RESPOND

RESPOND

Advancing Solutions that RESPOND to Global Challenges

RESPOND

Advancing Innovation from Idea to Impact

RESPOND is the BMW Foundation’s global platform for entrepreneurs developing solutions that create environmental, economic, and societal impact. We support leaders throughout the innovation lifecycle, with a focus on two pivotal stages of growth:

Early-stage startups with high-impact solutions ready to scale. Through our two RESPOND Accelerator programs, we support their development and validation.
Late-stage startups with advanced clean-technologies ready for commercial deployment. These ventures receive support through our RESPOND Scaleup program.

Our aim is to close the critical gaps that prevent clean-tech innovations from reaching the market. Through dedicated support, trusted networks, and global visibility, founders learn to navigate the path from first prototype to large-scale adoption.

Purpose, Vision, and Impact

Why RESPOND exists

The transition to an innovative and responsible economy is opening pathways for rapid progress in energy, industry, and urban infrastructure. While clean-tech innovation is accelerating worldwide, the path from product breakthrough to full market deployment requires alignment and collaboration. Too many promising ventures fall into the so-called “valleys of death”:  

When breakthrough products struggle to reach market deployment. 
When proven technologies fail to scale due to capital intensity, fragmented ecosystems, or slow market uptake.

These gaps result in lost climate impact, reduced competitiveness, and missed opportunities to accelerate innovation across systems that shape daily life. RESPOND is designed to address these issues.

We run a six-month RESPOND Accelerator program focused on two critical challenges, empowering early-stage founders to develop solutions with relevance and impact for our shared future.

RESPOND ACCELERATOR Program

Guiding early-stage ventures from lab to market.

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RESPOND SCALEUP Program

Supporting scaleups on the path to global deployment

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RESPOND: 5 YEARS OF IMPACT

The RESPOND Impact Analysis is out now.

Download and read the full Impact analysis now.

DOWNLOAD

Our Startups

98% of our startups recommend the program to fellow entrepreneurs.We are proud to work with some of the most innovative entrepreneurs addressing global challenges. RESPOND is all about supporting promising deep-tech solutions that contribute to a sustainable and equitable global economy.

Active Surfaces

Alithic

Atmosfuture

BATx

CarbonBridge

Cetogenix

Circu Li-ion

Heatrix

ionysis

NitroVolt

PULSETRAIN

Radical Dot

Reverion

TURN2X

Active Surfaces
Woburn, USA
WebsiteActive Surfaces, an MIT spinout, leads the way in utilizing flexible thin-film solar modules to achieve significant reductions in CO₂ emissions. Their high-volume roll-to-roll production of perovskite-based solar panels offers cost-effective and versatile solutions for expanding solar energy applications.

Alithic
New York, USA
WebsiteAlithic is revolutionizing the construction industry by integrating carbon capture with the production of eco-friendly concrete. Their innovative process efficiently captures CO₂ and converts it into a valuable cement substitute, eliminating the need for CO₂ transport and offering a capital-efficient solution with dual revenue streams.

Atmosfuture
Sacramento, USA
WebsiteAtmosfuture is redefining climate change mitigation with its Reverse Fractionation of Carbon Capture (REVFRACC) system, the first supercooling carbon capture solution that is both affordable and energy-positive. The patented Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology reduces carbon capture costs, making it 90% cheaper than traditional methods. Unlike competitors, REVFRACC generates clean, carbon-free power while capturing CO2, providing a unique dual benefit.

BATx
Medellín, Colombia
WebsiteBATx is at the forefront of repurposing EV batteries, extending their lifespan, and mitigating waste. They provide affordable energy storage solutions for industrial, residential, and off-grid applications, facilitating equitable and sustainable energy access across LATAM while supporting the region's energy transition.

CarbonBridge
Newark, USA
WebsiteCarbonBridge is redefining gas fermentation by combining natural microbes with a breakthrough bioreactor design that delivers gases directly to the cell, without liquid barriers, and unleashing their productivity. Their modular, pressure-free system produces low-carbon methanol and customizable bio-chemicals with unmatched energy efficiency and scalability – empowering a sustainable future for fuel, cosmetics, and cleaning industries.

Cetogenix
Rotorua, New Zealand
WebsiteCetogenix is a pioneer in the Waste-to-X sector, utilizing its Ceto-Boost™ technology to convert complex organic waste into low-carbon biomethane, green ammonia, and biogenic carbon dioxide. By molecularly deconstructing waste, they produce renewable resources, significantly reducing the carbon footprint and driving sustainable waste management.

