Start-ups are already building Britain’s green future

Britain’s climate targets are no longer abstract ambitions. They are deadlines, and the country is drifting past them. Emissions remain stubborn, infrastructure creaks under demand, and the window for keeping global warming within manageable limits is narrowing fast. If the UK is serious about meeting its climate commitments, it must stop pretending that incremental reform will suffice – and start backing the people already building alternatives.

Those people are start-up founders. As Dr. Karim Bahou, Head of Innovation at Sister, a climate tech hub supporting start-ups to scale green innovations, argues, “In 2026, start-ups will continue to spearhead green tech in the UK and lead innovation in this sector.” This is not speculative optimism. There are “almost 16,000 green tech companies across the country, with the majority being in the seed (31%) or venture stage (24%), who are leading the way in developing unique and innovative solutions to the climate crisis.” Britain is not short of ideas. It is short of follow-through.

The stakes could not be higher. “We need these businesses now more than ever,” Bahou warns, “especially when global warming is predicted to reach as high as 3°C – double the Net Zero target of 1.5°C agreed by global nations.” At 3°C, climate disruption is no longer a future risk but a present condition, with consequences that will define economic and political life for decades. Technology alone will not avert this outcome, but without rapid innovation, the path back becomes increasingly implausible.

Start-ups are uniquely placed to move quickly, challenge legacy systems and test new models. As Bahou puts it, “Innovative start-ups will create the solutions to help get us back on track.” Yet Britain’s long-standing weakness lies not in invention but in scale. Too many promising companies stall at precisely the moment they should be expanding, constrained by funding gaps, high operating costs and limited access to markets.

This is where government and industry must intervene. “They need better access to funding to overcome barriers to scaling, such as high operational costs,” Bahou says. Without that support, innovation risks becoming a revolving door – incubated domestically, then exported elsewhere when growth becomes too difficult at home.

There are models that work. “Part of the solution is encouraging further collaboration between start-ups and innovative energy providers such as Octopus Energy to develop their solutions at competitive prices.” At Sister, “an innovation district that is home to Sustainable Ventures’ northern climate tech hub,” start-ups are being connected “with established organisations, investors, and industry experts who can accelerate their growth.” These ecosystems shorten the distance between idea and implementation. They are not luxuries; they are infrastructure.

The conclusion is unavoidable. “If the UK wants to be a leader in the clean energy transition, it must act now to help start-ups reach their full potential.” Britain does not lack talent, research or ambition. What it lacks is urgency in turning innovation into national capability. The climate clock is already running. The solutions are emerging. The question is whether the country is prepared to move fast enough to keep them here – and let them grow.