Since 2013, IncubateMass has provided funding to Massachusetts incubators with the goal of growing the clean energy innovation ecosystem and commercializing cleantech startups through incubator membership. This funding supports incubator activities such as

• build-out of facilities or infrastructure
• equipment purchases
• networking events and workshops
• growing strategic clusters
• professional development of incubator staff

Grants are up to $175,000 per year and award payments are typically tied to incubator management deliverables and startup member milestones.

The Catalyst Program provides grants of up to $75,000 to researchers and early-stage companies looking to demonstrate initial prototypes of their clean energy technologies. Specifically, the program is designed to demonstrate the feasibility of transforming new ideas from the research stage to commercially viable technologies to increase industry and investor interest. All awardees gain access to a vast network of partners, expert local market and policy insights, and mentoring from MassCEC and MassVentures, while all finalists receive complimentary pitch coaching and business mentoring.

In parallel with Catalyst, MassCEC and MassVentures will award up to two additional grants of up to $75,000 each for projects led by eligible (certified or certifiable) women-owned or minority-owned early-stage companies, to demonstrate initial prototypes of their clean energy technologies.

SPARK Virginia works to build an innovation cluster creating solutions for the entire value chain – making it safer and easier to build, generate, transmit, and consume nuclear and hydrogen energy in Virginia and beyond. SPARK Virginia kicks off in February 2023 with a set of two public innovation challenges hosted in the Richmond and Hampton Roads areas that will award early commercialization grants to inventors and engineers in select hard-tech areas to develop preliminary business models exploring the commercial viability of their technology.

This FOA will support RD&D of affordable hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, as aligned with the vision outlined in DOE’s draft national clean hydrogen strategy and roadmap targeting four topics of interest critical to enabling the use of clean hydrogen across sectors, particularly in medium- and heavy-duty (MD/HD) vehicles and other heavy-duty transportation applications. Topic areas include:

1. Hydrogen Carrier Development
2. Onboard Storage Systems for Liquid Hydrogen
3. Liquid Hydrogen Transfer/Fueling Components and Systems
4. M2FCT: High Performing, Durable Membrane Electrode Assemblies for
   Medium- and Heavy-duty Applications

The Department of Energy’s Industrial Efficiency and Decarbonization Office (IEDO) announced a $23 million funding opportunity that will establish a regional network of Technical Assistance Partnerships (TAPs) to help industrial facilities and other large energy users increase the adoption of onsite energy technologies.

1. Topic 1 – Regional Onsite TAPs: Funding for up to 10 entities to serve as regional Onsite Energy TAPs. Each TAP will represent a multi-state region and serve as the primary technical, market, and policy point of contact for end-users and other state and local stakeholders.
2. Topic 2 – Onsite Energy Technical Analysis and Support Center: Funding for one national entity to serve as the Onsite Energy Technical Analysis and Support Center (TASC). The TASC will centrally coordinate technical analysis and programmatic activities of the Onsite Energy TAPs.

Chevron Studio links entrepreneurs with national labs and universities to scale up and commercialize innovative, early-stage technologies that have the potential to enable a lower-carbon future. The program supports entrepreneurs as they source and discover potential technologies and provides technical assistance to enable development and scaling through incubation and demonstration trials.

Chevron Studio is a partnership between Chevron Technology Ventures and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

Now in its third year, the AWS Space Accelerator, delivered by TechConnect, is a hybrid technical, business, and mentorship opportunity open to space startups from around the globe who are looking to power their space missions using AWS. The 2023 programming will take place from May 1 – May 25. Applications are open now through March 6. Startups will advance to a final round of selection on a rolling basis, so early applications are encouraged.

The program provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements. Agricultural producers may also apply for new energy efficient equipment and new system loans for agricultural production and processing.

Renewable Energy System Grants range from $2,500 – $1 million. Energy Efficiency Grants range from $1,500 – $500,000.

The Department of Energy’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) manages the DOE’s Mentor-Protégé Program (MPP). The MPP helps increase participation and maximize opportunities for small businesses to work with the Department. The DOE’s MPP seeks to foster long-term business relationships between small businesses and DOE prime contractors and to increase the overall number of small businesses that receive DOE prime contracts and subcontracts.

This program encourages DOE prime contractors to assist small disadvantaged businesses (SDB) certified by SBA under section 8(a) of the Small Business Act (8(a)), other small disadvantaged businesses, women-owned small businesses (WOSB), service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSB), veteran-owned small businesses (VOSB), historically underutilized business zone (HUBZone) small businesses, historically black colleges and universities (HCBUs), and other minority institutions of higher learning to enhance their capabilities and improve their abilities to perform contracts and subcontracts for the DOE and other federal agencies.

For more information about the DOE’s Mentor-Protégé Program, contact the OSDBU office at 202-586-7377 or by email at SmallBusiness@hq.doe.gov

Because the challenges climate tech startups face are not one-size-fits all, our flexible and virtual 18-month accelerator is designed to meet your startup exactly where you are. From day one you get matched with a D³ connector, who acts as your bridge into our powerfully curated network of partners.