Frequently Asked Questions

A Climathon is an event created by independent organisers and organisations, and it can happen in person or virtually. The event typically lasts 12-48 hours where participants (citizens) collaborate to tackle local climate challenges. Through the Climathon citizens are brought together to raise awareness and inspire local climate action.

Since 2015, Climathon has been organised with about 600 organisers, 1,000 events and over 30,000 participants worldwide.
If you want to become a Climathon organiser, you’ll be asked to adhere to the organiser responsibilities and terms and conditions.

Climathons are independently organised events, meaning that Climathon organiser are leading everything on the ground, making sure that the Climathon becomes a success. Climate KIC, the orchestrator of Climathon, supports the local organiser by offering online training on the Climathon methodology, visual identity and branding, a global website, social media promotion and a Playbook.

A Climathon roughly has 4 phases:

• Find funding for your Climathon
• Create one or more challenges that are locally relevant
• Plan and execute your Climathon, which include designing the program, finding a venue (on- or offline) and engaging stakeholders
• Follow-up and ensure the long term impact by engaging with ideas and opportunities after your Climathon

Each year Climate KIC will organise the Global Climathon Days to unite all Climathons across the globe. The Global Climathon Days usually take place in October, to coincide with World Cities Day.

Climate KIC is the Europe’s largest climate innovation agency and community. Working hand-in-hand with countries, regions, cities and businesses across the globe, we use innovation to mobilise systems change and bridge the gap between climate commitments and current reality.

Climate KIC started the Climathon programme in 2015 to create opportunities for cities and citizens to meet and co-create local ideas to shared climate challenges. Climate KIC is the owner of certain intellectual property rights relating to Climathon.

Climate KIC supports the local organisers by offering training on the Climathon methodology, visual identity and branding, a website and social media promotion and tools and guides needed to organise a Climathon.

You can learn more about Climate KIC here.

Joining the Climathon is a unique experience to:

• Get to know the climate change challenges of your city
• Develop ideas that can solve local challenges
• Meet like-minded people and create your team
• Empower and showcase your local community across the globe
• Get involved in the Climathon Global movement!

We encourage you to check this page where we regularly post Climathons happening  all around the world. Each city can have different requirements in terms of expected audience, so please read the event page carefully.

If you cannot find a Climathon in your city it means that no one has registered  as an Organiser there yet. If you want to do something about it, you can try to spread the word or register as an organiser yourself.

Most Climathons organise a team-building exercise to kick off their event. So, everyone will have the chance to join a team, whether or not you participate alone or as part of an already-formed team.
If you have a team already we encourage you to reach out to the local Organiser to ask about the possibility of you working together.

Each Climathon has its program, but in general you can expect it to be following these principles:

• Length of the program will be anywhere between 12-48 hours (for more details, find your local Climathon in the list of cities)
• Kick-off
• Understand the challenge
• Build teams
• Brainstorm
• Ideate and validate and ideate
• Energizer
• Presentation/pitch
• Networking