Call for Proposals – Terms & Conditions
The Climate Solutions Prize – Climate Solutions Prize Deal Room 2026
Organized by Climate Solutions Prize Organization, Startup Nation Central, and Kinneret Innovation Center
30 August, 2026
1. Background
1.1. Please read carefully the following Call for Proposals – Terms & Conditions ("Terms") before accessing, submitting an application and/or participating in the Climate Solutions Prize – Deal Room 2026 ("Pitch Day") organized by Zemach Kinneret Investments & Development Ltd dba Kinneret Innovation Center ("KIC"), Start-Up Nation Central Ltd. (CC) ("SNC") and the Climate Solutions Prize Organization ("CSPO") (each, a "Partner Organization" and collectively, the "Organizers").
1.2. The participation in the Pitch Day consists of an application process that allows Israeli startups (each, an "Applicant") to submit an application to the Organizers to qualify for a chance to present on The Pitch day stage, as detailed below (each, an "Application"). The Application, together with all materials, content, data, presentations, pitches, demonstrations, written or oral communications, documentation, and any other information or media (in any format) submitted or presented by the Applicant to the Organizers at any stage of the process, including during the application phase and the Pitch Day event itself, shall be collectively referred to as the "Submission".
1.3. Pitch Day process, timeline and event overview:
1.3.1. Applicants shall submit their Application via the Website (as defined below) between 30 August, 2026, and 15 September, 2026 (the "Application Deadline").
1.3.2. Following the Application Deadline, KIC and SNC will review all Applications based on the eligibility criteria set forth in Section 3 below. Based on this review and at their sole discretion, KIC and SNC shall appoint an advisory committee that will assist in selecting a shortlist of up to twenty (20) Applicants who most closely meet the eligibility criteria and intended scope of the Pitch Day (the "Advisory Committee" and the "Top 20 Applicants", respectively).
1.3.3. Climate tech investors selected, and invited by CSPO, in it's sole discretion, as part of its delegation tour to Israel ("Investors"). The Investors will receive the Top 20 Applicants list in advance, and will select up to ten (10) most relevant Applicants to be invited to present on stage during the Pitch Day event (the "Top 10 Applicants"). Announcement of the Top 10 Applicants will be made by 5 October, 2026.
1.3.4. Each of the Top 10 Applicants will be offered a one-on-one pitch preparation session organized by the Organizers prior to the Pitch Day event. Participation in the preparation session is compulsory and the Organizers maintain the right of refusal to present on the Pitch Day's stage to Applicants that will not participate in this preparation session.
1.3.5. The Pitch Day, to be held on 21 October, 2026, will be a closed, invitation-only event. All Top 20 Applicants may be offered to participate in this event. However, only the Top 10 Applicants will deliver live pitches on stage.
1.3.6. During the Pitch Day event, a judging committee composed of representatives selected at the discretion of each of the Partner Organizations and which may include investors, IP experts, and climate tech ecosystem specialists (the "Judging Committee"), will evaluate the Top 10 Applicants' presentations and select the winners, as follows:
1.3.6.1. First Prize: USD 60,000;
1.3.6.2. Second Prize: USD 40,000.
(collectively, the "First and Second Prizes")
1.3.7. In addition to the First and Second Prizes awarded by the Judging Committee, an Audience Choice Award in the amount of USD 25,000 shall be awarded to one of the Top 10 Applicants, as selected by the participants of the Pitch Day event (the "Audience Choice Award"). For the avoidance of doubt, Applicants who are awarded the First or Second Prize shall not be eligible to win the Audience Choice Award (The First and Second Prizes and the Audience Choice Award shall be referred to collectively as the "Prizes").
2. Objectives of the Pitch Day
2.1. To spur increased funding and investment in Israeli tech innovation to address the global climate crisis.
2.2. To galvanize the Israeli tech ecosystem to channel its DNA of entrepreneurship and innovation to address climate change.
2.3. To position the Israeli tech ecosystem as a global hub of innovation in climate-tech, recognized for its ability to leverage its entrepreneurship and innovative spirit towards tackling pressing global challenges.
3. Eligibility
3.1. To be eligible to submit an application to participate in the Pitch Day, each Applicant must meet all of the following criteria:
3.1.1. The Applicant must be a for-profit legal entity, duly incorporated and registered under the laws of the State of Israel, with active operations, including offices and research and development (R&D) teams, physically located in Israel.
3.1.2. The Applicant must be at a funding stage between Seed and Series A (inclusive). The Organizers reserve the right to request documentation evidencing the Applicant's funding stage.
