Changemakers
for the Planet

Through ‘Changemakers for the Planet’ we have supported and connected 100 of the region’s leading young green entrepreneurs from across Europe & MENA. The programme is made possible through a grant from Apple.

climateaction_planetary_crisis1_biodiversity

Unlike climate change, the slow-burning but equally devastating nature crisis has been invisible to large parts of the population. The world faces an accelerating loss of biodiversity, approximately 1 million animal and plant species are at risk of extinction, many of which could be completely wiped out within the next few years. Humanity must solve the climate and nature crises together or solve neither.

climateaction_planetary_crisis2_pollution

Air, land and sea pollution around the world have reached unprecedented levels. Beyond the devastating impact on nature, it is now also one of the main causes of premature death in the world. Nine out of ten people worldwide breathe air that contains levels of pollutants that exceed WHO guidelines. We need scalable solutions to address pollution more than ever.

Climate change is the defining crisis of our time. Rapidly rising temperatures are fuelling environmental degradation, natural disasters, weather extremes, food and water insecurity, conflict, and terrorism. “We are in the fight of our lives, and we are losing” Antonio Guterres told delegates at the COP27 summit. We need bold, urgent and radical collective action.

The Changemakers for the Planet programme enables green entrepreneurs to deepen and scale their impact through bespoke capacity building, a vibrant community of peer learning and support, funding for collaborative efforts and ecosystem events (e.g. COP, New York Climate Week) and life-long access to ChangemakerXchange’s global vibrant network of changemakers.

Each Changemaker has very different needs, so our approach to capacity building is totally individualised. Each changemaker is first given an in-depth needs assessment around 10 key areas on both an individual and organisational level. They are then matched to our wide pool of world-leading experts to address their needs.

Changemaking can be a lonely journey and community & belonging are key factors to help to sustain their work Throughout the programme we try to build human connection and belonging, strong relationships between the cohort and opportunities for authentic sharing. At the heart of this community building approach is an in-person retreat style gathering which connects the cohort on a deep human level.

Solutions to our world‘s most pressing challenges cannot happen in silos – so collaboration is at the core of our programme. There was a $50K collaboration fund which the cohorts used to bring to life 12 collective initiatives. Projects ranged from support efforts for climate changemakers in conflict zones to peer learning on circular economy to campaigns to save kelp forests.

Young changemakers struggle to access important decision-making and influential fora. We funded over 20 of the cohort members to attend some of the most influential climate gatherings to take their impact to the next level, including New York Climate Week, COP28 & 29. We also support them to navigate the events and connect them to networking and speaking opportunities.

Those who participate in the in-person summit have the opportunity to become lifelong members of the global ChangemakerXchange community. This means access to curated changemaking resources and regular opportunities to connect, learn, and co-create.

See below the 100 changemakers from 45 different countries in MENA and Europe. They were selected to the programme from 1350 applications in MENA and Europe, 52% are women and 35% self identify as being marginalised.

rrreefs regenerates degraded coral reefs on a global scale, restoring marine biodiversity for a healthier ocean.
Marie Griesmar, rrreefs, Switzerland-French

Marie Griesmar

Recyclizer is a waste management startup transforming plastic waste into mulch films that protect crops from changing weather and harmful weeds.
Aya Al-sharqawy, Recyclizer, Egypt

Aya Al-sharqawy

Live Love Recycle facilitates recycling by digitising Lebanon’s waste management sector.
Mathias Charles, Live Love Recycle, Lebanon

Mathias Charles

Tunisian Young Climate Change Negotiators amplify youth voices by supporting the Tunisian delegation as party delegates in UNFCCC negotiations.
Amal Ridene, Tunisian Young Climate Change Negotiators, Tunisia

Amal Ridene

Pedalo is a social enterprise providing small businesses in Tunis with the greenest, fastest, and most efficient local delivery option.
Amany Hamdany, Pedalo, Tunisia

Amany Hamdany

OBENS provides third-party services for natural and organic supply chains, ensuring transparency, end-to-end traceability, and monitoring for quality, sustainability, and compliance.
Badr Oubenyahya, OBENS, Morocco

Badr Oubenyahya

Powerblocks leverages data centres to mitigate methane emissions from sites like landfills.
Andreas Lehner, Powerblocks, Austria / Sweden

Andreas Lehner

Dayma is an eco-educational social enterprise offering experiential activities to inspire environmental stewardship, foster citizen science, and promote biomimicry.
Farah Kamel, Dayma, Egypt

Farah Kamel

Ecorbio replaces fossil derivatives with sustainable biochemicals made from waste biomass.
Lukas Jasiunas, Ecorbio, Lithuania

