SCION, evolved from the intersection of startup experience and biodiversity leadership, has announced the launch of its flagship 10-week accelerator for Nature Tech founders in Bulgaria and Romania. Powered by Rezolv Energy Shift, the program aims to make nature-positive innovation visible and investable
In labs and field sites around the world, innovators are turning to nature for solutions – an emerging “Nature Tech” sector that’s gaining global traction. Venture funding for Nature Tech startups grew by 16% in 2024 to reach $2.13 billion.
Yet Central and Eastern Europe – home to some of the planet’s richest biodiversity – remains underrepresented in this boom. This is the gap that a new initiative called SCION aims to bridge.
Why Now: Nature Tech’s Moment in CEE
The timing of SCION’s launch is no accident. In 2024, global investors poured unprecedented capital into Nature Tech solutions, but that momentum has not been evenly distributed.
Bulgaria and Romania, for instance, boast immense ecological wealth – from ancient forests to endemic species – and face urgent climate transition needs, yet founders tackling environmental challenges here have long struggled for visibility.
There are early signs of Central and Eastern Europe’s untapped potential in this field. Climate-tech pioneers with regional roots are beginning to break through on the global stage.
For example, Plan A – a carbon accounting startup co-founded by a Bulgarian – and Cupffee, a sustainable foodtech from Plovdiv famous for its edible coffee cups, have together raised over €40 million in recent years.
These successes, though still rare, hint at what’s possible. With climate urgency mounting and the EU’s Green Deal pushing nature-positive innovation, the moment is ripe to cultivate more such ventures.
SCION’s founders argue that what’s needed now is an ecosystem catalyst – one that can connect the region’s scientific prowess and entrepreneurial energy with the investment and mentorship to scale.
“Many founders in this space struggle with two things: finding the right business model, and bridging the worlds of science, nature, and tech. The commercial path isn’t always obvious – especially when you’re working with complex systems or outcomes that take years to measure” says Mirella Yordanova, one of SCION’s founders.
Global Experts Join the Accelerator
SCION is assembling an impressive mentor network to guide its first cohort of Nature Tech entrepreneurs.
These advisors bring a mix of startup savvy, scientific insight, and hands-on product experience to help founders grow “from strong roots.”
“Each week of the program focuses on a different core theme – from market validation to impact metrics to fundraising strategy – and is led by a carefully selected mentor with deep domain expertise. We’re taking advantage of the online format to bring in world-class mentors from across the Netherlands, the UK, the US, and beyond.” says Mirella.
Some of the standout mentors include:
- Ben Sanders -exited (unicorn) founder, multi-time CxO and growth leader with a track record in fintech and B2B scale-ups, including leadership roles in three unicorns from seed to IPO. He advises VC- and PE-backed companies on GTM, fundraising, and operational strategy across global markets.
- Chris Coleridge – Founder of the Carbon13 venture builder and longtime strategy professor at Cambridge University, Coleridge has helped launch 65+ ventures aimed at tackling the climate emergency (with each striving to cut millions of tons of CO₂e per year)
- Ginny Radmall – coach and keynote speaker who helps startups and corporates communicate with impact through bespoke workshops and 1:1 coaching. Drawing on her acting background, she has trained founders in global accelerators like Techstars and Google for Startups, and worked with clients including Microsoft, IKEA, and Barclays
- Jaïr Halevi – Head of Startups at Miro and a veteran startup culture coach who has helped scale over 1,000 early-stage companies (with previous stints at Airbnb and Pygma).
- Michelle Egly – Co-founder of Wildya, a platform turning eco-anxiety into action, and a product leader whose creations have engaged over 44 million children worldwide. Egly has a track record of building mission-driven tech products at massive scale, and she’s passionate about harnessing that power for the planet.
- Soma Ray – Soma Ray designs scalable systems that turn user insights into business value, leveraging 20+ years in UX leadership with brands like Booking.com, IBM, and Dell.
SCION is also partnering with VC Day to give accelerator founders a rare chance to spend a full day working alongside top investors in an informal, pitch‑free setting.
Bridging the Gaps: From Problem to Solution
Early-stage funding and visibility for nature-focused innovation remain scarce in CEE, leaving many science-born ideas stranded in the lab.
SCION’s program architecture is purpose-built to address the key gaps that have hampered Nature Tech ventures in the region.
Here are the challenges SCION aims to solve — and how its program is designed to meet them head-on:
- Early-stage ideas often stall in the lab. Nature Tech founders in CEE face limited funding and visibility, making it hard to move from research to reality. SCION changes that by connecting startups to capital through partners like Rezolv Energy Shift and opening doors to a cross-border network of mission-aligned investors and policymakers.
- Conventional accelerators don’t meet nature-based needs. Most programs aren’t built for founders working at the intersection of ecology and tech. SCION offers deep, tailored mentorship—covering everything from rugged prototyping to culture-building—so that ecopreneurs can grow strong, resilient ventures from day one.
- Science lacks a path to scale. Breakthroughs in biodiversity or climate science often remain siloed from the startup ecosystem. SCION bridges this gap through immersive, field-oriented learning and strategic support, helping founders translate academic insight into scalable, real-world impact.
By integrating mentorship, field-based learning, and investor access, the accelerator is positioned as a bridge between isolated innovators and the resources they need to thrive.
A Blueprint for Regeneration: Planting the Seeds of the Future
The launch of SCION Accelerator marks a hopeful inflection point. Instead of seeing biodiversity loss and climate adaptation as intractable challenges, this initiative treats them as inspiration for a new wave of startups.
The first cohort kicks off this fall, and the call is now open for bold founders and scientists with ideas to regenerate ecosystems, reimagine agriculture, protect biodiversity, or decarbonize industry.
Nature isn’t just something to conserve in a silo – it may well be the design framework for our next economy. SCION invites those ready to build that future to apply by September 7 and help turn Eastern Europe’s nature assets into a springboard for innovation.
