Who we are
Affordable clean energy technologies, such as solar and wind, are more accessible and affordable than ever, and are cheaper than fossil fuel alternatives in over 70% of the planet. However, to continue the rapid pace of RE deployment, address hard-to-abate sectors, and decarbonise corporate supply chains, significant levels of innovation is required, with 35% technologies required to meet Net Zero targets still pre-commercial.
We help companies solve innovation challenges and gain competitive advantage by sourcing and engaging with leading climate tech innovators
The world is facing a rapidly closing window to avoid the worst consequences of climate breakdown: human-induced warming has already reached around 1.1 °C above pre-industrial levels and is on track to hit 1.5 °C within the next two decades without immediate, ambitious action. Technology innovation is a critical lever to address the challenge, and has led the net zero transition to date through rapid transformation of global energy systems.
The opportunity this challenge presents is enormous. Under presiding climate policy conditions, the global market for manufactured climate tech is expected to reach USD 2.1 trillion per year by 2035. The UK is at the forefront of the market attracting a staggering £12.5 billion in growth-stage equity and VC funding for climate tech ventures between 2019 to 2024, outpacing both the US and China.
This is increasingly led by corporates, with corporate debt and project financing surging to account for 55% of early-stage funding in 2024 (up from 32% in 2020), and accounting for half of all first-of-a-kind projects, driven by the opportunities to reduce emissions, cut costs, bolster resilience, and unlock access to high-growth global markets.
A team of 25 industry experts and associates
We are focused on supporting the commercialisation and scale of early stage climate tech and deliver our services as part of a strategic partnership with Eigen Ventures.
Zero Minus One provides consulting services to corporates, governments, philanthropies, investors and financial institutions to support the development, deployment and scale of projects and technologies serving a sustainable and carbon negative future. It aims to be a leading and trusted voice in the UK for the design and implementation of innovation and development initiatives that demonstrate high potential for transformative impact in carbon reductions and social upliftment.
Since 2006, Eigen Ventures' founder and Associates have worked with innovators, SMEs, financiers, public sector, academia and business to help bring several hundred sustainable and low-carbon technologies to market. Alongside innovation programme design & delivery, we provide management support, market knowledge, client & partner sourcing, business model development, investment readiness, strategy and planning for clients commercialising new solutions in energy, energy access, infrastructure, buildings & homes, industrial sectors in UK and global south.
Meet the Team
Ross Bruton
CO-FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR
Ross is an Eigen Associate and the Founder and Director of Zero Minus One, a mission-led organisation that supports, designs and mobilises innovation and development initiatives to scale businesses serving a sustainable and low carbon future. Ross has also held roles as Head of Ventures at the Carbon Trust and Principal for Smart Energy for Europe at Frost & Sullivan. He holds over 16 years’ experience in strategy consulting, implementation of large-scale innovation programmes and advising technology start-ups, corporates and governments on transformation and growth strategies, largely within the energy sector. The programmes he has designed and led have supported approx. four hundred SME climate tech innovators across global markets to commercialise and scale their solutions. He holds a BSC from Stellenbosch University and postgraduate qualifications and certificates in Marketing and Venture Finance from Stellenbosch and Oxford University respectively.
Mark Bornhoft
CO-FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR
Mark is the founder of Eigen Ventures. Clients include public sector, industry, SMEs and entrepreneurs. He has been a core member of the leadership and management teams that designed, set-up and delivered the BEIS Net-zero Innovation Portfolio Acceleration Services, the UKRI Energy Catalyst Accelerator, the Energy Systems Catapult – Energy Launchpad, DECC Energy Entrepreneurs Fund Incubation programme, Carbon Trust Entrepreneurs Fast Track (as programme manager for a supplier Angle Plc), and the ERDF South East Clean Tech Incubator. Since 2006 Mark has managed commercialisation support to over 400 cleantech SMEs and start-ups. He also co-initiated and set-up FlexLondon for the Greater London Authority to help large energy users engage with a network of 100 Energy Flexibility innovators. From 2011-2016 he was a managing Partner and co-owner of a consultancy business and grew revenues from £0.3m to £1.6m pa over this period. Mark has first-hand experience of running a tech start-up as CEO of a University of Surrey spin-out in fibre-optic sensing, taking it from R&D to early demonstrators for asset monitoring and sale to VC backed acquirer. He was an Investment Manager for a New Zealand VC fund placing NZ$35m into technology businesses and developing an IP commercialisation process for Crown Research Institutes.
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