Today, the international Rockit Impact sustainability accelerator will be launched in Vilnius. It will offer an intensive four-month programme designed to promote the growth of start-ups and the transformation of the business of companies already established. As stated by the organisers of the accelerator, participating start-ups will enjoy a unique opportunity to develop and test products together with market leaders seeking to develop business sustainably.

Five starters from Lithuania, Switzerland and Sweden, specialising in renewable and green energy, smart cities, agriculture, sustainable finance and space technologies, were selected to participate in the Rockit Impact programme. Most of these have already passed through the initial stage of development and have their own customers.

Swedbank, Elektrum Lietuva, Linas Agro, TeleSoftas and Telia will share their experience with start-ups and share new sustainable business ideas.

Greta Monstavičė, the head of the Katalista Ventures foundation, the accelerator of sustainable start-ups organising Rockit Impact, says that the programme will allow for the exploitation of the potential of innovative start-ups, enhance their capabilities and help find new partners.

"Start-ups bring new thinking, technology, ideas and speed. Business representatives have the experience, a stable source of financing and an accumulated customer base. By merging these two strengths, we will have an effective team that will stimulate sustainable products, initiatives and ideas spread several times faster than acting alone", says G. Monstavičė.

According to her, one of the main tasks of the programme is to solve complex sustainability challenges together.

"It is precisely because of the complexity of sustainability issues that we have sought to attract companies with diverse experience from different ecosystems – energy, finance, information technology, telecommunications and agriculture – to the accelerator programme. International experience shows that this creates effective synergies, therefore, we look forward to very interesting results from the programme", says G. Monstavičė.

Šarūnė Smalakytė, the head of the Rockit Center for financial technologies and sustainable innovation, explains that the Rockit Impact accelerator was established to not only help start-ups create sustainable products, but also apply modern methods of work.

"Such inter-industrial cooperation is some of the most effective means of sharing experiences and achieving sustainability targets. We believe that the start-ups and companies participating in the first Rockit Impact accelerator programme will yield systemic changes in Lithuanian and global business", says Š. Smalakytė.

The Rockit Impact accelerator will last for four months. The start-ups will start with engaging in the transformation of their products to make them meet the challenges set by the partners. At the same time, start-ups will receive assistance for strategic integration sustainability in their business model. Later, companies will be given time to prepare for product testing and finding customers. The final stage of the accelerator is dedicated to testing in real conditions, collecting feedback and improving products.

The primary focus during the accelerator will be placed on pilot projects that will demonstrate real benefits of sustainability, and priority to testing the solutions developed will be given to Lithuanian people and companies.

Business solutions created or improved during the Rockit Impact accelerator will be presented in July this year.