3.1.3. The Applicant must offer a product or technology that addresses a climate-relevant need in a clear and demonstrable manner. The Organizers may, at their sole discretion, determine whether a proposed solution meets this requirement.
3.1.4. The Applicant must have completed a paid pilot or proof-of-concept (POC) with at least one customer or partner organization. The Organizers reserve the right to request evidence of Applicant's compliance with this requirement.
3.1.5. Receipt of public or private grants related to climate innovation and/or technology shall be considered a positive factor in the evaluation of the application but is not a mandatory eligibility requirement.
3.1.6. The Applicant must own full and unrestricted legal rights, title, and interest in, and all intellectual property included in the Submission, and has full authority to use and disclose such intellectual property as part of the Submission. Applicant must ensure that the Submission, in whole or in part, does not and will not infringe upon or misappropriate any intellectual property rights or violate any law, confidentiality obligations, agreements, or third-party rights to which the Applicant is subject.
3.1.7. To the extent that any part of the Submission includes or relies upon intellectual property owned by third party, the Applicant must obtain the express written consent of such third party to use such intellectual property as part of the Submission. The use of any ideas, materials, information, or content that could reasonably be considered proprietary, confidential or protected by intellectual property rights of any third party is strictly prohibited without such third party's express written consent. This includes, without limitation, the use of any images, trademarks, logos, symbols or other visual, audio, or textual elements presented in connection with the Submission, including during the Pitch Day. Any such use must comply with all applicable laws. Upon demand, the Applicant shall provide the Organizers with sufficient documentation evidencing such third-party permissions and compliance with this clause.
4. Applicant's representations, warranties and undertakings
4.1. The Applicant's application to and participation in the Pitch Day is subject to full compliance with these Terms, and any additional instructions, rules or conditions as may be provided by the Organizers from time to time, at their sole discretion.
4.2. By clicking "accept", "agree", "send" or other similar button, or by submitting an Application and/or participating in Pitch Day, the Applicant confirms that it has carefully read these Terms and hereby acknowledge and agrees, on behalf of itself and any legal entity it represents, to be legally bound by these Terms, and that such acceptance will be the equivalent of a signature on these Terms. Applicant further represents and warrants that it has the full legal capacity and authority to accept these Terms and to bind the entity on whose behalf it is acting.
4.3. By submitting an Application and/or participating in the Pitch Day, each Applicant hereby represents, warrants and undertakes to the Organizers the following:
4.3.1. All information provided by the Applicant, including within the Submission, is true, accurate, current, and complete to the best of the Applicant's knowledge.
4.3.2. It consents to the Organizers' use, access, and disclosure of the full Application and the Submission (including all content and information included therein) for any purposes related to the Pitch Day, including without limitation, for reviewing eligibility, evaluating the Application, selection decisions, and promotional activities related to the Pitch Day.
4.3.3. The Organizers, their affiliates and/or the Partner Organizations may, at their sole discretion, publicly identify and acknowledge the Top 20 Applicants (as defined above) and Prize winners, and publish or otherwise display certain basic details, including Applicant's name, company name, brief description, photographs and biographical information, on the Website (as defined below), the Organizers' websites, social media platform, in press releases, and in any other promotional and marketing materials relating to the Pitch Day.
4.3.4. It hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert, any claims or rights (including, without limitation, any moral rights or rights of attribution or integrity) in or to the Submission, against the Organizers, their affiliates and/or the Partner Organizations, in connection with any use thereof for publicity, marketing, or promotional purposes related to the Pitch Day.
4.3.5. It is of legal age and fully competent to enter into, and be bound by, these Terms.
4.3.6. The submission of an Application and participation in the Pitch Day does not, under any circumstances, constitute or create any obligation or commitment on the part of the Organizers or a Partner Organization to enter into any business or commercial relationship, partnership, investment, or other engagement with the Applicant. Any business or investment relationship that may arise between the Applicant and any third party (including any of the Investors) following the Pitch Day shall be entirely independent, and the Organizers and/or the Partner Organizations shall bear no responsibility or liability whatsoever in connection therewith. Without derogating from the above, the Applicant agrees to notify SNC of any investment or business relationship that materializes following the Pitch Day and is directly attributable to participation therein.
5. Overall criteria for the review of Applications
5.1. KIC and SNC shall review Applicant's compliance with the eligibility criteria set forth at section 3 above. Following this review, the Advisory Committee shall assist in selecting the Top 20 Applicants. Each of KIC, SNC, and the Advisory Committee may apply independent review standards and exercise sole discretion in their evaluation. Applicants may be invited to present their pitches to a live or Internet audience during the review process.
