The Business Accelerator Fund (BAF) is available to participating business accelerators in Michigan’s statewide SmartZone network. These funds are used toward the delivery of specialized services that are not otherwise available from these business accelerators to assist advanced technology companies regardless of the company’s geography. A participating business accelerator will engage a third-party specialist to help advance the client’s path to commercialization, company success, and economic impact for the state of Michigan.

BAF requests are reviewed and awarded through a competitive process. A company may not receive more than $50,000 in BAF services, though most engagements are in the $7,000 to $15,000 range.

Project Enginuity, a National SBIR Accelerator, was designed to accelerate and empower Black, Hispanic, Latino and women innovators led by the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce’s Minority Business Partnership (DACC MBP) in collaboration with the Entrepreneurs’ Center (EC) and support from Chase.

Program participants receive expert training, which supports their application for necessary funding via Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) awards. Businesses that receive non-dilutive capital from SBIR are able to explore their technological potential, profit from commercialization and build long-term wealth.

The partnership helps to support and accelerate climate tech and clean energy hardware startups in the Greater Midwest. Partners support startups and small businesses via tailored accelerator programs, virtual and in-person events, sector-specific curriculum, mentorship, prototyping resources, and connections with industry.

Joules Accelerator works to identify, advise, and deploy early-stage climate startups while connecting them with the energy network of the Southeast and beyond. Joules moves quickly to make warm connections to relevant network stakeholders across the region and to find revenue-generating pilots and other commercialization opportunities for member startups. Joules presents twelve startups through two cohorts per year. Each cohort lasts 90 days and requires 2-4 hours per month for meeting with potential customers. The program is free for startups, free to apply, and does not take equity.

Calling all entrepreneurs and startups who are developing innovative solutions in food, agtech and agriculture! Apply today for the 2022 AgSharks Competition, a challenge where startup companies compete for the chance to win a minimum of $250,000 in investment capital and potential access to farm acreage to support the development and growth of their businesses.

Activate empowers scientists to reinvent the world by bringing their research to market. The two-year Activate Fellowship is the most immersive, supportive, and comprehensive program for early-stage hard-tech science entrepreneurs to access the funding, technical support, networking, community, and time they need at the outset of their entrepreneurial journeys. Activate does not charge any fees or equity to participate.

Whether you are an individual with an idea, a climate impact startup, non-profit, established organisation, or volunteer group working on tackling the climate crisis, we’re here to help you find passionate, talented people to get involved with your climate cause through:

Donations – Small actions, big changes. Get your project funded with individual donations.

Skilled volunteers – Find passionate, talented people who want to use their skills and expertise to support projects and create a better planet for all.

Grow your team – Find candidates looking for full-time employment and ready to join your team. Please tell us a little about your organisation, yourself, and which of these types of engagement you’re interested in, and we’ll be in touch shortly to further understand what your needs are and get your project published on our platform.

The Resilience in Climate Equity award will be given to outstanding Women of Color in the Climate & Environmental movement. The award is meant to recognize the often hard, diligent, unpaid, and underpaid work of Women of Color in the movement. Preference will be given to Women of Color who have been historically excluded from mainstream environmentalism.

Award winners will receive: a stipend of $5,000, professional coaching, the opportunity to join us for our healing retreat in Belize February 2023, and the opportunity to join us for our first annual Rise to Thrive convening in 2023 and present on the work you do in the Climate, Conservation & Environmental community