Circu Li-ion
Luxemburg, Luxemburg
WebsiteCircu Li-ion revolutionizes battery lifecycle management with automated systems that streamline the disassembly and diagnostics process. By promoting remanufacturing and reuse, their technology reduces the demand for new cells and supports the design for battery circularity, leading to a more sustainable approach to battery resource management.

Heatrix
Bremen, Germany
WebsiteHeatrix leads the way in sustainable industrial heating by providing high-temperature process heat without carbon emissions. Their cutting-edge technology not only reduces costs compared to fossil fuels but also supports industries in achieving their decarbonization goals, paving the way for a more sustainable industrial landscape.

ionysis
Freiburg, Germany
Websiteionysis leads the electrochemical field with its groundbreaking PFAS-free catalyst coated membranes, establishing new standards for efficiency and temperature stability. Their technology surpasses traditional PFSA/Nafion chemistry, offering cost-effective and environmentally sustainable solutions for the next generation of electrochemical applications.

NitroVolt
Søborg, Denmark
WebsiteNitroVolt is revolutionizing fertilizer production with its innovative localized ammonia synthesis system that utilizes air, water, and electricity. This system significantly reduces the need for centralized production, cuts transport emissions, and provides a stable supply of eco-friendly nitrogen fertilizer, addressing supply chain volatility and environmental concerns.

PULSETRAIN
Munich, Germany
WebsitePULSETRAIN drives innovation in mobility by addressing battery longevity and energy efficiency. Their advanced technology significantly extends the lifespan of EV batteries and supports the development of circular battery solutions.

Radical Dot
Munich, Germany
WebsiteRadical Dot is at the forefront of the chemical industry with its innovative chemical recycling technology that transforms non-recyclable plastics into essential chemicals, such as acetic acid. Their cost-effective and energy-efficient process addresses waste stream contamination and competes with fossil fuel-based chemical production, promoting a more sustainable and circular chemical industry.

Reverion
Eresing, Germany
WebsiteOur containerized power plants achieve record efficiencies, doubling the electricity production from biogas compared to state-of-the-art solutions. In the process, no off-gas is emitted, but instead pure CO2 is separated, allowing for negative CO2-emissions. Additionally, the plants can switch to green hydrogen or methane generatio and enable long-term energy storage.

TURN2X
Munich, Germany
WebsiteTURN2X is leading Europe's industrial decarbonization efforts, driving change with its groundbreaking renewable natural gas (RNG) technology. By converting green hydrogen and biogenic CO₂ into e-methane, the company paves the way for industrial decarbonization.

AirSmat

Allegro

BIOSORRA

Cyclize

DaisyLab

Origin by Ocean

Ponda

S.Lab

Sparxell

Symbaiosys

AirSmat
Lagos, Nigeria
WebsiteRevolutionizing African farming with AI-driven AgTech, AirSmat empowers farmers to optimize yields, combat climate change and earn carbon credits. They do this by integrating AI and farm data, democratising the production of biochar to regenerate the soil and improve farmers’ livelihoods across Africa.

Allegro
Thornton, Australia
WebsitePioneering sustainable, long-duration energy storage using a new type of flow battery, Allegro Energy addresses the challenges of renewable energy integration by utilizing microemulsion electrolytes. Their approach offers a scalable, cost-effective solution supporting a transition to a more sustainable energy future.

BIOSORRA
North Carolina, US
WebsiteTurning carbon waste into soil-enriching biochar with the aid of their patented pyro reactor, BIOSORRA combats soil degradation and sequesters carbon. By doing so, they are contributing to environmental resilience and sustainable farming.

Cyclize
Stuttgart, Germany
WebsiteCyclize defossilizes the chemical industry by turning plastic waste and CO2 into syngas with the aid of a novel plasma reactor. This enables the circular economy of carbon, replaces natural gas, and utilizes CO2.

Daisy Lab
Auckland, New Zealand
WebsiteDaisyLab produces dairy-identical proteins using microbial fermentation, offering sustainable dairy proteins without the need for cows. Their technology addresses the environmental concerns associated with traditional dairy production methods.

Origin by Ocean
Espoo, Finland
WebsiteBy extracting valuable bio-based chemicals from invasive algae, Origin by Ocean provides a sustainable alternative to conventional oil-based products. They promote biodiversity and contribute to reducing environmental pollution and resource depletion.

