WE ARE
Mycellium empowers students through CIC platforms, using mentorship, collaboration, and global exchange to transform ideas into real-world climate solutions that advance sustainability and social impact.
The Climate Innovation Challenge (CIC) is a global virtual program that brings together students, climate start-ups, academics and policy makers in bi-annual cohorts of 60 students. Each cohort moves through an intensive 10-week consultancy with training workshops facilitated by partners like Columbia Climate School, University of Pennsylvania, and Climate Hive to develop sustainable climate solutions for real-world partners. Students are organized into teams, collaborate closely with climate start-ups (for profit as well as non-profit) for intensive ten-week consultancy projects.
CIC is organized by Mycellium and supported by Columbia Climate School, Penn Environmental Innovation Initiative of University of Pennsylvania, Climate Hive, UNDP Bangladesh Accelerator Lab and the Resolution Project. Through collaboration, CIC aims to empower the next generation of leaders to address global challenges, creating a more sustainable future for all.
01
CIC offers experiential, collaborative learning through eight workshops on climate literacy, communication, and design thinking supported by partners like Columbia Climate School, UPenn, ARUP Australia, and HSBC Bangladesh to foster interdisciplinary and critical thinking.
02
Selected participants collaborate with climate start-ups, gaining hands-on experience, practical skills, and real world insights beyond academia.
03
Each team is assigned with a dedicated mentor, receiving critical feedback and suggestions in the process of creating collaborative solutions. Regular peer feedback sessions help create a recursive model for personal and professional growth for each participant.
04
Held twice a year, CIC connects global youth and climate start-ups for ten weeks of collaborative learning, leadership growth, and lasting global connections.
182 STUDENTS
Gained interdisciplinary climate experience and climate education
75%
Participants representing from Global South
53%
Female participation driving climate gender equality
53 COUNTRIES AND 124 UNIVERSITIES
Collaborated with 26 climate startups tackling global climate and business challenges through innovation and teamwork.
53%
female participation
promoting gender equality in the climate industry
182 students
have gained experiential interdisciplinary climate learning
opportunity through CIC since 2023
53 Countries
representing
124 universities
75%
coming from Global South
participants coming from Global South representing
10 COUNTRIES AND 24 Climate Startups
climate startups supported through Climate Innovation Challenge
8,320 Hours
Consultation delivered through the CIC program
44% Startups
from Global South includes Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Kenya and South Africa
56% Startups
from Global North includes UK, New Zealand, Canada and USA
56%
climate startups from Global North
10
countries
24
climate startups supported through CIC
