[Check here for the updated list of Climate Tech accelerators]
General Climate Tech accelerators
- M-Corps / Hardware Scaleup (NYC / Rochester ~9 months): Both climate tech programs are funded by NYSERDA and designed to help support NY state-based climate tech startups preparing to manufacture. (Portcos: Farmshelf, Ekostinger)
- Third Derivative (Global/Virtual, 18 months): A joint venture of RMI and New Energy Nexus, D3 combines a global accelerator program, committed investors, and a curated ecosystem of global corporations. They are seeking startups in the areas of hard science, hardware, software, and business model innovation on an ongoing basis, with quarterly selection cycles. (Portcos: Antora Energy, Eavor)
- Shell Gamechanger Accelerator (Colorado, 2 years): Powered by NREL, the Shell GameChanger focuses on discovering and advancing emerging clean technologies with the potential to dramatically alter the future global energy landscape. (Portcos: BlueDot Photonics, Span.io)
- LA Cleantech Incubator (Los Angeles, 10 week – 1 year): LACI works with 30-40 cleantech companies a year across three different tracks. The Innovators Program focuses on energy, transportation, and sustainable cities. (Portcos: SparkCharge, Camus Energy, Freewire)
- Rockstart (Europe, 6 months): One of Europe’s first startup accelerators, Rockstart supports startups across 4 domains: Energy, Health, AgriFood, and Emerging technologies). (Portcos: Ammp, Vultus)
- Launch Alaska (Alaska, 6 months): A deployment accelerator for early-stage companies on the front lines of food, water, transportation, or energy with a focus on Alaska. (Portcos: Oklo, Greensparc)
- Techstars (Global, 3 months): Techstars partners on six global accelerators for innovation in climate and sustainability focused on conservation, energy, food & agriculture, materials, circular economy, supply chains, and mobility. Application deadlines vary. Portcos: Wunder, Opus-12, Nori)
- Cleantech Open (Los Angeles/Virtual, 12 weeks): One of the world’s largest cleantech accelerators supporting 100-150 companies in each annual cohort.
- Cascadia Cleantech Accelerator (Seattle, 15 weeks): A business accelerator program powered by the CleanTech Alliance and VertueLab. (Portcos: Mobius Microfarms, Hive Battery, Algotek)
- Elemental Excelerator (Honolulu, 9-18 months): A growth accelerator bringing commercial opportunities to entrepreneurs focusing in Mobility, Food & Agriculture, Water, Circular Economy, and Energy. (Portcos: CarbonCure, Amply Power, Span.io)
- Y Combinator (Silicon Valley, 3 months): The infamous accelerator known for companies such as Stripe, Airbnb, DoorDash, and Dropbox provides seed funding of $150K and mentorship for founders. They’ve recently put out Requests for Startups in the Carbon Removal, Cellular Agriculture and Clean Meat, and Energy spaces. (Portcos: AmpUp, Prometheus, Pachama)
- Joules Accelerator (Charlotte, 90 days): Joules helps cleantech startups identify commercialization outcomes in the Carolinas. (Portcos: WeaveGrid, ConnectDER, Varuna)
- Plug and Play (Global, 12 weeks): With 60+ accelerator programs, Plug and Play connects startups to their corporate partners and features an in-house VC. The accelerator programs include Sustainability, Smart Cities, Energy, New Materials & Packaging, and Mobility. (Portcos: Swiftly, New Wave Foods)
- Activate (Berkeley or Boston, 2 years): Entrepreneurial scientists and engineers are embedded at a leading research institution to work on transforming the most energy and resource intensive industries on the planet. (Portcos: Mosaic Materials, Twelve) [We featured Activate in a CTVC feature here]
- Chain Reaction Innovations (Argonne National Lab, 2 years): A 2 year program providing funding and R&D support from Argonne National Lab for innovators focused on energy and science technologies. (Portcos: Iris Light, ClearFlame Engines)
- Google for Startups Accelerator SDGs (EMEA, ~7 months): Google has formed an accelerator around the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and offers equity-free support and resources. (Portcos: Apic.ai, Cervest.earth, Ororatech)
- 100+ Accelerator (Virtual, 6 months): AB InBev’s accelerator supports startups which help reach their 2025 Sustainability Goals – Climate Action, Circular Packaging, Smart Agriculture, and Water Stewardship. (Portcos: Do Eat, Rise, Earthly Labs)
Vertical-specific accelerators
- Energy Stream (Calgary, 9 months): Creative Destruction Lab has developed The Energy Stream to focus on emerging technologies in oil & gas, energy transition, mobility and environmental & social governance. (Portcos: Carbonova, Hygge Power)
- Huhtamaki Circular Economy Startup (Virtual, 11 weeks): Food System 6 has announced a program focused on innovative circular economy startups (ie. waste utilization, regenerative production, optimizing material use).
