The Trust Gap: Translating Climate Tech for Adoption

Over the past few years, a confluence of policy support, investment and breakthrough science have stimulated the growth of climate as an industry. The resulting bumper crop of new green and climate tech companies are overwhelmingly technical, with engineers and scientists leading the charge to bring solutions to market.?

Despite tremendous industry growth, few climate companies have broken through to capture widespread public imagination or adoption. Whether it’s agriculture, food, carbon capture, SaaS, electrification, storage or consumer products, nearly every segment lacks a clear market leader that’s making noise and driving widespread adoption. The proliferation of new companies supplying new technologies hasn’t ignited competitive pressure nor materialized into mainstream market awareness.?

With the exception of EV’s, climate industry brands remain niche at best.?

So what’s the disconnect between technical performance and lack of market traction?

The Root of the “Trust Gap”

The core issue lies in the opposing trust-building paradigms between the sciences vs. what drives purchase decisions, both in consumer and B2B markets.?

Science has a “test, measure, then trust” model, so it follows that trust is earned by communicating facts, features and performance data. In this ‘science-trust’ model, failing to present the hard, testable evidence upfront triggers skepticism. The thinking is that superior offerings will win out on merit.

Unfortunately, this clinical approach doesn't translate into the kind of emotional brand trust that ultimately sways market adoption. Study after study shows the majority of purchasing decisions are heavily influenced by subjective factors like familiarity , unconscious biases, and emotions - not just a checklist of technical specifications.

It's helpful to think of adoption, particularly in high-stakes B2B contexts, as a multi-factor switch. In the absence of a pressing need to change, when presented with functionally and economically equivalent options, buyers tend to stick to what they already know and trust. Risk aversion frequently outweighs product quality .

This means that developing beloved , visible , mentally available brands is just as important - if not more so - than just achieving technical superiority to succeed. Markets are won by companies that forge deep connections, widespread trust, and recall—not just the ones with the most advanced products.

Overcoming the Stigma of “Fluff”

The elephant in the room is that companies in the climate space tend to adhere to deep-tech communications norms that privilege facts and features over the ‘fluff’ of branding, marketing, and emotional storytelling. There's a pervasive view that building a great brand is not a high-value function worthy of significant investment.

But consider how deep marketing investments have delivered results for tobacco, pharma, and the oil industry—even in the face of intense scrutiny. If the aversion to marketing stems from its potential downsides, it’s worth pausing to remember that it can also be a potent competitive weapon for those who wield it responsibly. Underinvest at your peril.?

The reality is that to spark mass adoption of climate solutions, emotionally resonant branding and storytelling are absolute necessities. People need to feel an affinity, alignment, and trust that they can rely on emerging climate brands to consider switching from what they already know.?

This doesn't mean abandoning scientific rigor or making false claims. It's about finding visceral, narrative-building ways to communicate the value proposition of these solutions. It's employing the psychology of great branding and customer understanding to deliver the facts that matter when they matter.?

Tackling the climate crisis requires widespread behavior change at an unprecedented scale and pace. Climate startups and new entrants need to build up brands that outcompete carbon intensive incumbents (and the trust they already have).? So while under-the-hood innovation is vital, it doesn’t deliver a real-world impact until people choose to embrace new options as their defaults. That's why climate tech startups and new entrants need to prioritize building the kinds of beloved, emotionally resonant brands that rapidly become household names and shape mainstream culture. Technical excellence is just the beginning - transitioning to a sustainable climate future also requires winning the hearts and minds of consumers and businesses.