The programme ran in three parts. Orientation sessions introduced the methods and the carbon levers with the greatest effect, a three-day sprint of around 50 hours took teams from idea to validated pitch with mentors and experts alongside them, and a mentoring series carried viable projects towards scalable ventures. Drawing on the Startup Weekend format, it gave as much care to the preparation and follow-through as to the event itself.
The first Climate-X sprint took place in 2019, supported by the Climate Leaders Coalition, whose 13 founding partners accounted for more than half of New Zealand’s carbon emissions. The Coalition contributed staff time and funding commitments, and in response to the changed conditions of 2020 the programme reshaped its model as Climate-X Programme 2.0.