Flying into the Future Co-founder and CEO Nico Nicholas shares how his climate-focused travel start-up is taking off - by turning sustainability into a growth strategy, not just a box to tick.

In a world where climate targets are colliding with travel trends, Nico Nicholas believes the answer isn't to fly less - it's to fly smarter. As co-founder and CEO of ZEERO Group, he's on a mission to make sustainability scalable by uniting governments, corporates, and the travel industry around bold, data-driven climate action. From self-funding his start-up to helping businesses future-proof their operations, Nico speaks candidly about the grit it takes to build something that lasts - and why resilience, not hype, is the real currency of entrepreneurship.

What inspired you to start your business?
We founded ZEERO because we believe travel is part of humanity's DNA. Despite the rise in flight shaming
and carbon calculators, the reality is that people aren't going to stop flying. As a strategic partner of IATA,
we have seen projections show that air travel will continue to grow significantly by 2030 and beyond.
The problem isn't flying – it's what we put in the tanks. However, green solutions remain costly, hard to
scale, and are often financially unattractive.

That's where ZEERO Group comes in. We built a platform that brings together governments, corporates, insurers, and the travel industry to co-develop and fund scalable climate solutions – this cross-sector collaboration and blended private and public financing approach reduces risk and helps to scale projects quickly. We also don't just provide the technology to track impact, we build the solutions too. With growing political instability, tight margins, and an increasing travel population, we set out to build something practical, measurable, and future-proof.

What was your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?
One of the toughest challenges was making carbon reduction meaningful and manageable for businesses.
Climate science can be complex and understanding the complexities of emission reductions then translating that knowledge into practical, sustainable solutions for businesses is key to our mission. Taking responsibility for these emissions and driving change can often seem overwhelming, costly, and lacking inimmediate financial returns – ultimately deterring meaningful action. We set out to tackle this by making emissions awareness and reduction simple, affordable, and impactful. Our transparent, best-practice-driven approach empowered many companies to move forward with us with confidence and commit to the transformative changes necessary to address climate issues. By reframing sustainability and climate action as not only a moral imperative, but also a strategic advantage, we have helped businesses recognise that doing good for the planet and driving profitability are not mutually exclusive.

We also help businesses see that climate action is a commercial strategy, not just an ethical one. From incoming regulations, like ReFuelEU's penalties for airlines not using sustainable fuels, to rising consumer expectations, we help our partners future-proof their operations – and stay profitable. The impacts are sectors agnostic – from hospitality to travel agents and the business travel sector to the events industry – all acknowledge that if flight prices increase by 20% or 30% to cover fines or expensive sustainable fuels, people will be forced to travel less, ultimately leading to a decline in their businesses. Ultimately, sustainability isn't a box-tick. It is about protecting the long-term future of your business – and this is a message we endeavour to echo.

How did you secure your initial funding?
ZEERO Group initially started as a self-funded project – built on personal savings, sheer grit, and a lot of
late nights to fuel creativity – all part of the entrepreneur playbook, especially in the early days. Once our business started to gain momentum, we reached out to a small circle of family and friends to support us on our journey. Later, a few trusted industry peers came on board as well. For us, early funding isn't just about capital – it's about resilience. The beginning is often the hardest and a test of endurance. However, building a strong foundation and staying the course is crucial.

How do you handle failure or setbacks?
Being an entrepreneur takes courage, creativity, and relentless hard work. Being your own boss means having the freedom – and the responsibility – to adapt quickly when things don't go as planned. Accepting that setbacks, and even failures, are part of the journey can make the path a little lighter. But just as important is the ability to bounce back – we have always looked at our past failures as stepping stones to our future success. Setbacks offer a chance to reassess, recalibrate, and return stronger. We have never let failure define us – we learn from it, communicate openly and use it to fuel our next move. Resilience isn't just a nice-to-have – it's a survival skill. The founders who make it aren't always the flashiest or the best connected – they're simply the ones who refused to give up.

What advice would you give to someone hoping to scale up their UK based business to an annual
revenue to £5m?
If you want to achieve £5m in annual revenue, the key is building something that scales beyond you. This begins with having a clear understanding of what will drive growth in your business – whether it's bringing in more customers, increasing average spend, or expanding into new markets. Focusing on a few key pillars and building strong foundations within sales, marketing, and delivery will ensure efficiency as you continue to grow. It also helps to move from founder-led sales to a repeatable process, with a great team working beside you.

Most importantly – listen to your customers, especially the dissatisfied ones. Anonymous surveys can reveal blind spots and create a monitoring system to streamline improvements. Also, keep an eye on the competition, but don't let it eat you up – focus on what you do best, remain creative, be edgy and differentiate your company. At the same time, look for smart ways to accelerate growth through launching new products or services, partnering with other businesses, or reaching into
untapped segments. Most of all, focus on the bigger picture. The ultimate goal is to build a business that continues to thrive even when you're not in the room.