Santander and Oxentia Foundation launch new environmental challenge

The high street bank Santander has joined together with Oxford-based global innovation consultancy Oxentia Foundation to launch a new global competition for entrepreneurs working to create a low-carbon economy. 

The Santander X Environmental Challenge addresses two objectives: Be sustainable through green financing and investment, and Be mindful through products and services that raise awareness about our impact on the environment.  

The call is open to entrepreneurs from 11 selected countries with operating businesses. 

The initiative aims to support environmentally committed entrepreneurs with innovative ideas that help build a more sustainable future and accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy, delivering our commitment to the Paris Accord on climate change.

Ana Botín, Executive Chairman of the Banco Santander, said: “COVID-19 has brought about a global health crisis and a downturn in the world economy, but it has not slowed down climate change. By the end of the 21st century, the temperature of our planet will have risen by 3°C, well above the 1.5°C threshold laid down in the Paris Accord. If we do nothing to prevent this, the consequences for our planet will be dramatic. This challenge is a genuine opportunity for the green revolution, which requires massive investment in new technologies. For this to happen, we need innovation and entrepreneurs”.

The Santander X Environmental Challenge is open to businesses that are already up and running and actively selling at least one product or service with a yearly turnover of between EUR 200,000 and 5,000,000. The opportunity is open to entrepreneurs based in the UK, Germany, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Spain, Mexico, Portugal, Poland, Uruguay, and the United States.

Startups wishing to take part in the competition can register at www.santanderx.com until 8 April 2021.

The Santander X Environmental Challenge is the second global entrepreneurship challenge launched by Santander X, the Banco Santander's global entrepreneurship network.

Steve Cleverley, CEO of Oxentia said: “The Oxentia Foundation is delighted to be partnering with Santander X on the Environmental Challenge. Our mission is to empower the most talented people to create large-scale impact through social, economic, and environmental sustainable development. In collaboration with Santander X, we look forward to supporting delivery of the vision of our world’s greatest entrepreneurial talent addressing our planets’ most urgent challenge.”
The Oxentia Foundation was created to support Oxentia’s goal to address global inequalities through innovation and entrepreneurship activities. Globally, Oxentia designs, develops, and runs awards, competitions and programmes supporting early-stage innovators and entrepreneurs to promote commercialisation of science- and technology-based innovation projects impacting the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Oxentia developed out of the University of Oxford’s technology transfer company, Oxford University Innovation, with the aim to deliver specialist innovation management services to clients in the public and private sector all over the world.