- Good Food Makers (Virtual, 8 weeks): A collaboration between Barilla and KitchenTown focused on food and agtech entrepreneurs in 4 areas (Kids’ Snacking, Alternative Distribution Channels, Traceability, Regenerative Agriculture). (Portcos: YouPeas, Renewal Mill)
- Food Future Co (New York, 5 months): A scale-up accelerator in food, agriculture, social & environmental entrepreneurship. 4-8 companies will be selected to participate and receive an investment of up to $10K per company in exchange for 4-8% equity. (Portcos: Harvest Returns, Fire Ox Foods)
- Food-X (New York City, 14 weeks): Started by SOSV, Food-X works with early-stage companies innovating across the food system. They provide $75K in seed funding and cover the $50K program cost in exchange for 8% equity in the next round. (Portcos: Cambridge Crops, Wasteless)
- Sustainable Ocean Alliance Accelerator (Virtual, 1 month): SOA partners with solutionists focused on improving the health of the ocean. (Portcos: Biocellection, Coral Vita, Finless Foods)
- The Clean Fight (New York City, 5 months): Powered by New Energy Nexus, The Clean Fight is a non-profit accelerator identifying and scaling the top growth-stage clean energy companies from around the world, looking to expand into New York.
- Petri Bio (Boston, 3 months): Co-founded and funded by Pillar VC, Petri is a startup accelerator focused on the next frontier of biology and engineering. Entrepreneurs receive up to $250k in pre-seed funding, mentorship and community resources.
- Urban-X (Brooklyn, 20 weeks): Mini and Urban Us partner to develop an accelerator focusing on urbantech challenges including decarbonizing the transportation, real estate and energy sectors. In addition to mentorship and resources, Urban-X provides $150K initial funding. (Portcos: ChargeLab, Blueprint Power, Food for all)
- IndieBio (San Francisco, 4 months): SOSV’s IndieBio is one of the world’s leading life sciences accelerator. Each team receives $250k in seed funding, and lab and co-working space. (Portcos: Memphis Meats, Novo Nutrients)
- Free Electrons (Virtual, 4 weeks): Energy startups can work together with global energy utilities to pilot projects, commercially deploy products, and facilitate investment opportunities. (Portcos: Amply Power, Vutiliti)
- Imagine H20 (Virtual, 10 months): A virtual accelerator empowering people to develop & deploy innovation to solve water challenges globally. (Portcos: Arable, Drinkwell, Natel Energy)
- Yield Lab (Global, 1 year): The accelerator enables entrepreneurs to sustainably revolutionize agrifood systems. They invest $100K in early stage agtech companies and have programs for North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia Pacific. (Portcos: CoverCress, Planetarians)
Climate Tech incubators/ Entrepreneur in Residence:
- NREL’s Innovation Incubator (Colorado / Missouri, 12-18 months): Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator provides funding and technical assistance leveraging the capabilities, facilities, equipment, and deep expertise that exists at NREL and the Danforth Plant Science Center. (Portcos: 75F, Covercress)
- Greentown Labs (Cambridge,): A climatetech incubator where members pay monthly fees based on their lab and office space. The three criteria for membership are climatetech and cleantech focus, business and technology stage, and community fit. (Members: Kula Bio, Biobot Analytics)
- Urban Future Lab (New York City): Urban Future Lab is a center of cleantech innovation in NY offering ACRE, a business incubator, PowerBridge, a proof-of-concept center commercializing research from local universities, and Clean Start, an advanced cleantech diploma from NYU. (Members: Amperon, Highview Power)
- Clean Energy Trust (Chicago): Clean Energy Trust is structure as a nonprofit and makes direct investments in early-stage cleantech companies in order to help founders de-risk new technology, find early target markets, and support company development.
- Prospect Silicon Valley (San Jose): A nonprofit cleantech innovation hub focusing on advanced mobility and energy solutions for urban communities. There are two annual membership programs providing consulting services, networking, and co-working space in San Jose.
- Deep Science Ventures (London): DSV develops hypotheses for high risk ventures in Computation, Agriculture, Energy, and Pharma and recruits technical specialists in these domains to become founders. They pay specialists to found companies and provide up to £500K in seed funding. Current areas they are recruiting for include “Closing the carbon cycle”, “Reinventing markets to better serve the environment”, and “Tackling the decline of pollinators”.
Check out these other lists of accelerators / incubators:
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