Lukas Jasiunas

Tekeya reduces food waste by organising unsold food items and making them available at reduced prices or for free.
Menna Shahin, Tekeya, Egypt

Menna Shahin

Blue Tunisia, Tunisia’s first digital media platform for environmental issues, is an award-winning company recognised by Deutsche Welle and the EU.
Mayssa Sandli, Blue Tunisia, Tunisia

Mayssa Sandli

Eco:fibr GmbH turns pineapple leaves into eco-friendly pulp, offering a sustainable alternative to wood pulp for paper and cardboard products.
Merit Ulmer, Eco:fibr GmbH, Germany

Merit Ulmer

Zebra Growth provides regenerative marketing, growth services, and education.
Moh Al-Haifi, Zebra Growth, Yemen / Germany

Moh Al-Haifi

Greenish empowers youth and communities to address environmental challenges through capacity building, knowledge sharing, and research. Its Greenish Clubs span 18 Egyptian universities, reaching 3,000
Mohamed Kamal, Greenish, Egypt

Mohamed Kamal

Monsapo offers ecological household and maintenance products with natural, non-aggressive fragrances for laundry, dishes, floors, surfaces, and more—designed for maximum efficiency inspired by nature.
Sabrine Chennaoui, Monsapo, Tunisia

Sabrine Chennaoui

HempConnect GmbH combines industrial hemp and biochar pyrolysis to produce plant-based proteins, renewable energy, and long-term CO2 sequestration while restoring ecosystems.
Tim Künzel, HempConnect GmbH, Germany

Tim Künzel

money:care empowers conscious investing with transparent impact data, helping investors find companies that align with social values and planetary boundaries.
Timo Nothdurft, money:care, Austria

Timo Nothdurft

NatureMetrics builds a nature intelligence platform to monitor biodiversity, bridging molecular ecology and environmental management.
Tom Ludwig, NatureMetrics, United Kingdom

Tom Ludwig

ReDo is a platform for creating sustainable packaging alternatives, bringing creative minds together to shape a healthier, more prosperous future.
Yolanda von Zitzewitz, ReDo, Samoa / New Zealand / Germany

Yolanda von Zitzewitz

Kelp Forest Foundation quantifies the ecosystem services of giant kelp forests.
Xu Ben Zhang, Kelp Forest Foundation, Netherlands

Xu Ben Zhang

Ucaneo Biotech GmbH leverages bio-inspired technology to develop scalable, energy-efficient Direct Air Capture solutions, removing CO2 from the atmosphere by mimicking nature’s processes.
Carla Glassl, Ucaneo Biotech GmbH, Germany

Carla Glassl

Mimicrete Ltd enables the slow carbon and sustainable infrastructure & buildings of the future.
Zijing Li, Mimicrete Ltd, China / UK

Zijing Li

Libre creates fungi-based meats to replace animal-based products in the food system.
Nadia Gómez Molina, Libre Foods, Mexico

Nadia Gómez Molina

IdentMe GmbH identifies protected and endangered animal species through DNA traces in environmental samples, providing reliable data to combat biodiversity loss.
Patricia Holm, IdentMe GmbH, Germany

Patricia Holm

EcoSpectrum enhances climate and ocean literacy tailored for neurodivergent youth.
Dana Ahmed, EcoSpectrum, Egypt

Dana Ahmed

ForTomorrow gGmbH purchases and cancels CO2 rights from coal power plants, enabling everyone to contribute to reducing CO2 emissions in the EU.
Christopher Schulz, ForTomorrow gGmbH, Germany

Christopher Schulz

PROSERVATION GmbH develops, produces, and distributes sustainable packaging, cushioning, and insulation solutions made from plant residues, promoting eco-friendly alternatives.
Sophia Scherer, PROSERVATION GmbH, Germany

Sophia Scherer

LEAF integrates facilitation and strategy board games to enhance stakeholder engagement, empowering better decision-making and impactful strategies for environmental and climate conservation challenge
Céline Dillmann, LEAF Inspiring Change GmbH, Switzerland

Céline Dillmann

Future Cooperative eG aims to transform the global economy by shifting demand from animal products and unsustainable goods to sustainable alternatives, including veganism, circular products, and stewa
Fabian Hold, Future Cooperative eG, Germany

Fabian Hold

Sumthing harnesses technology to accelerate nature’s regeneration.
Gijs Schuringa, Sumthing, Netherlands

Gijs Schuringa

AgriFriend enables governments, organizations, and food companies to collaborate sustainably with smallholder farmers at scale.
Gilad Ovadia, AgriFriend, Israel

