AWS' Fellowship to Support New Climate Technologies
Climate change presents a severe threat to the globe in various ways, making its mitigation an increasingly urgent task.
Aiming to take meaningful action against this global challenge, Amazon Web Services (AWS) has joined forces with the International Research Centre on Artificial Intelligence (IRCAI), a body under UNESCO, to accelerate climate technology through the Compute for Climate Fellowship.
The Compute for Climate Fellowship
The Compute for Climate Fellowship is a global R&D funding initiative aimed at empowering climate tech startups to confront climate change using advanced cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI).
Launched in 2023 by IRCAI and AWS, the programme equips selected startups with the resources necessary to develop proof-of-concept solutions.
Each fellow of this prestigious programme receives significant funding from AWS along with technical and scientific guidance from experts at both AWS and IRCAI.
The programme has been upgraded for 2025, exploring uncharted territories in climate tech and dedicating more financial aid to assist founders in developing innovative climate solutions.
“With the effects of the climate crisis intensifying, it is imperative that we support the development of a broad set of approaches to bring new climate solutions to life—that’s why we are expanding the scope of the Compute for Climate Fellowship to accept a larger number of startups, ” says Lisbeth Kaufman, Head of Climate Tech Startups Business Development at AWS.
“From fusion energy, to smarter grids, to generative AI models to discover climate resilient plants, and deep-sea drones to map the ocean, we’ve seen how advanced cloud computing and AI can unlock new possibilities for a more sustainable future.
"We are doubling down in 2025, and providing more visionary founders the resources and mentorship they need to turn bold ideas into lasting impact”.
How has the fellowship changed for 2025?
The 2025 Compute for Climate Fellowship is built up from its preceding iterations and now:
- Fully funds proof-of-concepts for 20 global startups, up from four startups in 2023 and eight in 2024
- Introduces a dedicated focus on indigenous communities, prioritising solutions that protect their lands, livelihoods and cultural heritage from climate impacts
- Allocates US$4m in AWS credits to equip startups with the cloud computing power needed to scale cutting-edge climate technologies.
“It wasn’t simple, but we managed to supercharge the startups with both resources and knowledge, and now we are taking it even further,” says Davor Orlic, Chief Operating Officer of IRCAI.
“By expanding the Compute for Climate Fellowship, we are not only increasing the number of selected startups but also broadening the scope of climate solutions they can tackle and the applicability of AI in the climate space.
“Innovation happens when bold ideas meet the right support, and we are committed to providing that foundation to drive real environmental impact.”
The fellowship's lasting impact
The Compute for Climate Fellowship has supported innovative climate tech startups like RealtaFusion and Cosma.
RealtaFusion, incubated at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, achieved a world record-breaking plasma generation in 2024, marking a significant milestone in fusion energy research.
The fellowship accelerated its development of a unique plasma stability simulation using cloud computing.
At French startup Cosma, the company employs underwater micro-drones and AI for scalable, cost-effective environmental surveys in ocean management.
The fellowship provided its teams with resources to develop a Rare Benthic Species detection algorithm, advancing marine biology research.
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