Global Tech Summit Launches Live Pitch Stage Dedicated to Climate Startups
SAN FRANCISCO – November 20, 2025 – The Global Tech Summit announced today the launch of a dedicated Live Pitch Stage for climate startups at its 2026 conference, creating a premier showcase for early-stage companies developing breakthrough solutions in decarbonization, clean energy, and climate resilience. The initiative will feature 40 curated startups presenting to a global audience of 2,500+ investors, corporate partners, and industry leaders.
The Live Pitch Stage, scheduled for March 15-16, 2026, at Moscone Center, will spotlight companies across six critical sectors: hydrogen production, sustainable aviation fuel, low-carbon materials, grid-scale energy storage, carbon removal, and AI-enabled climate solutions. Selected finalists will deliver five-minute presentations followed by live Q&A from a judging panel comprising venture partners from Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Lowercarbon Capital, and Energy Impact Partners.
The program arrives as climate tech funding undergoes significant transformation. According to Net Zero Insight’s State of Climate Tech H1 2025 report, equity investment reached $23.5 billion in the first half of 2025—marking the lowest half-year total since 2020—while deal volume contracted nearly 50% year-over-year to just 1,651 transactions. However, non-dilutive capital, including debt financing and public grants, has surged to $20.4 billion, representing a maturing ecosystem where infrastructure-ready technologies increasingly secure performance-based funding. This capital shift underscores investors’ growing appetite for scalable, revenue-generating climate solutions that the Pitch Stage will directly address.
“Climate startups face a paradox: unprecedented technological readiness meets increasingly selective capital deployment,” said Dr. Elena Vasquez, CEO of Global Tech Summit. “Our Live Pitch Stage eliminates friction between innovators and capital by providing a rigorously vetted, high-impact forum where founders can demonstrate traction, and investors can efficiently access de-risked opportunities in hard-to-abate sectors.”
The selection process, now open for applications through January 15, 2026, will evaluate candidates on technological innovation, commercial viability, and measurable climate impact. Finalists gain complimentary summit access, structured networking sessions with corporate sustainability officers from Fortune 500 companies, and post-event placement in the summit’s digital innovation database distributed to all attending investors. Historical data from partner pitch competitions show that 68% of featured startups secure follow-on funding within 12 months, with average round sizes increasing 40% compared to pre-event baselines.
The 2026 summit builds on successful models from recent industry events, including Hello Tomorrow’s Global Summit, which convened 80 climate tech finalists in March 2025 before 500+ investors, and VERGE 25’s startup pitch competitions that drew standing-room audiences in October. The Global Tech Summit’s program distinguishes itself through a mandatory technical due diligence review conducted by third-party engineering experts prior to selection, ensuring only investment-ready technologies reach the stage.
About Global Tech Summit
The Global Tech Summit is the world’s leading conference connecting deep technology innovators with global capital. Now in its eighth year, the summit has facilitated over $3.2 billion in startup funding through curated matchmaking, technical showcases, and executive forums. The 2026 event will host 5,000 attendees across clean energy, biotech, quantum computing, and advanced manufacturing tracks.
Media Contact:
Sarha Al-Mansoori
Director of Corporate Communications
G42
Email: media@g42.ai
Phone: +971 2555 0100
Website:www.g42.ai