Ponda
Bristol, UK
WebsitePonda creates next-generation textiles, crafted from plants grown on regenerated wetlands. They promote ecosystem restoration and biodiversity conservation while enabling the fashion industry to transition towards healthier materials.

S.Lab
Kyiv, Ukraine
WebsiteOffering a natural replacement for foamed plastics at an industrial scale, S.Lab's green packaging solution uses agricultural waste and mushroom roots to provide a biodegradable alternative. Their eco-friendly packaging solution reduces environmental pollution and resource depletion in the packaging industry.

Sparxell
London, UK
WebsiteDeveloping bioinspired colorants from plants, Sparxell revolutionizes the colorant industry by making it more sustainable. This is done by creating vibrant structural colors from a single, renewable ingredient, which reduces resource depletion and pollution.

Symbaiosis
Manama, Bahrain
WebsiteBy building a nature investment database and algorithmic natural capital valuation platform, Symbaiosys unlocks new opportunities for investing in nature, and for quantifying the unpriced value of our planet’s ecosystem services.

Biotic

EcoLocked

Goodcarbon

Koralo

NatureDots

Nium

Novobiom

SimplexDNA

Toucan Protocol

tozero

Biotic
Cesarea, Israel
WebsiteCommodifying biobased and biodegradable polymers to substitute plastic. Biotic is redefining sustainable materials with fully biodegradable polymers made from macroalgae and a secret recipe.

EcoLocked
Berlin, Germany
WebsiteTurning sequestered carbon into a valuable resource for the construction industry. Ecolocked is developing scalable carbon removal and storage solutions by turning biochar into admix materials for concrete, reducing embodied CO2 emissions in concrete, and improving building performance.

goodcarbon
Berlin, Germany
WebsiteIntroducing a Nature-as-a-Service Platform for conscious corporate climate action. Goodcarbon is providing access to high-quality sustainable projects, creating a new market for carbon offsets that empower companies to achieve a climate, nature, and social impact.

Koralo
Munich, Germany
WebsiteCapturing the ocean's nutritional richness for thriving people and oceans. Koralo wants to change the way we think about food production. They capture the ocean's nutritional richness using the co-fermentation of microalgae and mycelium. Harnessing the abundance of the ocean's microbiome, Koralo produces high-quality food products, including microalgae as an ingredient.

NatureDots
New Delhi, India
WebsiteReducing the risks from ecological threats and uncertainties for water ecosystems and inland fish farmers. NatureDots is providing real-time monitoring and insights into the health of water ecosystems, reducing the risks associated with ecological threats and uncertainties for water ecosystems and inland fish farmers.

Nium
London, UK
WebsiteDecarbonizing chemistry with nanotechnology. Nium is delivering energy through nanotechnology, abating agricultural pollution and eliminating emissions through Green Ammonia on Demand.

Novobiom
Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
WebsiteDesigning a regenerative solution to waste by taking inspiration from nature. Novobiom is developing a regenerative solution to waste by using advanced bioengineering, transforming waste into high-value biological compounds, renewable energy and soil regenerative solutions.

SimplexDNA
Winterthur, Switzerland
WebsiteBuilding a biodiversity monitoring system based on environmental DNA. SimplexDNA is building a biodiversity monitoring system based on eDNA, a cost-effective and efficient way to monitor biodiversity, promoting sustainable management practices.

Toucan Protocol
Zurich, Switzerland
WebsiteSupporting the voluntary carbon market to scale in a transparent and high-integrity way. Toucan Protocol is streamlining the carbon trading process with technology to unlock climate action at scale, providing incentives for climate impact projects, and contributing to a greener future.

tozero
Munich, Germany
WebsiteRecycling lithium-ion batteries for the EV industry. Tozero is committed to recycling lithium-ion batteries, recovering essential materials like lithium, nickel, cobalt, and graphite, and reducing the environmental impact of lithium-ion batteries, a major contributor to e-waste.

Cirplus GmbH

Climate Farmers

Ekolive

Hypha

Kitekraft Inc/GmbH

Rrreefs

Sinkco Labs

Strawcture Eco

Strong by Form

Unspun

Cirplus GmbH
Hamburg, Germany
WebsiteCirplus is the global marketplace for circular plastics. Their vision is to end plastic pollution by making it easy, transparent, and cost efficient to use recycled plastics in new products and thus stop the influx of waste into the oceans and the environment at large.

Climate Farmers
Berlin, Germany
WebsiteClimate Farmers builds the infrastructure for scaling regenerative agriculture in Europe by offering a data- and communication platform for farmers, corporates, and regulators. Their first products are carbon credits that generate higher returns per certificate for the farmers.

