Critical Minerals

Resurgence Cleantech Accelerator

The Resurgence cleantech accelerator is powered by Deep Tech Ventures at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Startups will gain access to business training and technical advisement, premier facilities, industry mentors, student talent, and venture capital, as well as additional funding opportunities. This 9-month hybrid program is designed to support ventures that are focused on four specific areas of the cleantech industry: Energy storage and infrastructure, Next-generation nuclear solutions, Hydrogen and alternative fuels, and Materials refinement and process intensification.

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Wind Turbine Materials Recycling Prize Phase 1

The goal of the prize is to develop robust, domestic recycling options for fiber-reinforced composites and rare earth elements can lessen the United States’ need to extract and process raw materials, which can, in turn, reduce damage to the environment. Additionally, recycling rare earth elements would safeguard domestic manufacturing by improving resilience to price volatility and supply chain disruption.

During the first phase, Initiate!, competitors will prepare a submission package that highlights a concept for wind material recycling focused on economic and environmental sustainability. Up to 20 winners will be selected to receive $75,000 in cash each and an invitation to compete in the second phase of the competition.

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Department of Energy SBIR/STTR Phase 1 Release 1

Congress established the Small Business Innovation Research / Technology Transfer (SBIR and STTR) programs to support scientific excellence and technological innovation through the investment of Federal research funds in critical American priorities to build a strong national economy.  Federal agencies with large research and development budgets set aside a small fraction of their funding for competitions among small businesses only. Small businesses that win awards in these R&D programs keep the rights to any technology developed and are encouraged to commercialize the technology. DOE’s Phase 1 Release 1 includes funding for topics at the Offices of:

  • Advanced Scientific Computing Research
  • Basic Energy Sciences
  • Biological and Environmental Research
  • Fusion Energy Sciences
  • High Energy Physics
  • Nuclear Physics
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Department of Defense SBIR/STTR

The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering oversees the Department of Defense (DoD) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs. These competitive programs are Congressionally authorized set-asides established to encourage domestic small businesses to engage in research and development with the potential for commercialization. The SBIR/STTR programs support scientific excellence and technological innovation through the investment of Federal research funds in critical American priorities to build a strong national economy and accelerate capabilities to the warfighter. ​Find out what topics are currently open or learn when the next solicitation will be available.

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Global Climate Innovator Challenge

The Global Climate Innovator Challenge is a global program which brings together changemakers, climate entrepreneurs, sustainability technologists, and decision makers in the climate world to help accelerate the next wave of innovative solutions to achieve our 1.5ºC climate goal. We are looking for innovative solutions or ideas (including but not limited to technology, product, business model, or approach) that can accelerate progress towards 1.5°C climate goal. Professional Innovators can participate in the Challenge as an incorporated entity. You need to submit a summary of your Solution, with an identified stage before the deadline. Youth Innovators (<24yo) can participate in the Challenge as a team of 2-4 members.

Top 3 finalists will be invited to attend the black-tie Ambassador Gala;  receive continued support to fast-track their growth in the following 12 months, including mentorship, feedback, training, and resources from the GCIC network; and be invited to showcase the progress of their growth in the next year at the 2024 Global Climate Innovation Summit.

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Green Power Venture’s Pilot 2 Profit Accelerator

Pilot -2 – Profit is a prestigious event that brings together the brightest minds and most innovative organizations in the Climate Tech industry. It serves as a platform for showcasing groundbreaking ideas, revolutionary solutions, and disruptive innovations that have the potential to shape the future of the industry. You’ll receive the opportunity to pilot your technology, receive training on customer engagement, get a chance to pitch to cleantech Venture Capitalists, bid on jobs through a reverse pitch contest, network with over 50 African American cleantech founders, and attend GPV’s Annual Convention – The ACRRE Initiative.

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Dream Climate Tech Launchpad

Dream Climate Tech Launchpad, with support from Dream.org, is a milestone-based investment readiness program that will support Black and Latinx-led climate tech startups, especially those building solutions in the Built Environment, Electric Transportation & Infrastructure, Food Systems, the Circular Economy, and Carbon Tech sectors.

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Seeding Critical Advances for Leading Energy technologies with Untapped Potential 2023 (SCALEUP 2023)

The SCALEUP 2023 FOA seeks to scale the most promising technologies previously funded by ARPA-E. The stranding of promising ARPA-E-funded technologies in their development pathways leaves substantial intellectual property developed with American taxpayer dollars vulnerable to adoption by foreign competitors, who can and do capture it for continued development – and economic benefit – overseas. This harms national competitiveness, as U.S. industries often lose the lead on the development, scaling, and manufacturing of technologies necessary to compete in rapidly evolving global energy markets. Thus, projects selected for SCALEUP 2023 will meet ARPA-E’s statutory direction to achieve the above goals by “accelerating transformational technological advances in areas that industry by itself is not likely to undertake because of technical and financial uncertainty”.

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New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)

NYSERDA’s various programs (such as residential, commercial, transportation, environmental) outline broad energy and environmental challenges, and then publicly request proposals, from any private or institutional entity, to submit project plans addressing those issues.

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Chrysalix Venture Capital

We partner with visionary founders to build companies that help resource-intensive industries reach their productivity & climate targets. We provide critical early-stage support beyond the investment, and support our founders to pilot, demonstrate and scale their solutions. Our world-class ecosystem gives our startups a head start to reduce commercialization timelines and find the right solution – market fit. 

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Greentown Go Build 2023

Go Build 2023 with Saint-Gobain is accelerating the commercialization of technologies to decarbonize the built environment, from conception to breaking ground, retrofitting, demolition, and recycling. Startups selected for the program will gain access to mentorship, networking opportunities, and educational workshops throughout the highly structured, six-month program.

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2023 Ocean Exchange Collegiate 2023

The Ocean Exchange Collegiate Award 2023 of $10,000 USD is given to the solution that advances our understanding of the ocean and that helps minimize our impact on these resources, even while using them for human benefit, resulting in more resilient bodies of water including healthy marine life and coastlines. Collegiate pitches will be conducted Sunday, Oct 22nd and Monday Oct 23.

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