Shine 2027 is an early-stage climate innovation programme by the Swiss Re Foundation, in partnership with Climate KIC, designed to help social entrepreneurs develop and scale solutions that address urban climate challenges.

Cities are at the centre of both the climate challenge and the transition towards more resilient, low-carbon economies. However, many cities continue to face an implementation gap: climate plans and commitments do not always translate into solutions being deployed at scale, resources being mobilised, communities being engaged, or climate action delivering equitable outcomes. Shine for Cities is designed to help address this gap by supporting entrepreneurs whose innovations can move from early-stage development towards measurable climate and social impact.

The programme is open to early-stage enterprises operating in or serving one of eight Shine cities: Bangalore, Bratislava, Cape Town, London, Manila, Mexico City, New York and Zurich. Applicants may offer either product-based or service-based innovations, provided their solutions have emissions-reduction potential and can develop into scalable business models capable of achieving measurable environmental outcomes.

Shine is particularly suited to ventures that are 0–4 years old, have already established a minimum viable product (MVP), and have a pilot or commercial launch underway. Applicants should demonstrate a strong pathway towards financial sustainability, including non-grant revenue opportunities and customer pipelines, rather than relying solely on grant funding.

The programme prioritises innovations addressing key urban climate challenges across six focus areas:

• Energy Transition – renewable energy adoption, distributed energy systems, energy storage and low-carbon energy access.
• Building Efficiency and Electrification – energy efficiency, building retrofits, electrification and reducing emissions from the built environment.
• Sustainable Transport – low-carbon mobility, public transport, active mobility, fleet electrification and equitable access to transport.
• Waste and Circular Economy – reducing waste, resource recovery, recycling systems and circular value chains.
• Urban Nature and Land Use – urban biodiversity, green infrastructure, sustainable food systems and nature-positive urban development.
• Climate Data, Governance and Monitoring – climate intelligence, emissions tracking, risk assessment, decision-making and public engagement. 

Beyond climate mitigation, Shine places emphasis on inclusive climate action. Solutions should contribute to making climate solutions more affordable and accessible to low-income communities and creating livelihood opportunities. Where this is not directly applicable, the solution should address climate mitigation or adaptation through a climate justice lens.

Selected ventures will receive a combination of grant funding, Swiss Re expertise in risk, strategy and business development, leadership and executive coaching, support in developing scalable climate business models, and access to ecosystem partners and climate innovation networks. The programme is designed not only to provide financial support, but also to strengthen ventures' market readiness, impact measurement, go-to-market strategies, operational resilience and capacity for growth.

The programme operates through eight city chapters across eight countries, with grant funding tailored to each location. The available grant amounts are:

• Bangalore, India: INR 2,000,000
• Bratislava, Slovakia: EUR 40,000
• Cape Town, South Africa: ZAR 300,000
• London, United Kingdom: GBP 40,000
• Manila, Philippines: USD 30,000
• Mexico City, Mexico: USD 30,000
• New York, United States of America: USD 40,000
• Zurich, Switzerland: CHF 55,000

Applicants should therefore consider the specific city chapter relevant to their application, as the funding amount and programme arrangements vary by location.

The programme will run from January to May 2027, with city-specific in-person modules supported by virtual engagement. The programme structure focuses on systems thinking, stakeholder engagement, business strategy, impact design, go-to-market strategy, organisational resilience, pitching and leadership development. 

The support can extend beyond the four-month programme. Ventures may gain access to follow-on funding from mission-aligned investors, strategic ecosystem connections, potential pilot and market-access opportunities, and technical assistance. The programme timeline also indicates the potential for a second round of investment of up to USD 300,000 for ventures that demonstrate the ability to scale. 

Shine assesses impact through both environmental and social outcomes. The primary environmental impact measure is the tonnes of CO₂ emissions avoided or reduced, while other potential outcomes include protecting or restoring vulnerable land, diverting waste from landfill, creating quality jobs and livelihoods, improving access to affordable climate solutions, strengthening urban resilience and enabling communities to adopt lower-emission practices.

Who Should Apply?

The opportunity is intended for early-stage climate entrepreneurs and enterprises that:

• Operate in or serve one of the eight Shine cities.
• Are 0–4 years old.
• Have an established MVP.
• Have a pilot or commercial launch underway.
• Offer a product- or service-based innovation with emissions-reduction potential.
• Have a scalable business model capable of generating measurable environmental outcomes.
• Demonstrate a pathway towards financial sustainability and non-grant revenue.
• Have a clear understanding of the environmental challenge they are addressing.
• Have a theory of change for achieving climate and social impact.
• Can commit significant founder time to the four-month programme, including 11 in-person days. 

Priority Areas

Energy Transition; Building Efficiency & Electrification; Sustainable Transport; Waste & Circular Economy; Urban Nature & Land Use; Climate Data, Governance & Monitoring.

Support Available

Selected ventures can receive:

• Grant funding according to the relevant Shine city chapter.
• Swiss Re expertise in risk, strategy and business development.
• Leadership and executive coaching.
• Support to develop scalable climate business models.
• Impact measurement and management support.
• Go-to-market and market-readiness support.
• Access to ecosystem partners and climate innovation networks.
• Potential follow-on funding and investment.
• Potential pilot and market-access opportunities.
• Technical assistance. 

Application Deadline

15 September 2026

Programme Period

January – May 2027

Programme Locations

Bangalore, India; Bratislava, Slovakia; Cape Town, South Africa; London, United Kingdom; Manila, Philippines; Mexico City, Mexico; New York, United States of America; Zurich, Switzerland.

Click HERE to visit the official website.