Ekolive
Paderborn, Germany
WebsiteEkolive is the first and leading provider of a new bioleaching method. Their bacteria-based biological technology turns waste into high-quality raw material and biostimulants for agriculture. The solution is an EU-certified eco-innovation.

Hypha
Wyoming, US
WebsiteHypha builds decentralized tools (DAOs, DHOs) to consolidate the various movements, organizations, and platforms striving towards empowering humanity & regenerating the earth’s biosphere. They leverage Web3 technologies to achieve a sustainable mindset shift.

Kitekraft Inc/GmbH
Munich, Germany
WebsiteKitekraft builds flying wind turbines, a mixture of rigid-wing kites and drones. The TUM spin-off thus provides a new form of wind energy that reduces the materials needed for wind power by 10 times and drastically reduces cost compared to conventional wind turbines.

Rrreefs
Zurich, Switzerland
WebsiteRrreefs combines marine science with an artistic vision and state-of-the-art technology to restore underwater ecosystems. The ETH spin-off uses 3D printing to develop modular reefs with a structurally complex design and aims to target markets by developing biodiversity credits.

Sinkco Labs
Copenhagen, Denmark
WebsiteSinkco Labs sequesters CO2 in the deep sea permanently by locking organic carbon from algae biomass into the earth’s mantle. At the same time, they use algae by-products to offer carbon-negative commodities such as protein, antioxidants, and ethanol.

Strawcture Eco
New Delhi, India
WebsiteStrawcture Eco manufactures India’s first carbon-negative engineered building panel for furniture, ceilings, and walls to offset the carbon footprint of buildings and discourage biomass burning as the panels are made of 96% agricultural residue.

Strong by Form
Santiago, Chile
WebsiteStrong by Form bonds nature and technology to create lightweight high-performance timber-based composites strong enough to become a sustainable alternative to highly polluting materials such as steel, concrete, aluminum, or fiber-reinforced plastics in industries such as construction and mobility.

Unspun
San Francisco, US
WebsiteUnspun is a robotics and digital apparel company building on-demand jeans. Through 3D printing and additive manufacturing, the tech-style brand crafts customized jeans and develops a technology that can be used by other companies.

AquaFarms Africa

Concular

ConstellR

FACIL'iti

The Live Green Co.

PolyXlabs

Resortecs

Retraced

traceless materials

Village Data Analytics (VIDA)

AquaFarms Africa
Conakry, Guinea
WebsiteAquaFarms Africa’s tech-enabled systems provide a farm-to-table solution to give African youth the opportunity to grow food locally. It is set up as a social franchise to foster local and more sustainable food production. The team partners with top-tier hotels and restaurants across Africa.

Concular
Berlin & Stuttgart, Germany
WebsiteConcular is working towards a resource-efficient and carbon-neutral built environment by creating material loops using digital passports. Concular partners with the largest German project developers, building owners, and manufacturers.

ConstellR
Freiburg, Germany
WebsiteConstellr is harnessing ‘beyond-visual’ earth observation data to drive the agricultural revolution towards a more sustainable food system. ConstellR provides global crop monitoring services to optimize water productivity and improve yield models. A proprietary system in space, it is backed by key European stakeholders.

FACIL'iti
Limoges, France
WebsiteFACIL’iti is on a mission to provide more inclusive access to the digital environment. Its software customizes the display and functionality of online content based on individual user requirements without altering the underlying digital structure or code. Partners include Allianz, LVMH, and BNP.

The Live Green Co.
Santiago, Chile
WebsiteThe Live Green Co. blends ancestral sciences of plant nutrition with biotech and AI-ML for next-gen plant-based food products with their proprietary recommendation engine. They partner with multinational producers such as the Latin-American Sigma Alimentos.

PolyXlabs
Budapest, Hungary
WebsitePolyXlabs produces a biodegradable bioplastic made completely from organic waste. The product is injection moldable, has no toxic additives, and has similar properties to PET, but completely biodegrades in home composting or natural environments.

Resortecs
Waarschoot, Belgium
WebsiteResortecs develops design-for-disassembly solutions in the textile value chain, driving full circularity in fashion with heat-dissolvable stitching threads and thermal disassembly systems that make recycling easy.