Gilad Ovadia

MATR offers an award-winning circular economy mattress solution for hotels, saving time, money, and CO2 while tackling the massive mattress waste problem across Europe and beyond.
Michaela Stephen, MATR, Austria

Michaela Stephen

ISSD provides innovative solutions to combat pollution by enhancing effective waste management in Armenia.
Irina Mkrtchyan, ISSD (Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Development of Communities), Armenia

Irina Mkrtchyan

AirCO2 makes the CO2 market accessible to everyone.
Maximo Sanchez Taboas, AirCO2, Spain

Maximo Sanchez Taboas

Farm Transition Academy helps animal agriculture members shift to environmentally friendly income sources.
Meira Geyser, Farm transition academy, Israel

Meira Geyser

Esmiyor is a purpose-driven design studio dedicated to sustainability and climate action.
Naz Yaman, Esmiyor, Turkey

Naz Yaman

Manufy simplifies sustainable sourcing for European brands and manufacturers.
Nout Knabben, Manufy, Netherlands

Nout Knabben

The Marine Diaries is a marine conservation non-profit using storytelling and digital media to connect people with the ocean and drive its recovery and resilience.
Rebecca Daniel, The Marine Diaries, United Kingdom

Rebecca Daniel

ClimatEU connects climate companies with investors and talent, democratising access to the climate-tech sector.
Tim Steppich, ClimatEU, Germany

Tim Steppich

SoilWatch delivers transparent, science-based analytics to assess the climate impact of landscape restoration and Nature-Based Solutions.
William Ouellette, SoilWatch, Belgium

William Ouellette

Benthos bridges the valuation gap of marine ecosystems, turning their conservation and restoration into measurable, investment-ready assets essential for planetary health and prosperity.
Francielly Monteiro, benthos, Brazil

Francielly Monteiro

Faircado is an AI-powered second-hand shopping assistant redefining recommerce as the new e-commerce.
Evolena de Wilde d’Estmael, Faircado, Belgium

Evolena de Wilde d’Estmael

Woamy produces biodegradable biofoam from recycled materials, providing a durable, eco-friendly alternative to Styrofoam.
Mohamed Elamir, Woamy, Egypt

Mohamed Elamir

Buy Food with Plastic addresses hunger and plastic pollution in underserved communities.
Khalil Radi, Buy Food with Plastic, Switzerland

Khalil Radi

Uptraded creates an incentivisation system for the circular economy, helping Gen Z turn old clothes into currency to achieve their climate goals while enjoying affordable, sustainable fashion.
Anna Greil, uptraded, Austria

Anna Greil

Impact3D is a one-stop sustainable 3D printing agency.
Adrian William Garcia, Impact3D, United States of America

Adrian William Garcia

Ganddee is the online map of sustainable shops
Antoine Rondelet, Ganddee, France

Antoine Rondelet

Neworn is a marketplace for secondhand baby clothes, aiming to reduce waste and extend their lifespan.
Caroline Schober, Neworn, Austria

Caroline Schober

Clean Something For Nothing connects people to clean the world, one bag of trash at a time, through an app.
César González Fernández, Clean Something For Nothing, Spain

César González Fernández

Impact Hero GmbH helps businesses drive positive impact through tree planting, plastic collection, and coral reef restoration while engaging stakeholders.
Dijana Galijasevic, Impact Hero GmbH, Slovenia

Dijana Galijasevic

For Planet is an interactive app by and for young people, designed to ease climate anxiety by making climate action fun, accessible, and sustainable.
Emma Greenwood, For Planet, United Kingdom

Emma Greenwood

Palgae creates biomaterials through wastewater treatment.
Eylül Er, Palgae, Turkey

Eylül Er

Closed on Monday is a communication agency supporting SDG-driven organisations—free of charge.
Gookie Sassen, Closed on Monday, Netherlands

Gookie Sassen

Cosmotaics develops dual-function attachments for solar farms that prevent panel soiling and harvest dew, boosting efficiency and enabling water collection in arid regions.
Igor Luketina, Cosmotaics, Austria

Igor Luketina

OURZ enables traceable food supply chains while preventing deforestation and IUU fishing.
Jonas Wendt, OURZ, Germany

Jonas Wendt

Aila is a B2B platform that empowers SMEs to take direct climate action, accelerating the green transition.
Juulia Karjula, Aila, Finland

Juulia Karjula

FarmOn provides a hotline connecting farmers with regenerative experts and consultants.
Karim Howard, FarmOn, Switzerland

Karim Howard

Positive Carbon combats food waste in the hospitality sector.
Mark Kirwan, Positive Carbon, Ireland

