2024 GCPF Academy: Peer-led Climate Innovation

2024 GCPF Academy: Peer-led Climate Innovation

Our bi-annual Academy aims to be more than a conference or series of workshops, an award show or innovation accelerator.  It’s a way for all attendees–GCPF included–to tap into the collective smarts and creativity of some of our favorite people working in the climate transition. 

Since our beginnings, we’ve been developing ways to learn from each other in order to fast-track the solutions we need. We believe that sustainable growth requires more than just funding—it demands collective intelligence and shared learnings. Our 2024 Academy embodied this in more ways than we could have hoped. 

With around 100 participants from 28 countries, the Academy has grown into a place and platform where our partners–our ‘climate family’–come to both learn and teach; to exchange knowledge and burning questions, proven and out-there solutions; and leave with actionable insights, a renewed resolve, and a bellyful of optimism.

Our not-so-secret sauce? Peer-to-Peer-to-Peer Learning

The heart of the Academy lies in peer-to-peer(-to-peer-to-peer) learning. And what a year of learning it was! During our week-long deep-dive, we engaged in hands-on sessions ranging from revolutionary mitigation to bankable adaptation; and shared solutions from net zero funding to sustainable brand building. And by the sound of it, we all left with more than we came. 

In just a few years, the GCPF Academy has grown from a modest exchange forum into a vibrant climate finance innovation hub. The 2024 edition welcomed 47 institutions, each bringing their unique insights and ideas to the table. From Ulanbataar to Yerevan, Bogota to Bangalore, our local solutions may look different–yet we’re all working to mitigate and adapt to the same global problem.

Our approach may seem simple, but we have found it exponentially impactful: the more we can all learn from each other, the smarter we all become, and the better we all do–and a lot faster. 

Looking forward to 2026: we couldn’t do this without you!

Putting together such a diverse academy is no easy feat. That’s why we are especially grateful to see so many of our partner institutions step up to lead the talks and host the breakout sessions. The active participation of everyone, open to both leading and learning, underscores the strength of our unique network. 

As we reflect on the Academy’s growth, and look forward to 2026, it’s clear that our commitment to peer learning is more crucial than ever. The 2024 Academy reaffirmed that truly meaningful progress can only come from working hand in hand. By fostering a safe space for open dialogue, we have been able to co-create and develop solutions that are both locally adaptive and globally scalable.

This year’s academy was universally praised by attendees, with many sharing how inspirational it was. By the end of the week, tired but very happy, we all had something new to take home with us: a seedling of an idea, an innovative approach, a like-minded ally on the other side of the world. We want to extend our immense gratitude to everyone who participated. We are all better for it.