Startups prove Pope Francis' environmental vision was right

You've likely heard it everywhere: Pope Francis was deeply concerned about the environment, social justice, and ethical business practices. Back in 2015, his groundbreaking encyclical, "Laudato Si': On Care for Our Common Home," sparked a global movement and continues to resonate with innovators worldwide. 

But how does his vision align with today's sustainability trends? In this article, we explore a selection of startups that demonstrate that Pope Francis' insights were aligned with our current innovations. These startups were chosen based on their impact, success in funding, and alignment with the ideas of environmental stewardship, social justice and ethical business practices. A selection among many more that illustrate a trend of startups driving meaningful change in sustainability.

Environmental stewardship

At the core of Laudato Si’ is a call to care for “our common home.” Startups have already been translating that vision into scalable, impactful innovations that prioritise environmental stewardship as a foundation:

1. Ecocart aligns with the call for responsible consumption, transforming e-commerce by enabling online retailers to offer carbon offsets at checkout

• Impact: Their platform has already contributed to the planting of millions of trees and the removal of plastic waste from oceans
• Value: Over $17 million raised in funding

2. Limeloop addresses the mountains of waste created by single-use packaging, offering reusable, trackable shipping alternatives

• Impact: Practical rethinking of packaging as part of a circular system
• Value: $11.5 million secured in funding across five rounds

3. Carbon Clean specialises in carbon capture and storage technology, helping industries reduce their carbon footprint by capturing and repurposing CO2 emissions.

• Impact: Thousands of tons of CO2 captured, contributing to a cleaner atmosphere
• Value: Over $260 million raised in funding across 10 rounds

Redesigning the economy for people and planet

Laudato Si’ challenges us to rethink our economic systems. The startups leading this charge are maximising profit, but also reimagining what profit means:

1. Ethic promotes ethical business practices and social responsibility by helping investors create sustainable and socially responsible investment portfolios

• Impact: Thousands of investors empowered to support companies that prioritise sustainability and social justice
• Value: Over $60 million raised in funding

2. Fairphone produces smartphones focusing on fairness and sustainability. Their phones are designed to be easily repairable and long-lasting, promoting a circular economy

• Impact: 500,000 sustainable smartphones sold, contributing to the reduction of e-waste and promoting fair labor practices
• Value: $25 million raised in funding over 4 rounds

3. iFixit helps people fix their stuff. They offer free repair guides, troubleshooting tips, and a marketplace for parts and tools, empowering individuals to repair and extend the lifecycle of their electronic devices

• Impact: Empowered millions of people to repair their devices: reduction of e-waste, repair and reuse culture development
• Value: $2 million raised in funding over 2 rounds

These ventures are examples of how economic models can serve the common good—not just shareholders, but workers, communities, and ecosystems alike.

Social inclusion

Pope Francis has always emphasised the importance of lifting up those most affected by poverty, exclusion, and environmental harm. Today’s socially-driven startups are finding innovative ways to do just that.

1. Inclusion Geeks empowers women in the tech industry through mentorship programmes, workshops, and networking events, where Pope Francis' called for social justice and community empowerment

• Impact: Help provided to women to advance in their tech careers
• Value: $2.5 million raised

2. Too good to go tackles food waste by connecting users with surplus food from restaurants and grocery stores, thus preventing food from going to waste and providing affordable food options.

• Impact: Millions of meals saved from going to waste
• Value: Over $10 million raised in funding

3. Solstice promotes a transition to clean energy and focuses on making renewable energy more accessible to communities. Pope Francis' made, from his end, good advocacy for renewable energy and community empowerment.

• Impact: Solstice has enabled numerous communities to adopt renewable energy
• Value: Over $5 million raised in funding

4. Edlyft focuses on providing education and job training to marginalised communities, with a particular emphasis on empowering women and underrepresented groups

• Impact: Empowered +1000 individuals by helping them secure jobs and advance their careers. The platform has also partnered with numerous companies to promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace
• Value: $3.5 million raised in funding over 2 rounds

A vision realised—and more to come

Pope Francis' legacy serves as a guiding light for a more sustainable and equitable world. His thoughts on integral ecology, social justice, and ethical business practices aligned remarkably with the innovative solutions being developed by today's startups. 

As we reflect on his enduring influence, let's embrace these values and support the pioneering startups that are driving meaningful change. The time to act is now, and the opportunities are endless for those willing to lead the way.

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illuminem Voices is a democratic space presenting the thoughts and opinions of leading Sustainability & Energy writers, their opinions do not necessarily represent those of illuminem.