Imperial Program Turns Climate Ideas Into Funded Startups

When Janarthanan Venkatachalam invented a wave energy system to power coastal communities in India, he hit a wall that stops most climate innovators: finding the funding and expertise to scale up. Now, a unique program at Imperial College London is changing those odds.

The MSc Cleantech Innovation program doesn't just teach students about climate solutions. It launches them into viable businesses with an 88% survival rate, compared to just 10% for typical startups.

Venkatachalam co-founded Kinowave during his undergraduate years, creating a wave energy system that also prevents coastal erosion. Despite winning the 2025 UK James Dyson Award, he struggled to attract investors in India and lacked the knowledge to scale his technology.

Everything changed when he joined Imperial's program on a Chevening Scholarship. The university gave him access to specialized wave energy tanks, connections to investors, and mentorship from climate scientists.

"The Grantham Institute has taught me to first identify a problem, and develop a solution that is sustainable," Venkatachalam says. When Kinowave struggled to gain traction, he learned to pivot quickly, developing energy storage and thermal technologies instead.

The Ripple Effect

The program's secret sauce isn't just about supporting existing ideas. Students like Ulah Hasan, who studied fashion at Arizona State University, are learning to apply design thinking to climate challenges in completely new ways.

Her first assignment was designing a hat that addresses a climate issue, forcing her to prioritize function over aesthetics. Now she's working on capturing waste heat from data centers for industrial reuse, a concept far outside her original expertise.

"I joined this programme to be truly interdisciplinary and try new things," Hasan says. "I'm surprising myself as to how open I am."

Dr. Reshma Rao, who co-leads the program, explains why this approach works. "The course connects curious minds with world-leading scientists and research facilities; it provides industry contacts, exposure to investors, and access to Imperial's entrepreneurial network."

Students can test prototypes in the Advanced Hackspace, get technical support from researchers, and refine their business models in a supportive environment. Imperial was named Outstanding Entrepreneurial University of 2025 at the Times Higher Education Awards, partly because of programs like this one.

The program accepts students at all stages, from those with fledgling startups to complete beginners curious about climate innovation. What matters most is the willingness to experiment, fail, and iterate quickly.

"Imperial is a safe space, slightly protected from the cut-throat reality of the corporate world," Dr. Rao says. That protection helps climate innovators take the risks needed to create breakthrough solutions.

As climate challenges intensify globally, programs that transform bright ideas into scalable businesses aren't just educational experiments—they're becoming essential launchpads for the solutions our planet needs.