Retraced
Düsseldorf, Germany
WebsiteRetraced addresses the high complexity of supply chains in the fashion and textile industry. The platform connects all stakeholders in international supply chains on one platform and ensures efficient data exchange and transparency. Retraced partners with renowned brands such as Marc O’Polo, JOOP!, Strellson, and Windsor, as well as with global suppliers such as Artistic Milliners and Décor Global.

traceless
Hamburg, Germany
WebsiteTraceless has developed the first holistically sustainable alternative material to conventional plastics and bioplastics. The material combines excellent impact potential on all sustainability indicators with quality & price competitiveness and a high scale-up potential.

Village Data Analytics (VIDA)
Munich, Germany
WebsiteVIDA is a location intelligence software to scale investments toward the SDGs. By fusing satellite imagery with additional data sets, VIDA users work on an interactive map to monitor what is happening where target their future investment decisions and measure impact.

Amparo

BOSAQ

Brickify Ltd

goodbag

GOTBAG

Hawa Dawa

Kraftblock

Made of Air

Meersens

Plan A

Amparo
Berlin, Germany
WebsiteAmparo develops prosthetics for amputees using an innovative and direct-mold technology. They are critically contributing to mobility challenges worldwide by providing access to state-of-the-art affordable prosthetics.

BOSAQ
Deinze, Belgium
WebsiteBOSAQ provides decentralized drinking water purification installations for rural areas. The patented technology for water purification is prototyped at the Princess Elizabeth Research Center in Antarctica. Partners include Kruger National Park and international governments.

BOSAQ
Ebutte, Nigeria
WebsiteBrickify recycles plastic waste into building bricks that are water, fire, and heat resistant. Brickify addresses the housing deficit in developing countries and contributes to plastic waste management systems.

goodbag
Vienna, Austria
WebsiteGoodbag promotes behavioral change in consumers by providing a smart reusable shopping bag in cooperation with a wide network of retail partners. The solution enables users to contribute to certified climate action initiatives. Partners include Denner and Migros.

GOT BAG
Mainz, Germany
WebsiteGOT BAG launched the world’s first backpack made from ocean plastic. Building on advanced materials in partnership with Covestro, GOT BAG recovers plastic from the ocean through a network of 1,500 fishermen in Southeast Asia.

Hawa Dawa
Munich, Germany
WebsiteHawa Dawa uses the latest satellite and sensor technology with sophisticated AI modelling, epidemiological, and traffic research to tackle urban air pollution. Partners include the European Space Agency and the City of Munich. Acquired by Bernard Group in 2023.

KRAFTBLOCK
Sulzbach/Saar, Germany
WebsiteKRAFTBLOCK develops affordable, highly efficient, easily scalable, and sustainable multifunctional thermal energy storage systems. They decarbonize industries like steel, glass, or ceramics. It will even help renewables to have their breakthrough in industrial heating.

Made of Air
Berlin, Germany
WebsiteMade of Air is a technology startup that creates patented carbon-negative thermoplastics. It produces alternative materials for a number of applications in industries such as construction, automotive, and furniture.

Meersens
Lyon, France
WebsiteMeersens harnesses the power of environmental intelligence around air pollution, noise, etc. to make smart decisions about improving health & wellbeing. It deploys the most flexible, integrated SaaS/API platform with key corporates such as Véolia, Chanel, and Generali.

Plan A
Berlin, Germany
WebsitePlan A provides a SaaS-based model to monitor, reduce, and offset the environmental impact of corporates. It leverages AI to analyze client data and create tailored action plans.

Amparo

BOSAQ

Brickify Ltd

goodbag

GOTBAG

Hawa Dawa

Kraftblock

Made of Air

Meersens

Plan A

AquaFarms Africa

Concular

ConstellR

FACIL'iti

The Live Green Co.

PolyXlabs

Resortecs

Retraced

traceless materials

Village Data Analytics (VIDA)

Cirplus GmbH

Climate Farmers

Ekolive

Hypha

Kitekraft Inc/GmbH

Strawcture Eco

Strong by Form

Unspun

Biotic

EcoLocked

Goodcarbon

Koralo

NatureDots

Nium

Novobiom

SimplexDNA

Toucan Protocol

tozero

AirSmat

Allegro

BIOSORRA

Cyclize

DaisyLab

Origin by Ocean

Ponda

S.Lab

Sparxell

Symbaiosys

Contact us

E-Mail [email protected]

Verena is the RESPOND program manager at the BMW Foundation since 2020. Contact Verena if you have questions regarding the accelerator program or partnership opportunities.

RESPOND is a program by the BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting an innovative economy and a future-proof society. We feature startups and innovations as examples that contribute to a responsible and innovative economy. However, we have no financial interest in them and do not make economic recommendations.

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