5.2. In addition to Section 3 above, KIC, SNC, the Advisory Committee may consider, without limitation, the following factors in their Applications review criteria:
- Overall scientific and technical feasibility of the Applicants technology or product;
- Business potential of the Applicant's technology or product;
- Potential for proprietary position (e.g., whether the technology is novel or protectable);
- Quality and experience of the Applicant's team – capabilities and related experience;
- Maturity level of the Applicants technology or product;
- Relevance within Investors' areas of interests and investment;
5.3. The Judging Committee shall select the winners of the First and Second Prizes based on, among other things, the criteria described in Sections 3 and 5.2 above, as well as the Top 10 Applicants' presentation performance and pitch quality during the Pitch Day. The Judging Committee shall have full discretion in evaluating the Applicants and determining the winners of the First and Second Prizes.
6. Pitch Day process timeline
6.1. Applications Deadline: Applications may be submitted from 30 August, 2026, through 15 September, 2026.
6.2. Announcement of selected Top 10 Applicants invited to present on stage on the Pitch Day event, will be made by 5 October, 2026.
6.3. Pitch day event will take place on 21 October, 2026. Top 20 Applicants may be invited to attend the event alongside other guests and participants at the Organizers soul discretion. During the event, the Top 10 Applicants will present on stage, and the Prize winners will be announced.
7. Submissions and Application Form
7.1. All Applications to the Pitch Day must be submitted exclusively through the Pitch Day website, available at: http://cspisrael.com/ (the "Website").
7.2. All Applications and Submissions must be submitted in English only.
7.3. Applications must include all required fields in the application form, as provided on the Website.
7.4. As part of the application process, Applicant may be asked to validate the existing profile of its company on SNC's Finder website, available at: https://finder.startupnationcentral.org/ or create a new profile, if one does not already exist.
7.5. Only complete Applications will be accepted and considered. It is the sole responsibility of the Applicant to ensure that all required details are accurate, complete and correct before submitting the Application.
7.6. Applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria of the Pitch Day (detailed in section 3 above) will not advance in the review process, as per the Organizers sole discretion, and will not receive notification of rejection. Only the Applicants selected for the Top 20 (and, subsequently, the Top 10) will receive formal notification.
7.7. All communications from and materials provided by the Applicant to the Organizers, including the Submission, shall be deemed non-confidential. The Organizers may disclose such materials to third parties, including but not limited to consultants, service providers, employees of the Organizers, and/or the Partner Organizations, as necessary for the purposes of evaluating the Application and organizing the Pitch Day.
7.8. The Applicant hereby agrees that the Organizers may contact it via email with information relating to the Pitch Day, the Pitch Day event, or other events and opportunities related to the climate-tech sector.
7.9. Applicants may be contacted via email during the review process to provide additional information. It is the Applicant's responsibility to respond in a timely and accurate manner.
7.10. It is the sole responsibility of each Top 20 Applicant, Top 10 Applicant, and Prize winner to respond promptly to any communication from the Organizers relating to the Pitch Day and their participation therein.
7.11. The Applicant acknowledges and agrees that Organizers may disclose the information provided by the Applicant, or on its behalf, to Organizers' respective employees, partners, subcontractors, and other third parties as necessary for the purpose of facilitating the Pitch Day. Any processing of personal information will be performed in accordance with the Website's privacy policy available at: www.cspisrael.com/privacypolicy.
8. Conditions of funding and awarding of Prizes to winners
8.1. The Prize winners of the Pitch Day (as detailed in Sections 1.3.6 and 1.3.7 above) shall be awarded non-refundable monetary Prizes, which shall be solely funded, administered, and awarded by CSPO. The awarding of the Prizes is subject to CSPO's sole discretion, and each Prize winner may be required to enter into a separate award agreement or related documentation with CSPO as a condition to receiving the applicable Prize. CSPO shall contact the winning Applicants following the public announcement of the winners during the Pitch Day event and after receipt of written confirmation from the Organizers.
8.2. The intended amounts of the Prizes are as follows:
8.2.1. First prize: USD 60,000;
8.2.2. Second Prize: USD 40,000;
8.2.3. Audience Choice Award: USD 25,000;
8.3. Each Prize winner hereby acknowledges and agrees that the Prize money shall be used solely for research and development expenses. Each Prize winner further acknowledges and agrees that CSPO may request, in its sole discretion, to receive satisfactory evidence substantiating such use.
