What’s Next for Climate Tech? A CEO’s View From the Frontlines

The climate software tech sector is maturing fast. After being the darling of investors a couple of years back, a consolidation is beginning, regulations are shifting, and companies are rethinking what they want from climate and sustainability platforms.

In this first edition of Sustainability Deep Dives, I spoke with Rachel Delacour, CEO of SWEEP, about how climate tech companies are responding to these shifts, what clients are asking for now, and what it takes to build a business that will last.

 1. We’ve seen an explosion of new climate data startups. But now signs point to  consolidation and convergence. What do you think the sustainability and carbon accounting ecosystem will look like in 2–3 years?

Within the next couple of years, sustainability will be as core to business strategy as finance and marketing. This isn’t just our opinion. There is consensus among highly respected analysts and industry experts that we are collectively moving into a low-carbon economy, and those businesses that get ahead now will not just survive but thrive in this new reality. 

The tools that will endure are those that help organizations translate climate data into strategic insight and measurable impact. As the stakes rise, businesses are looking for ways to align sustainability with core decision-making, whether that's through reducing risk, identifying operational efficiencies, or communicating clearly with stakeholders. The solutions that succeed will be those that integrate deeply with business processes and evolve alongside shifting expectations. At Sweep, we’re seeing that the companies we work with, like L’Oréal, QVC, and Travel + Leisure, are already proving that when you integrate climate data into decision-making, you grow smarter, leaner, and more competitive on top of staying compliant.

2. With the CSRD being slimmed down and rollbacks in the U.S., how is volatility affecting Sweep? What’s your message to clients navigating this uncertainty?

In addition to the changes in policy, the global economic landscape is uncertain with tariffs and instability. Despite this volatility, in all my conversations with business leaders across sectors and geographies, they’re continuing to invest in their sustainability programs.

What was once a nascent viewpoint is now gaining real traction: sustainability data—and the insights it unlocks—are becoming absolutely central to mid- and long-term business strategy

Our message to clients is simple: sustainability is smart business. Regulations may change and shift, but the business case for sustainability doesn’t. To put it simply, sustainability is linked to profitability. The smartest CEOs aren’t waiting for mandates. They are investing now because they know that understanding your environmental impacts drives efficiency, cuts costs, and builds resilience, all of which add up to future-proofing your business. 

3. Do you see fragmentation in reporting as a threat to progress? Can technology help harmonize reporting obligations across jurisdictions?

One of the biggest challenges is keeping up with constantly evolving disclosure requirements. It’s something we thought about from the very beginning and designed our system with that volatility in mind, so companies can load their data once and reuse it across multiple frameworks as needed.

Many clients already choose to report against frameworks like CDP voluntarily, because the process helps them get ahead of investor and regulator expectations. 

Why? Because by disclosing environmental data in this way, companies can identify and address climate risks, enhance their sustainability practices, and meet the growing demand for transparency and accountability from investors, customers, and regulators. To me, this shift toward voluntary, strategic disclosure is a strong signal that sustainability is maturing.

4. What are you most excited about right now in the climate tech sector or sustainability as a whole?

I’m excited that we’re seeing major companies and financial organizations move from ambition to action. Every day, I’m inspired by the work that our customers are doing to lead their businesses with sustainability data at the heart of their strategy, from utilizing it to make industrial processes more efficient, to leveraging it to secure investments. 

The era of climate strategies focused on goal-setting is over. We’re seeing a shift toward measurable progress linked to bottom-line goals. Companies are moving beyond simply reporting to asking what real reduction looks like, how to embed sustainability into everyday decisions across departments, and how to show outcomes that resonate with stakeholders. They are turning data into action and sustainability performance into business performance. It’s a sign that sustainability is maturing and becoming inseparable from business strategy.

5. You’ve spoken about the idea of “Forever Companies”—those built to thrive in a climate-constrained world. How is climate data driving value creation for these companies?

When I talk about Forever Companies™, I’m thinking about companies that understand that sustainability isn’t just a “nice-to-have.” These are the companies that treat sustainability as core to their long-term growth, not a side initiative or a marketing add-on. Climate data is a valuable asset for CFOs planning investments, CMOs defending brand equity, and supply chain teams optimizing operations. Our research shows that 60% of businesses already leverage sustainability data to improve efficiency. But the real opportunity, and where I think the most forward-thinking leaders are headed, is connecting that data to product decisions, investor confidence, and customer loyalty. That’s where sustainability starts to unlock real competitive advantage.

6. The carbon accounting space has become crowded, fast-moving, and complex. What challenges come with building a platform in such a competitive landscape?

One of the biggest challenges in this space is designing tools that don’t just look good on paper, but actually work in the messy, fast-changing realities companies face every day – tools that actually scale and adapt. With regulations shifting constantly across the U.S., Europe, and beyond, companies need platforms that can handle whatever changes of direction might be thrown at them.

It’s not enough to offer static reporting functionality. Companies are looking for systems that can handle complex datasets, align with different regulatory frameworks, and surface insights that inform strategic decisions. That means platforms need to be both technically scalable and adaptable to real-world business conditions – like fragmented supply chains, regional compliance nuances, and changing investor expectations.

From the start, we designed Sweep to handle real-world complexity and align sustainability with business strategy. Our focus has always been to help companies go beyond reporting and utilize Sweep to generate granular, actionable datasets that can be put to use for building business resilience and positive environmental impact.