Mark Kirwan

WasteLocker delivers accurate wasteflow metrics to promote accountability and sorting education.
Mark Skljarov, WasteLocker, Estonia

Mark Skljarov

Climate Guardians is an online platform empowering people to collectively advocate for climate action through engaging campaigns targeting businesses, policymakers, and media.
Martin Valkov, Climate Guardians, Bulgaria

Martin Valkov

Chilli empowers climate action with 1-minute actions on a smartphone app, targeting carbon bombs, big oil, and more. Backed by experts, it makes activism easy and impactful.
Matisse de rivières, chilli, France

Matisse de rivières

Cohabit AB offers a circular service renting pre-loved furniture to students in Sweden.
Maximilian Pangerl, Cohabit AB, Germany

Maximilian Pangerl

Vyld creates sustainable, ocean-friendly, and healthy absorbent products from seaweed, starting with tampons.
Melanie Schichan, Vyld, Germany

Melanie Schichan

MONTREET creates sportswear rooted in the circular economy through reuse, rental, and recycling.
Nadine Schratzberger, MONTREET, Austria

Nadine Schratzberger

Klim decarbonises food supply chains by supporting farmers in transitioning to regenerative agriculture.
Nina Mannheimer, Klim, Germany / United States of America

Nina Mannheimer

BIOwayste provides machines that convert organic waste, such as food leftovers, into clean cooking gas and nutrient-rich fertilizer.
Reine Metlej, BIOwayste, Lebanon

Reine Metlej

Plastalyst recycles even the most challenging plastics into monomers at low temperatures, enabling the creation of new plastics.
Robert Kunzmann, Plastalyst, Germany

Robert Kunzmann

Micile Bucurii (NGO) empowers proactive changemakers by equipping them with the expertise, skills, and mindset needed to tackle the climate crisis through engaging education and transformative experie
Roxana Buzețelu, Micile Bucurii (NGO), Romania

Roxana Buzețelu

Sustein Material transforms healthcare waste into sustainable construction materials through upcycling.
Simon Gonzalez, Sustein Material, Italy

Simon Gonzalez

HarvestCare integrates regenerative agriculture with healthcare, creating a sustainable approach to well-being.
Zuzanna Zielinska, HarvestCare, Poland

Zuzanna Zielinska

DarTine (formerly Go Energyless Solutions) designs and manufactures innovative, eco-friendly, and energy-saving home products for green consumers.
Raowia Lamhar, Go Energyless Solutions (rebranded as DarTine), Morocco

Raowia Lamhar

EcoTashira provides green solutions for sustainable construction, contributing to eco-friendly building practices.
Fella Bouti, EcoTashira, Algeria

Fella Bouti

Takkul connects customers to restaurants and stores offering surplus unsold food, reducing food waste.
Aminata N’diaye, Takkul, France

Aminata N’diaye

GREEN WATECH delivers low-tech, efficient wastewater treatment solutions for reuse in rural vegetable irrigation.
Salma Bougarrani, GREEN WATECH, Morocco

Salma Bougarrani

Banlastic Egypt offers sustainable alternatives to single-use plastics, raises awareness, and collaborates with policymakers to ban them in Egypt.
Abdelkader Elkhaligi, Banlastic Egypt, Egypt

Abdelkader Elkhaligi

Seavo creates eco-friendly electric watercraft and safety solutions to reduce marine pollution.
Aly Mohamed, Seavo, Egypt

Aly Mohamed

Dracoss specialises in innovative and sustainable water management solutions, paving the way for efficient resource use.
Amen Allah Souli, Dracoss, Tunisia

Amen Allah Souli

Thaely produces the world’s first 100% recycled and vegan footwear, setting a benchmark for sustainable fashion.
Ashay Bhave, Thaely, India

Ashay Bhave

INFRASTIC repurposes plastic waste into eco-friendly construction blocks, supporting sustainable building practices.
Louay Ghezzawi, INFRASTIC, Lebanon

Louay Ghezzawi

EcoWave is a youth-led network that educates and inspires action on environmental challenges since its founding in 2019.
Manar El kebir, EcoWave, Tunisia

Manar El kebir

The Washed-Out Label creates sustainable upcycled fashion exclusively from used materials, promoting circularity in the fashion industry.
Bassant Raof, the washed-out label, Egypt

Bassant Raof

AlManakh raises awareness about climate change and sustainability in Kuwait through research, community engagement, and education as a youth-led non-profit organisation.
Mariam Alsaad, AlManakh, Kuwait

Mariam Alsaad

POLYCHAETA addresses ocean health by recycling organic waste from aquaculture facilities into sustainable solutions.
Marwen Mokdad, POLYCHAETA, Tunisia

