Methodology

The Cambridge Climate Innovation Map was developed to identify companies operating within the climate and sustainability innovation sector that demonstrate a meaningful connection to the Cambridge innovation ecosystem.

Two core criteria

The methodology was structured around two core criteria:

Green economy

Does the company operate within the climate or sustainability innovation sector?

Cambridge affiliation

Does the company demonstrate a measurable connection to the Cambridge innovation ecosystem?

Our methodology

There were four stages in our process to identify, assess and verify companies for the map:

Identify

Build the initial company pool

Classify

Assess climate and sustainability activity

Connect

Assess Cambridge ecosystem affiliation

Validate

Manually verify and consolidate dataset

Data Collection

We compiled an initial list of companies from multiple sources, then cross-checked and validated the data through partner consultation, Companies House verification and manual review.

Company data

  • Companies House
  • Company information databases

Cambridge ecosystem partners

  • Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership
  • Cambridge Cleantech
  • Innovate Cambridge
  • Carbon13
  • Cambridge Innovation Capital
  • Cambridge Enterprise
  • Cambridge Judge Business School
  • Cambridge Royce Institute
  • Anglia Ruskin University
  • Maxwell Centre

Verification

  • Partner consultation
  • Companies House
  • Manual review

Green Economy Criteria

Companies were assessed to determine whether they operated within the climate or sustainability innovation sector. This evaluation combined environmental signals, sustainability keyword filtering, industry classification and technology type classification. Companies were assigned industry tags and technology types to classify both the sustainability sector in which they operate and the way they create value.

Assessment signals

  • Environmental signals
  • Sustainability keyword filtering
  • Industry classification
  • Technology type classification

Industry sectors

Industry Tags derived from the Cleantech Group taxonomy. Examples include:

  • Energy & Power
  • Agriculture & Food
  • Waste & Recycling

Technology types

Adapted from the Startup Coalition ClimateTech Index. This classified companies as:

  • Software
  • Hardware
  • Manufacturing
  • Services

Initial classifications

Generated through a scripted workflow and then manually reviewed and corrected. Keyword filtering identified companies associated with terms such as:

  • Climate
  • Renewable
  • Carbon
  • Energy storage
  • Circular economy
  • Net zero

Cambridge Affiliation Criteria

Companies were evaluated according to their relationship to the Cambridge innovation ecosystem. Five affiliation indicators were used.

Affiliation indicators

  1. University spinout status
  2. Participation in Cambridge-based accelerators or startup support programmes
  3. Investment from Cambridge-based funders
  4. Affiliation with innovation infrastructure or networks
  5. Headquarters or trading presence in Cambridgeshire

Qualification rule

A company qualified as Cambridge-affiliated if it met at least two of these indicators or maintained a verified headquarters in Cambridgeshire. This framework was designed to capture both geographically located firms and companies connected through Cambridge’s wider research, investment, and innovation networks.

Validation and Final Dataset

Following filtering and duplication removal, all records underwent manual validation using Companies House filings, company websites and partner review. Partner organisations, including Maxwell Centre, CISL, Cambridge Cleantech, Cambridge Innovation Capital, Cambridge Enterprise, and Carbon13 contributed to validating company affiliations, confirming ecosystem relationships, and identifying missing records.

  • Meets green economy criteria
  • Meets Cambridge affiliation criteria

Manual validation

  • Companies House filings
  • Company websites
  • Partner review

Final verified dataset

241

climate and sustainability innovation companies

From an initial pool of over 330 company records, a final dataset of 241 verified climate and sustainability innovation companies with demonstrable links to the Cambridge ecosystem was established.