From Ideas to Real Solutions: 14 Cleantech Teams on Their GCIP 2026 Journey

From Ideas to Real Solutions: 14 Cleantech Teams on Their GCIP 2026 Journey

Innovation isn’t driven by corporations – it’s driven by people. That’s why our five-month GCIP 2026 acceleration program began not with dry presentations and formalities, but with building a real community. After a thorough selection process involving dozens of strong applications, we chose 14 teams whose solutions have the potential to transform energy, mobility, and sustainable manufacturing. On May 9, we brought the entire cohort together in Kyiv for an in-person Kick-off event that officially launched the program.

How the Kick-off Went

The main goal of the day was simple – to create a space where the teams could truly connect. So instead of polished pitches and formal networking, we took a different approach. The participants shared stories of failure – real mistakes they had made while developing their products. They played “Two Truths and a Lie,” where they had to guess which fact about a fellow participant was made up and which two were true. They also energized the room with the “Valid or Sus?” icebreaker, which revealed just how different people’s comfort zones could be and helped ease the tension of meeting for the first time.

Sharing these honest, sometimes funny and sometimes difficult stories helped the teams build stronger connections. Behind every startup are real people who make mistakes, learn from them, and keep moving forward. Between activities, each team presented its pitch. Hearing several pitches back-to-back made it easy to spot connections: one team might be facing a challenge that another had already tackled, while an approach developed by one team could prove useful to another.

14 Teams, 14 Cleantech Solutions

This year’s cohort brought together a diverse mix of solutions for Ukraine’s green recovery. To give a clearer picture of the scope of their work, we grouped the teams by focus area.

Energy Innovation & Efficiency

EnergyCitizen develops smart controllers that extend the lifespan of lithium iron phosphate batteries and integrate them with solar systems.
Noviterm AI develops a predictive AI-powered climate control system for non-residential buildings that significantly reduces heating and cooling costs.
UA Green manufactures small wind turbines to provide affordable, decentralized energy.
GreenInvest delivers energy solutions for businesses using solar PV and battery energy storage systems (BESS).
Alterna develops renewable energy solutions and manufactures rubber products.
EcoNutValley is a family-owned agribusiness that produces alternative fuel – pellets made from nut shells – for solid-fuel boilers.

Sustainable Mobility and Infrastructure

220-km.com is Ukraine’s first VPP and EV roaming network, helping balance the power grid through EV charging stations.
EVBOOST is a service that helps electric vehicle drivers save on charging costs while enabling charging station owners to earn more.
Conteon is building a new transaction infrastructure, with its first product turning a smartphone into both an access key and a payment method for private parking facilities.

Circular Economy and New Materials

Recycle UA is the world’s first marketplace for recyclable materials, turning waste into a source of income for businesses and condominium associations.
Z1RO creates sustainable packaging from non-wood fibers and proprietary biomaterials.
YES STRAWS (YES REEDS) produces reed straws and is actively developing solutions for the advanced processing of this material.
GoGoBag is a cross-border marketplace for personal parcel delivery that reduces CO₂ emissions by up to 99% by matching deliveries with travelers already heading in the same direction.
Fiskin is a Ukrainian brand challenging traditional ideas of luxury by creating high-end accessories from fish leather.

The Journey So Far

14 teams. 14 different stories. One shared goal – to build a resilient economy through innovation. Throughout the program, the teams have been testing hypotheses, taking part in expert sessions, receiving mentorship, and meeting with investors. The program is now approaching Demo Day, where the teams will present their projects to investors and the broader ecosystem.

Throughout GCIP 2026, we have continued to build Ukraine’s green community – a network of founders, experts, mentors, and partners working together to create better conditions for green businesses. One strong team can be a success story. A community of strong teams that know and support one another can change the game.