Green tech Change by Degrees raises €700k | ThinkBusiness
Summary
Cork business Change by Degrees to develop its skills platform and scale into new markets.The funding round was led by Japanese firm Value Create Ventures and was supported by influential private investors with the support of HBAN and the Enterprise Ireland High Potential Start-Up (HPSU) funding.Sustainability is not the job of one person or department it requires skills across all functions, from the board to the factory floor, to deliver real change and remain competitiveThe Kinsale, Co Cork, business will use the new funding to develop its platform and scale into new markets.Change by Degrees was founded by Dr Tara Shine and Madeleine Murray in 2018 and grew over time into a B2B SaaS business. Per-Fredrik Hagermark joined the business in 2024 bringing over 10 years experience in sales and online learning from LinkedIn Learning.The B Corp Certified company is fully remote with nine employees, several consultants and further hires anticipated in 2025.Change by Degrees is committed to building the skills every employee needs to do their job differently and contribute to the sustainability goals of their organisation, said Dr Tara Shine.Sustainability is not the job of one person or department it requires skills across all functions, from the board to the factory floor, to deliver real change and remain competitive. Change by Degrees supports companies to create tangible proof points and stories about the work they do and the obligations they have, going way beyond completion rates and tick-box exercises. Our clients feel seen, safe and supported by us at a time when new sustainability reporting requirements demand radial transparency and better accountability to all stakeholders.The business said that demand for green skills outstrips supply globally by 2:1 with some of the most significant talent gaps in the UK and Ireland, increasing the imperative to build sustainability skills in-house to ensure compliance and competitiveness.Companies seeking to attract and retain the best talent benefit from investing in sustainability upskilling and employee engagement, especially for younger employees.When education leads to real-world action, online learning becomes an unmatched tool for upskilling. Enterprise Ireland is committed to supporting Irish companies on their sustainability journey to help them not only meet climate targets but to also thrive in a decarbonising world.