We are using our proven early-stage accelerator playbook to put AI to work for climate and nature. Our focus on diverse AI founders and high-impact priority areas will level the playing field and accelerate environmental outcomes. We support underserved early-stage founders bringing products to market across world regions. We don’t take equity and provide non-dilutive grants, setting a new generation of diverse founders up for success. Our international perspective keeps founders in lock-step with global climate commitments and communities.

Startup Runway is a pitch competition and investor introduction platform for existing businesses led by women and founders of color headquartered in the United States. At this time, we do not take applications from outside of the United States. If your company is still ‘an idea’ please do not submit. Companies with an MVP and a few customers are the most competitive. We also do not take submissions from startups who have previously been chosen by a top ranked national accelerator such as 500 Startups, Gener8tor, YCombinator or Techstars. Startup Runway’s investor introduction platform works for business models that are scalable and looking for funding to grow. Criteria for selection include that your startup has raised less than $200K in investments. The next Showcase will occur on March 6 in Atlanta!

Be part of a groundbreaking NOAA-funded accelerator empowering early-stage ventures to drive the future of the blue economy. Stage 1 of the VentureWell Ocean Enterprise Accelerator is here to make waves! Whether you’re a student, researcher, entrepreneur, industry professional, or innovator passionate about building ocean solutions, this transformative national suite of programs is designed to equip blue innovators like you with the tools, resources, and support needed to turn bold ideas into impactful solutions. The accelerator offers an unparalleled opportunity to grow your expertise, gain funding, and connect with a powerful network of industry leaders, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) researchers, and academic partners. We are proud to build off of the success of the previous NOAA Innovates pilot program, and to bring even deeper support to ocean innovators in the coming years.

The Rice Business Plan Competition gives collegiate entrepreneurs real-world experience to pitch their startups, enhance their business strategy and learn what it takes to launch a successful company. 2025 marks our 25th year of the Rice Business Plan Competition (RBPC). To celebrate this milestone, we are proud to announce that Rice Business is our presenting sponsor. Rice Business, in its 50th year, is the home to the No. 1 Graduate Entrepreneurship Program and shares our mission to empower the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders. Hosted by the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship, the RBPC has grown to become the world’s largest and richest student start-up competition, with 42 teams competing for more than $1 million in cash, investments and prizes.

Be part of the Energy Tech 2025 Conference at the SPARK VIRGINIA Pitch Competition, where Virginia’s most innovative minds in utility, energy, and climate technology compete for $10,000 in prizes ($7,500 grand prize winner; $2,500 runner up)! Taking place on March 6, 2025, at the Science Museum of Virginia during Energy Tech 2025 in Richmond, this exciting event will showcase groundbreaking technologies poised to transform Virginia’s energy economy. Eight startups will pitch their cutting-edge solutions to a panel of Virginia’s top investors, utility executives, and energy leaders. With only five minutes to present and five minutes for Q&A, these entrepreneurs will compete for funding, recognition, and the opportunity to accelerate their journey to commercialization.

This NOFO is being issued by DOE’s EERE SETO to invest in R&D, technical assistance, and stakeholder engagement activities that improve the compatibility of large-scale solar (LSS) facilities with wildlife and facilitate the dual use of land for agricultural and solar energy production (agrivoltaics). Projects selected in this NOFO will a) test strategies that mitigate adverse impacts and/or maximize benefits to wildlife and ecosystems at LSS facilities, b) provide technical assistance and engagement opportunities that enable stakeholders to improve the compatibility of LSS facilities with wildlife, or c) provide technical assistance and stakeholder engagement opportunities related to agrivoltaics.

Circular supply chains improve security and reduce environmental impacts, maximizing the lifetime of materials and products in the economy to support a robust and competitive manufacturing sector while providing economy-wide environmental benefits. Research and development (R&D) of new technologies to increase reuse, repair, recycling, remanufacturing, and repurposing of products and
materials will be essential to realize these economic and environmental benefits. To maximize effectiveness, R&D must be informed by analysis of non-technical factors, including market forces, business models, and the policy landscape. Such analysis can provide a systems-level view–identifying promising technologies and deployment pathways as well as what roadblocks remain–especially when it leverages input from a wide set of connected stakeholders. Those stakeholders can also amplify the impact of DOE investments in technologies that advance circular supply chains. This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) seeks to assemble a team that will conduct analysis, connect broad groups of stakeholders within multiple application spaces, and socialize EERE-developed innovations across a variety of industries to advance those innovations. The Accelerator’s role will include advancing the entire circularity field’s understanding of emerging technologies, thereby enabling the identification of potential roadblocks to deployment and opportunities to reduce the risks of technology commercialization.

The program will bring together entrepreneurs from across the U.S. and the globe, empowering them to address climate mitigation, adaptation, and resilience. Founders will receive expert training, critical resources to accelerate their ventures, and an 8-week in-person residency at Halcyon in Washington, DC. The cohort is selected of up to 8 ventures from across the U.S. and the globe. Ventures receive training in Halcyon’s methodology on product-market fit, investment readiness, and leadership.

This program brings together founders from across the U.S., empowering them to address climate challenges, health barriers, and equity gaps. Founders gain expert training, critical resources to accelerate their ventures, a one-week in-person residency in Washington, DC, and a one-week in-person residency in Atlanta. The cohort is selected of up to 10 ventures from across the U.S. Ventures receive training in Halcyon’s methodology on product-market fit, investment readiness, and leadership.

The Rice Alliance, the Houston Energy Transition Initiative (HETI) and TEX-E are partnering for the annual Energy Venture Day and Pitch Competition at CERAWeek, set to take place in the Innovation Agora in the George R. Brown Convention Center on March 12, 2025 with a special Pitch Preview event (free to attend) on March 11 at the Ion Houston. The Energy Venture Day and Pitch Competition features pitches from more than 40 energy ventures driving efficiency and advancements toward the energy transition. The fast-paced competition is designed to connect energy startups with venture capitalists, corporate innovation groups, industry leaders, academics, and service providers.

DOE announced it will make up to $48 million available under the fourth opening of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding opportunity to support regional CO2 transport networks that connect sources of CO2 to locations for geologic storage or conversion to value-added products. Expanding commercial CO2 transport and storage supports the development of a large-scale carbon management industry to reduce emissions, provide new job opportunities, and enhance our energy security. This funding opportunity announcement has one area of interest: Front-End Engineering and Design Studies for CO2 Transport Infrastructure (Onshore and Offshore). Eligible applicants include institutions of higher education, for- and non-profit organizations, state and local governments, and tribal nations.

The Transit Tech Lab (TTL) provides an accelerated pathway for early- to growth-stage companies to work with New York’s regional transit agencies to solve public transportation challenges. Transportation partners include the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and its agencies, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ), NJ TRANSIT, and the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT). Early- to growth-stage technology companies registered to do business with the State of New York and with innovative technological solutions to one or more of the TTL Challenges: 1) Ridership Improvement and 2) Inspection and Maintenance.