted‘s accelerator, now know as The Greenhouse, back in 2014), and CEO and Co-Founder of Pesto.
After studying for a Master’s in Environmental Technology at Imperial College London, Kate founded GrowUp Farms – the UK’s first vertical farm selling bagged salad to a UK supermarket.
Megan Hale
Megan Hale is CEO and Co-Founder of Team Repair, which progressed through The Greenhouse in 2023.
As a teen, Megan knew she wasn’t destined for a job sitting behind someone else’s desk. She was going to run her own business. Megan loved taking broken stuff apart and fixing it. So, when she found out about a Master’s in Design Engineering at Imperial, she knew it was for her.
Carmel Rafaeli
Carmel Rafaeli is an angel investor and venture partner who supports climate-positive startups with female founders.
Her first job was as a radio news producer, she worked in business development in Japan, and founded and managed a hospitality tech startup. She’s now an angel investor (making small investments of £2000 at a time in startups), and a Venture Partner at Conduit Ventures and Alma Angels.
Safia Qureshi
Safia Qureshi is Founder and CEO of pioneering and award-winning reusable packaging company, CLUBZERØ.
After qualifying as an architect Safia realised she wanted to make a more fundamental impact on how we live than she could by designing houses, schools and offices. She wanted to re-design part of the fabric of our cities in a sustainable, pioneering way.
Alex Park
As a child growing up in Texas, Alex was fascinated by nature and food. But it was only after a career in data insights at Fortune 100 companies in Silicon Valley that she decided to combine her skills and interests to invent a technology to help farmers improve the soil and grow food sustainably.
Women in Cleantech Resource Library
The LSDC and Undaunted have developed resources and guidance materials to help those working in the cleantech sector. Our library of materials is designed to help both individuals and organisations. Perhaps you are a female founder working on new ideas, growing your own business, looking for help with how to take the next step or hoping to develop a new set of skills. Or maybe you are an organisation supporting the cleantech sector through events, funding and finance, or career development. Check out the materials below and contact us if you spot an area of support that’s missing.
Networks and organisations
Coming soon! The Women in Cleantech programme team is developing a list of other networks and organisations offering resources, funding, events and guidance for female entrepreneurs and those working in the cleantech sector.
Recruitment and retention guidance
Code of conduct agreement
Gender diversity event guidance
Supported by
Women in Cleantech (WiCT) is a project funded by the Mayor of London, led by Undaunted, that seeks to explore these questions by developing an active and collaborative network and bringing together a suite of resources to recognise and support women entrepreneurs, innovators and leaders. It is a strand of the London Sustainable Development Commission (LSDC) work across Cleantech and Innovation.
