Women-led climate adaptation businesses are transforming the future of sustainability, providing solutions that make a meaningful difference—on a large scale—in mitigating the impacts of climate change. However, in spite of providing this promising support, they experience considerable financial limitations and make less than 7% of venture capital in emerging markets (IFC, 2024). Backing these pioneering companies isn’t just a step toward gender equity — it’s a smart, forward-looking investment in resilience and innovation.
This blog showcases the Top 10 women-led businesses driving climate adaptation and deserving attention and support in 2025. From the frontline of food security advancements to innovative renewable energy solutions, here’s how these enterprises are, indeed, changing the world.
Why Women-Led Climate Adaptation Businesses Matter
Addressing Climate Challenges
The budget required for mitigating climate change is alarming, and a figure between $140 and 300 billion is necessary in developing countries every year by 2030 (UNEP, 2024). Women-led businesses are critical to the fight with their emphasis on community-based, meaningful solutions.
For example, researches evidence that women-run businesses prioritize resilience 70% of these commit to community ways (McKinsey, 2024). Conversely, climate adaptation actions can cut future climate losses by 25%, saving billions annually.
Economic and Social Implications
Better performance: Start-ups are 63% more successful when women are involved (McKinsey, 2024).
Job Creation: These enterprises generate 40% more jobs for women for improved local economies (UN Women, 2024).
Environmental Leadership: Those countries have a 12% reduction in CO2 emissions as compared to countries with less participation of women on decision making boards (One Earth, 2024).
A Pathway to Gender Equity
But despite their clear influence, women-led companies receive less than 10% of all the climate tech VC money invested globally (IFC, 2024). But efforts like USAID’s $6M Climate Gender Equity Fund are also working to support these cutting-edge businesses and close this crucial gap.
10 Women-Led Climate Adaptation Businesses to Support
Gro Intelligence
Founder: Sara Menker (USA)
Solution: AI-powered farm data platform predicting food supply risk.
Impact: Serves 30+ countries, decline in crop loss by 15% (Gro Intelligence, 2024).
Why We Love Them: Game-changing food security tech that’s actively scaling up global resilience.
Opportunity: Looking for Series B to grow internationally.
Drop Access
Founder: Norah Magero (Kenya)
Solution: Solar-powered fridges (Vaccibox) for off-grid food and drugs storage.
Impact: 10,000 rural households served, 20% reduction in spoilage (UNEP, 2024).
Why Back: Promotes renewable power while also enabling rural women.
Funding Need: Requires grants to improve production and outreach.
West Africa Blue
Leaders: Elizabeth Littlefield (West Africa)
Solution: Blue carbon projects that restore coastal ecosystems via carbon credit.
Impact: Safeguarding 100,000 hectares and trapping 1 million tons of CO2 every year.
Why Support: Community-based restoration will help to shape coastal resilience.
Fund-Raising Status: Looking for investors to expand regionally.
Khepra
Founder: Kp Shegun (USA)
Solution: Make biofuel from organic waste and slash methane here.
Impact: Diverts 5,000 tons of waste each year, providing energy for more than 1,000 homes.
Why Back Over: Circular economy innovator working to attack emissions at the source.
Funding Opportunity: Needs financing to scale up operations.
EarthEnable
Founder: Gayatri Datar (Rwanda)
Solution: Low-cost, eco-friendly flooring instead of dirt floors.
Impact: Better health for 50,000 households, a 30% reduction in indoor pollution.
Supporting: Simple solutions that both change lives and make them more resilient.
Funding Opportunity: Additional growth capital to reach new communities.
Sistema.bio
Founder: Camil Bourquin (Mexican)
Solution: Biodigesters that use farm waste to generate energy and make organic fertilizer.
Impact: If realized, benefiting 20,000 farmers and reducing emissions by 1 ton/farmer.
Why Support: A solution that would be scalable in rural areas has already been tried and tested.
Opportunity: In Need of funds for growth in the global terms.
SunCulture
Founder(s): Samir Ibrahim (Kenya)
Solution: Climate resilient farming with the help of solar powered irrigation systems.
Impact: Increasing yieids 30% for 15,000 farmers.
Why invest: Mitigates water scarcity and increases agricultural productivity.
Funding: Looking for Series A funds.
Okra Solar
Founder: Afnan Hannan (Australia, Cambodia)
Solution: Solar microgrids thatcan power off-grid communities.
Impact: Reduces reliance on fossil fuels for more than 5,000 homes.
Why Give: Revolutionary energy innovation that helps underserved populations.
Opportunity: Seeking investment to help scale their startups.
GreenWave
Founder: Bren Smith (USA)
Solution: Restorative ocean farming for kelp and shellfish.
Impact: Training more than 1,000 farmers and sequestering 500 tons of CO2 per year.
Why Support: Coastal adaptation was aligned with carbon sequestration objectives.
Funding Challenge: Looking for community investment to expand.
Saathi
Founder: Kristin Kagetsu (India)
Solution: Biodegradable banana fiber sanitary wear, eliminating waste.
Impact: 100,000 women served and 1,000 tons of annual waste diverted.
Why It Doesn’t Suck: Novel business trying to solve health and environmental problems.
Opportunity for funding Support is needed for worldwide distribution.
The Dilemma of Servicing These Businesses
Funding Barriers
Women‐owned climate businesses receive extremely low funding, just 7% of venture capital (IFC, 2024). Solutions would entail the backing of dedicated accelerators, such as She Wins Climate.
Visibility Issues
A mere 10% of climate women-run companies receive any media attention(Source: Forbes, 2024). Promoting these businesses on social network can generate high engagement.
Systemic Bias
Lingering doubts about women’s ability to lead in climate solutions impede progress. I’d argue that investor education aimed to reduce this bias by 20% is a step in the right direction.
Elevating Women’s Leadership on Climate Resilience
When you back businesses focused on women-led climate adaptation, you don’t just finance a movement toward sustainable innovation that tackles local and global challenges — you also push it in the direction of equity.
Whether it’s deploying solar grids, increasing access to clean, affordable energy or lowering agricultural emissions, women-led initiatives are coming to the forefront in the drive to protect both people and planet.
Get involved today
You can begin humbly, by following and boosting these businesses. Want to drive real impact? Invest in them, or in other companies they highlight, or give money to charities and nonprofits working with these solutions, and join the climate adaptation revolution — the future in 2025.