Blake Blaze and Addie Klimek say it will take everyone working together to ensure a sustainable future.
It’s why they co-founded the Charlottesville-based startup WOURLD (Our World) in 2020. WOURLD is an educational platform with interactive lessons on climate science.
The goal is to empower students to become problem solvers, so they can develop climate solutions in their communities to make a positive global impact, Klimek said.
“Educating the current generation of students is the one of the most powerful ways to do that,” she said.
WOURLD is one of eight startups participating in Lighthouse Labs’ current accelerator program. This is Lighthouse’s first hybrid cohort. The cohort started in August and will wrap up with a virtual Demo Day on Thursday.
“We’ll be showcasing the functionality of the website but also presenting our case to investors about why this education sustainability solution presents a really compelling investment opportunity,” Blaze said.
At the end of the event, the audience vote on their favorite pitch. The winning pitch will receive a $15,000 investment from Lighthouse Labs.
Of the eight teams in Lighthouse’s current cohort, three are Virginia-based, while out-of-state representation includes Detroit, Ann Arbor, Iowa City and Philadelphia.
Sarah Pavilack, Lighthouse Labs founder success coordinator, said the goal is to support the entrepreneurs driving innovation and change.
“Early-stage startups face a lot of challenges,” she said. “At Lighthouse Labs, we step in and act as that support system to help these founders grow.”
Each team will receive $20,000 in equity-free grant funding upon completion, along with connections to alumni, mentors, corporate partners and the investor community.
“Their network has been incredible,” Blaze said. “They have immediate resources that we could turn to in the form of former founders or local business leaders. Everything we could have possibly wanted they’ve been able to provide. It’s been inspiring.”
To date, WOURLD has operated on personal savings, a grant from the University of Virginia’s Jefferson Scholars Foundation and the $20,000 in non-dilutive funding from Lighthouse Labs, he said.
Both co-founders say being exposed to nature as kids sparked the passion they have for the startup’s mission.
Klimek said she remembers family visits to National Parks when she was younger which made a profound impression on her. She said he hopes to inspire other young people to want to improve the planet’s future.
“I was lucky to have those opportunities,” she said. “Nature is fascinating and beautiful.”
Klimek said the WOURLD curriculum uses its unique features as an online educational platform that will excite students, parents, and teachers.
“Education is a powerful tool that can produce powerful results,” she said. “When students have exposure to that, when they learn about climate change and how we’re impacting the environment, we can create a generation that’s passionate about climate change and will take it with them in their careers whether they want to go into environmental science or policy or sustainability [or not].”
Klimek added, “Regardless of what they want to do, we need everybody in every aspect of society aware of and passionate about climate change. That’s what we’re hoping to do with our platform.”