The VertueLab Climate Impact Fund is an “impact-first” fund that invests in early-stage ventures and provides support programs to gain investment from investors at later stages of development. Technologies of interest should help reduce greenhouse emissions, fossil fuels, carbon and other sources of climate disruption. Applicants are expected to focus on affected industries like transportation, agriculture, and heavy industries.
DOE is accepting applications from small businesses as part of its SBIR/STTR program (phase-1). The criteria for selection would be the feasibility of ideas with commercial potential and their alignment with DOE mission research guidelines. The grant application should concentrate on research that will contribute to proving the scientific or technical feasibility of the concept. Successful applicants in a DOE Phase I would be eligible to apply for DOE Phase II as well.
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NEXUS-NY is a clean energy seed accelerator that provides financial, business and educational support to startups involved in technologies that generate clean energy or reduce carbon emissions. Interested candidates from research universities and the general community are also requested to apply. Selected participants receive equity-free financial support along with additional services from mentors and partner organizations.
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The California Energy Commission’s CalSEED program funds entrepreneurs working on bringing early-stage clean energy concepts to market. Individuals/Businesses/Non-profit organizations with ideas on creating greater reliability, lower cost, and/or increased safety for California’s electricity grid are encouraged to apply. Apart from concept awards, the winners would also get access to California’s best accelerator and incubator programs.
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Schneider Electric and Powerhouse have announced the 4D challenge to invite software and/or hardware solutions for the clean energy industry, including a business model and go-to-market strategy that covers targeted markets and customers. The 4 dimensions of the contest include Decarbonize, Decentralize, Digitize and Democratize. Apart from non-dilutive funding, the winners would also be entitled to the Schneider Electric Incubation Program.
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DOE intends to fund R&D projects aimed at transforming grids by enhancing its capacity for greater prosperity, growth, and innovation. The proposals should leverage IoT technology to leverage the emergence of interconnected control systems; and coordination approaches to grow supply- and demand-side opportunities, such that they help maintain energy surety to defense installations.
As part of its SBIR/STTR program, ARPA-E is accepting innovative proposals exploring new areas of technology development across the full spectrum of energy applications. The specific areas of interest are Concretes and Cementitious Materials, Innovations Supporting Nuclear Energy, Enhanced Geothermal Systems & High-Value Methane Pyrolysis. Interested small business concerns are requested to apply within the deadline.
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DOE’s Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO) is inviting applications focusing on next‐generation manufacturing material, information, and process technologies that facilitate the transition of emerging cost‐competitive energy technologies to domestic production. The primary areas of interest include Manufacture of Advanced Materials, Lower Thermal Budget (LTB) Processes for Industrial Productivity and Efficient Manufacturing Facilities & Energy Systems.
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Systematic improvements to grid investments and operations are needed to accommodate widespread adoption of distributed energy resources and enable market development across New York State. The Future Grid solicitation seeks innovative solutions to challenge areas that accelerate the advancement of the Distributed System Platform in New York State. Up to $3 million is available per challenge through 2019 for product development and demonstration projects.
Accelerate at VERGE 23 is a fast-pitch competition featuring entrepreneurs with innovative technologies, products and services in carbon, energy, food, transportation, and buildings. Selected finalists will pitch from the VERGE stage to thousands of businesses, government and thought leaders. Qualifying nominations must include a 60-second video naming the market opportunity your company addresses and why you want to pitch at VERGE 23. These should feature the team member being nominated to deliver the pitch.
Development Innovation Ventures (DIV) is USAID’s open innovation program that tests and scales creative solutions to any global development challenge. Innovative solutions come in many forms – whether a product, technology, service, or application of a creative business and delivery model. DIV is an open door to USAID – anyone, anywhere can apply at any time. USAID provides flexible, tiered grant funding to test new ideas, take strategic risks, build evidence of what works, and advance the best solutions. Proposals are accepted year-round across three stages, from any type of organization, in any country in which USAID operates.
In addition to tiered funding, DIV provides evidence grants (up to $1,500,000) to support research and evaluations that generate rigorous evidence of an innovation’s impact per dollar and potential for expansion. These applications are evaluated separately from proposals for tiered funding.
Hera Hub DC, a female-focused coworking space is soliciting Applications for its 2nd annual pitch contest. Startups that are 51% women-owned and located in the DC Metro area are eligible to send their applications which would be reviewed by an independent panel. The finalists would comprise of 8 growth stage and 4 early stage companies. In addition to the cash, the winners would also be nominated to pitch at Hera Venture Summit, in San Diego this September.
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