Bright ideas, cool planet—Digital and Green Innovation
Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time. From natural disasters to changes in ecosystems, its effects affect all of us—but the Global South is hit the hardest. The #TeamEurope initiative Digital and Green Innovation Action (DGI) therefore promotes technological solutions to improve climate protection and combat climate change.
Digital technologies have the power to support countries to deliver their climate goals. They offer many solutions. For example: early warning systems for disaster prevention. Or the optimisation of energy grids. Digital agriculture is also a big topic. The possibilities are almost endless.
Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), at COP29
The #TeamEurope initiative Digital and Green Innovation Action (DGI) works with start-up founders who are developing digital climate innovations and creating sustainable jobs in their communities. The initiative is active in Africa, the Asia-Pacific region, Latin America and the Caribbean.
She traded the stock market for the market of the future: Kudzai Mubaiwa no longer invests in share prices, but in bright minds. As part of the Digital and Green Innovation Accelerator (DGIx) team, she supports start-ups that use green technology to create real prospects for tackling climate change.
Our goal
The #TeamEurope initiative Digital and Green Innovation Action supports innovators in the implementation of digital solutions for climate. A particular focus is on digital approaches that help to tackle the consequences of climate change. These range from apps that promote sustainable decision-making to complex earth observation technologies to monitor deforestation in certain regions.
Our approach
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The BMZ supports programs to accelerate innovation in Africa and the Asia-Pacific region with a focus on climate technology. These programmes provide tailored support, funding and expert advice to help green innovators develop their ideas and scale up their businesses. One example of this work is the Digital and Green Innovation Accelerator (DGIx) in Africa.
Tackling the climate crisis demands collective action by people from all backgrounds and professions. By involving historically underrepresented groups, the DGI ensures that new, locally relevant ideas are at the forefront of climate solutions. Together, these efforts pave the way for a greener, more inclusive future where innovation knows no boundaries.
The #TeamEurope Digital and Green Innovation Action (DGI) is a joint initiative co-funded by the European Union, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and Expertise France (EF). It is implemented by the Deutschen Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, the Agence Française de Développement, Expertise France, Enabel, the Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV), and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO).
In Latin America, Expertise France as part of the DGI builds local capacity in Earth observation technologies, unlocking new ways to gather and apply critical environmental data. The Agence Française de Développement supports innovative solutions to enhance energy access, integrate renewable energy, and improve energy operators’ performance, primarily in Africa. Enabel and ESTDEV work closely with GIZ in implementing innovation accelerators in Africa, while RVO connects its research about successful digital and green innovation with the activities of DGI.