Marwen Mokdad

AGARUW redefines sustainable products by integrating technology, empowering artisans through workshops and a marketplace, while tracking environmental footprints.
Mejda Khaled, AGARUW, Tunisia

Mejda Khaled

Nechfate serves as a media platform to popularise climate change, its impacts, and adaptation strategies among Moroccan citizens.
Mohamed Ali Hatimy, Nechfate, Morocco

Mohamed Ali Hatimy

Memar designs and constructs sustainable, green, and highly efficient buildings as an independent Libyan company.
Muad Mhani, Memar, Libya

Muad Mhani

Reco Project is Syria’s first youth-led environmental initiative, tackling plastic pollution and empowering Syrians to engage in global climate action.
Ola Alhaj, Reco project, Syria

Ola Alhaj

Balance Eco resolves carbon market transparency issues by converting carbon credits into biodiversity-enhancing Balance Units while encouraging public environmental awareness.
Oliver Rieche, Balance Eco, Germany

Oliver Rieche

Sangha “Estidama Hub” invests in humanity to foster individual and collective well-being for a sustainable world.
Raghad Fathaddin, Sangha “Estidama Hub”, Saudi Arabia

Raghad Fathaddin

Climate School offers Arabic-language resources on environmental reporting and provides free training for journalists.
Rahma ibrahim, climate school, Egypt

Rahma Ibrahim

theOtherDada pioneers urban afforestation, biomimicry-based architecture, and eco-friendly landscaping, creating spaces that integrate social, cultural, and educational interventions.
Ramona Fricke, theOtherDada, Lebanon

Ramona Fricke

Nuwat for Environmental Research and Education specialises in environmental research and conservation as a think tank and education provider on a national, regional, and international scale.
Reem AlMealla, Nuwat for Environmental Research and Education, Bahrain

Reem AlMealla

COLEA AgriTech transforms toxic waste into bio-fertilisers to support sustainable agriculture.
Thaer Tafesh, COLEA AgriTech, Palestine

Thaer Tafesh

Mostaamel facilitates free donations between individuals through Tunisia’s first free application.
Walid Gara, Mostaamel, Tunisia

Walid Gara

Wayout tackles waste intrusion with innovative solutions to reduce marine pollution and flooding.
Youssef Bouzariata, Wayout, Tunisia

Youssef Bouzariata

BioTreasure develops home-scale systems to convert biowaste into clean energy and organic fertilisers.
Omer Badokhon, BioTreasure, Yemen

Omer Badokhon

AfriclimActiv works on climate education and tree planting as a regional climate organisation.
Roaa Dafaallah, AfriclimActiv, Sudan

Roaa Dafaallah

“The Capacity Building programme was a shining light for me and has connected me exactly who I needed to speak with at this point in my founding journey.”

— Feedback from a participant at Changemakers for the Planet in MENA 2024

CXC EmpathyXchange 2021 © Hieronymus Caspar Rönneper 03

“As a founder in a foreign country, ChangemakerXchange had provided me with a true sense of home and community.”

— Feedback from a participant at Changemakers for the Planet in Europe 2024

Collaboration CXC South Africa 2018 © Ashoka Africa

“The support from CXC has amplified the impact of my startup, and my self-confidence as an entrepreneur.”

— Feedback from a participant at Changemakers for the Planet in MENA 2024

“I’ve always found it challenging financially to join crucial global events, the financial support to join New York Climate Week and guidance navigating it has given my work invaluable exposure and helped it expand.”

— Feedback from a participant at Changemakers for the Planet in Europe 2024

Check out our list of climate action resources for changemakers where you can find everything from ‘navigating climate grief’ to tools to assess how well your company or country is performing on climate measures to digital storytelling toolkits for climate activists.

Changemakers
for the Planet

A Global Initiative

The Initiative Tackles All Dimensions of the Planetary Crisis

Biodiversity

Pollution

Climate

What Participants Gain

Capacity Building

Community

Collaboration Funding

Ecosystem Stipends

Community

The Changemakers

MENA 2023 cohort

Europe 2023 cohort

Europe 2024 cohort

MENA 2024 cohort

Feedback from Participants

Changemakersfor the Planet

A Global Initiative

The Initiative Tackles All Dimensions of the Planetary Crisis

Biodiversity

Pollution

Climate

What Participants Gain

Capacity Building

Community

Collaboration Funding

Ecosystem Stipends

Community

The Changemakers

MENA 2023 cohort

Europe 2023 cohort

Europe 2024 cohort

MENA 2024 cohort

Feedback from Participants

Changemakers
for the Planet