8.4. The sole responsibility for the payment of any applicable taxes, duties, or other charges arising from the receipt of the Prizes lies with the respective Prize winners, in accordance with the laws of the State of Israel and any other applicable jurisdiction. CSPO may transfer winner details to the relevant tax authorities and withhold applicable taxes, to the extent required by law or by a competent authority. The responsibility for any tax obligations rests solely with the Prize winners.
8.5. The Prizes are subject to the availability of funds. CSPO shall make commercially reasonable efforts to provide the Prizes as advertised; however, CSPO does not guarantee the availability of funding or the fulfillment of any financial or non-financial commitments. In the event that the funding for the Prizes becomes unavailable, is reduced, or otherwise impacted due to unforeseen circumstances or any other reason, CSPO reserves the right to reduce, defer, or cancel the Prizes, and shall bear no liability for any such reduction or cancellation.
8.6. For the avoidance of doubt, the Prizes are solely administered, funded, and awarded by CSPO. Neither KIC nor SNC shall bear any responsibility or liability of any kind, whether direct or indirect, in connection with the Prizes or the provision thereof, and shall not be considered party to any engagement between CSPO and the Prize winners. This exclusion of liability shall apply in addition to, and without derogating from, any other limitation of liability set forth in these Terms.
9. Intellectual Property
Unless expressly agreed otherwise in writing between an Applicant and any of the Organizers and/or Partner Organizations, nothing in these Terms shall be construed as granting, assigning, licensing, or otherwise transferring any rights, title, or interest in or to any intellectual property of the Applicant to the Organizers, any Partner Organization, or any third party acting on their behalf. Each Applicant shall retain all rights, title, and interest in and to its intellectual property.
10. Liability
10.1. The Applicant acknowledges that submission to and participation in the Pitch Day, as well as any use of the Website, any content related to the Pitch Day, or any Prizes awarded, are at the Applicant's sole risk and are provided "as is" and "as available," without warranties of any kind, express or implied.
10.2. For the avoidance of doubt, the Prizes constitute the full and exclusive reward for winning the Pitch Day. The Organizers make no guarantees regarding future opportunities, collaborations, or investments.
10.3. To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Organizers, Partner Organizations, and their respective affiliates, directors, officers, employees, agents, and representatives shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages arising out of or related to the Applicant's participation in the Pitch Day, including but not limited to:
10.3.1. Use or misuse of the Prize;
10.3.2. Participation in the Pitch Day event or any Pitch Day-related activity;
10.3.3. Technical failures of any kind, including but not limited to malfunctions in computer, network, software, or hardware systems;
10.3.4. Unavailability of transmission or access to the Internet or communication networks.
11. Indemnification
11.1. The Applicant agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Organizers, the Partner Organizations, and their respective affiliates, officers, directors, employees, and agents (collectively, the "Indemnified Parties") from and against any and all claims, demands, actions, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, and expenses (including attorneys' fees) arising out of or relating to:
11.1.1. the Applicant's breach of these Terms;
11.1.2. the Applicant's participation in the Pitch Day; or
11.1.3. any claim or allegation that the Submission infringes, misappropriates, or otherwise violates the intellectual property rights, confidentiality obligations, or any other rights of any third party.
11.2. The Applicant shall indemnify and hold harmless the Indemnified Parties immediately upon first written demand, without derogating from any other right or remedy available to the Indemnified Parties under applicable law.
12. Miscellaneous
12.1. The Organizers reserve the right to update, amend, or modify these Terms at any time and at their sole discretion. Any such changes shall become effective once published on the Website. Continued participation in the Pitch Day following any such change shall constitute the Applicant's acceptance of the revised Terms.
12.2. The Organizers reserve the right to disqualify any Applicant from participating in the Pitch Day and/or revoke any Prize awarded if, in their sole discretion, such Applicant has acted dishonestly, improperly, or in violation of applicable law, these Terms or the spirit of the Pitch Day event.
12.3. In the event of any inconsistency between these Terms and any other communications or publications regarding the Pitch Day, these Terms shall prevail. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any additional terms published by the Organizers and explicitly designated as supplementary to these Terms shall prevail over any conflicting provisions herein, provided that notice of such additional terms is published on the Website.
12.4. The Organizers reserve the right to change the timeline or structure of the Pitch Day, including its postponement, suspension, or termination, at any time and at their sole discretion.
12.5. These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Israel. The competent courts of Tel Aviv-Yafo shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute arising out of or in connection with these Terms.
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