Kennedys supports launch of Vital Earth accelerator with Bright Tide

Kennedys has supported the launch of the Vital Earth Accelerator Programme as a founding partner. Delivered in partnership with sustainability consultancy Bright Tide, the accelerator brings together entrepreneurs developing solutions across climate, nature and public health.

The programme builds on our previous collaboration with Bright Tide, having collaborated on both the Regenerative Farming Accelerator and Sustain.AI, and combines themes from both programmes. Notably, Kennedys was nominated across four industry awards for our work in the Regenerative Farming Accelerator.

Vital Earth is a business accelerator supporting startups at the intersection of climate, nature, and human health, working across areas such as regenerative agriculture, biotech, biodiversity monitoring, and air quality to tackle urgent global challenges.

Kennedys will support the ventures through a four-week virtual programme, in-person events, and pro bono support, equipping them with the tools, networks, and expertise to scale their impact. In doing so, we will advise the ventures through the intersections of insurance, healthcare, biotech, and data protection through the legal lens.  We are also excited to host a roundtable with the ventures, insurer clients and insurance lawyers to examine how insurance can support the growth of these business models.

The programme is supported by other founding partners including Ocean Conservation Trust, University of Plymouth, Barclays Eagle Labs and Barnet Council, bringing together expertise across science, finance, policy and industry to support delivery of the cohort.

Commenting on the partnership, partner Emilie Civatte said: “As a lawyer working closely with innovators, I see firsthand how entrepreneurship is driving meaningful solutions to some of our planet and communities’ most pressing challenges, from air quality and biodiversity to public health, the economy, and regenerative agriculture.

“This accelerator brings together bold thinking and practical action, creating an environment where ideas can scale into real-world impact. It is an honour and an inspiration to get the opportunity to support founders who are not only building innovative businesses, but also reshaping the future of our economy, environment, and communities for the better.”

The launch event, brought together ventures, founding partners and industry experts from across climate, health and finance.

Vital Earth Collage

Attendees heard from Dr Michael Dixon, Head of the Royal Medical Household to His Majesty The King and Chair of The College of Medicine and Integrated Health, who spoke about the growth of social prescribing within NHS England. This approach connects patients to community and nature-based health interventions and is now delivered at scale via GP referrals and supported by over 3,000 link workers across England and Wales.

The event also highlighted the range of innovation within the Vital Earth cohort, including technologies focused on air quality monitoring, regenerative agriculture, marine ecosystems and environmental data. These developments are shaping how environmental factors are understood, including implications for public health and future claims.

From a legal and insurance perspective, this raises questions around risk assessment  in emerging models, including responsibility, consent and evolving standards of healthcare.

Harry Wright, Bright Tide Founder and CEO, added: “We are excited to work with our longstanding partner Kennedys to explore the intersections of insurance, healthcare, biotech, and data protection, and to host a roundtable with insurers and insurance lawyers on how insurance can help scale these business models.”

The ventures working across climate, nature and public health innovation are:

The firm will produce supporting content and share insight through webinars and workshops. At the conclusion of the programme, Kennedys will contribute to Bright Tide’s Impact Report to assess delivery and outcomes.

Our involvement reflects the firm’s commitment to supporting ESG innovation and engaging with businesses developing products and services across climate, biodiversity and public health.

The programme will continue over the coming weeks, with expert sessions, roundtables and a final showcase event where ventures will present to investors and industry stakeholders.

The initiative also forms part of Kennedys’ Thrive Together community volunteer programme, which supports a global goal to increase volunteering and pro bono activity, reaching thousands of individuals by 2030.

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