Young entrepreneurs developing solutions to climate change could gain access to a major new source of funding, with the launch of an international initiative targeting more than US$1 billion in financing by 2030.
The Green Rising Fund, announced at the Commonwealth Youth Forum in Antigua and Barbuda, aims to help young people turn environmentally focused ideas into viable businesses, create jobs and contribute to more resilient economies. Barbados’ Minister of State for Youth and Culture, Senator Shane Archer, announced the initiative on behalf of Prime Minister Mia Mottley during the A Billion Reasons to Rise event.
Developed through UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited programme, the fund is designed to address a persistent challenge facing young climate entrepreneurs: access to finance. Although young people are developing innovative responses to environmental problems, a very small share of global climate funding reaches youth-led initiatives.
“Less than one dollar in every hundred of climate finance reaches youth-led initiatives,” Archer said, highlighting the imbalance between the responsibilities placed on young people to address climate change and the resources available to support their efforts.
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Financing Green Ideas at Every Stage
The Green Rising Fund will use a blended financing approach, combining grants, early-stage financing and investment to support enterprises at different stages of development.
Its areas of focus will include renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, recycling and other environmentally sustainable activities. The financing model is intended to help young entrepreneurs move from initial ideas and early projects towards established businesses capable of attracting investment and expanding their impact.
Governments are expected to help set priorities and share financial risks, while businesses and private investors can contribute capital, technical expertise and access to markets.
Archer stressed that raising the money would only be part of the challenge. The fund must also ensure that young founders can realistically access the support, rather than face complicated processes that prevent promising ventures from progressing.
Building on Barbados’ Green Rising Programme
The international fund builds on the wider Green Rising initiative, launched in 2023 to expand youth participation in climate action and create opportunities for sustainable livelihoods.
Barbados established its national Green Rising programme in June 2025, supported by a US$1 million grant from UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited and a US$500,000 contribution pledged by Prime Minister Mottley from her Zayed Award funds.
The national programme is now aiming to equip 5,000 young Barbadians with the skills, resources and support needed to pursue green and blue economy livelihoods.
Archer said the funding must translate into practical assistance, including equipment, mentorship and help for young people seeking to establish their own businesses. Climate action, he emphasised, must also create meaningful opportunities to earn a living.
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A Global Investment in Youth-Led Climate Solutions
The Green Rising Fund will seek contributions from governments, development institutions, philanthropic organisations and private investors, with the ambition of supporting youth-led enterprises across developing countries.
Its US$1 billion target represents the amount the initiative aims to mobilise by 2030, rather than funding already secured. Details of initial commitments, application procedures and disbursement arrangements have yet to be announced.
For young entrepreneurs, the initiative could help bridge the gap between having an idea that addresses an environmental challenge and having the financial backing to turn it into a sustainable business. Its success will ultimately depend not only on the capital it attracts, but on how effectively that support reaches the young people it is intended to serve.
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