mPOWER programs are designed to rebalance opportunity and access for startups building physical products that are founded by women and people of color. Harnessing the existing resources of the nation’s leading independent innovation center for physical product companies, each participant receives hands-on support to turn ideas into hardtech businesses. To be eligible for the next mPOWER cohort, you must have a clear problem that you are solving with a physical product, be building a product or business that impacts the Black community, and can dedicate 7-10 hours a week during the 6-month program beginning in August 2024.

The $2.1 million TCF Open Voucher Call will help facilitate the commercialization of scientific discoveries by helping to identify pathways by which technological breakthroughs can make their way to market. Although a variety of technologies will be considered, applicants are encouraged to leverage the capabilities and initiatives of the National Laboratories when developing their ideas so they can further develop their technology alongside the National Lab. Successful applicants will receive vouchers—valid for testing and validation, use of specialized equipment or software, simulation or modeling, consulting, or various other requests from a National Laboratory—which will ultimately allow them to advance their technologies. In this way, the call will foster a culture of curiosity and collaboration while bridging the gap between scientific expertise and public engagement.

Evergreen Climate Innovations works with Nicor Gas to support entrepreneurs who are making a positive environmental impact throughout Illinois. Recipients of the Nicor Gas Multicultural Innovator Award receive a non-recourse grant of $25,000, 12-months of business mentorship from Nicor Gas and Evergreen Climate Innovations, and heightened exposure to both investors and potential customers.

For larger suppliers preparing to scale carbon removal technologies, Frontier facilitates offtake agreements. These are legally binding contracts to buy future tons of carbon removal at an agreed price if and when delivered. This purchase track will make up the bulk of Frontier’s spend. You might be a good fit if:

• The tech has been validated at the bench or preferably small pilot scale.
• Your MRV protocol addresses all key pathway uncertainties and establishes a plan to further reduce uncertainties.
• A high-fidelity TEA based on a pre-FEED design or similar is presented.
• You can deliver meaningful volume (10k tons or more) within the next 5 years.

For early-stage suppliers piloting new carbon removal technologies, Frontier offers low-volume prepurchase agreements to accelerate development. Suppliers receive funds upfront, before tons have actually been delivered. You might be a good fit if:

• You have lab-scale performance and preliminary stability data showing a proof of concept.
• Your Measurement, Reporting, Verification (MRV) approach is outlined, risks are identified, and a method is presented for reducing MRV uncertainty.
• Technoeconomic Analysis (TEA) is based on a process flow diagram and mass and energy balance.
• You can deliver first tons in the next ~1-3 years.

Are you a community interested in demonstrating or deploying long duration energy storage (LDES) technology, or do you provide energy services to communities? This voucher opportunity seeks to provide communities who wish to benefit from the decarbonization, resilience, affordability, and workforce benefits of energy storage and are interested in innovative, first-time long-duration energy storage (LDES) deployments. These communities will receive services such as siting/permitting support, storage project road mapping, regional modeling, energy use analysis, technical feasibility studies, technology solution decision-making, or community engagement. While there are no restrictions on eligible communities, supporting disadvantaged communities (DACs) is an important goal of this opportunity. Providers may include national labs, consulting firms, or nonprofits.

Vouchers will be distributed as in-kind support, meaning that ENERGYWERX will directly reimburse the voucher provider for the work they have completed on behalf of the voucher recipients. The value of each voucher will depend on the services defined in the Providers’ capability statements, with estimated values of support services per recipient ranging from $50k to $150k.

Are you a long duration energy storage (LDES) technology innovator, or do you provide services to support LDES technology innovators? This voucher opportunity seeks to provide LDES technology companies, including developers, vendors and manufacturers, with services such as market assessment support, business plan formulation, technical modeling or analysis, testing, performance validation, and commercialization strategy support. This support will come from providers, such as national labs, consulting firms, nonprofits, or technology testing centers, to advance non-hydrogen, electricity-in/electricity-out LDES technologies.

Vouchers will be distributed as in-kind support, meaning that ENERGYWERX will directly reimburse the voucher provider for the work they have completed on behalf of the voucher recipients. The value of each voucher will depend on the services defined in the Providers’ capability statements, with estimated values of support services per recipient ranging from $50k to $150k.

The Testing Expertise and Access for Marine Energy Research (TEAMER™) program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and directed by the Pacific Ocean Energy Trust (POET), will accelerate that process through 3 annual open funding calls each year to support developers seeking access to the nation’s best facilities and expertise. TEAMER plans to distribute approximately $25 million through these periodic competitive opportunities (known as Requests for Technical Support, RFTSs) to support marine renewable energy (MRE) testing and development projects. A TEAMER Request for Technical Support (RFTS) is a collaboration between the technology developer or researcher, and the facility chosen to help meet the recipient’s technical objectives. Prior to applying for support, recipients are required to have discussed their technical objectives with the facility to ensure the facility has the capability to assist and provide the necessary support. Only approved test facilities are eligible to provide technical support.

Dream.Org’s Climate Tech LaunchPad is helping Black and Brown innovators scale cutting-edge ideas that move the needle on climate equity. The cohort will focus on climate justice, prioritizing solutions including electric transportation, renewable energy, energy efficiency, and more. The cohort will also learn how to leverage Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund dollars to fund these projects. Each entrepreneur will create their own milestone development plan towards investment readiness, growth and impact.

Are you an entrepreneur looking to scale a transformative climate technology? Are you invested in scaling a solution that brings both climate and social impact? Elemental Excelerator is a leading nonprofit investor focused on scaling climate solutions and social impact for all communities. Elemental provides an initial investment, usually in the form of SAFEs or convertible notes, to help complete specific milestones tied to the program. Up to $3M is available for climate solutions with deep community impact.

Have momentum and early adopters? We can accelerate that. Here you’ll build traction through consistency in one channel, and get your ducks in a row for your seed round.

The Department of Energy announced $45.8 million in new funding for projects that will advance research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RDD&D) critical to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector. Topic areas in the Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 R&D funding opportunity include:

• Next-generation phosphate-based cathodes.
• Advancing the state of the art for sodium-ion batteries.
• Developing concepts for decreasing greenhouse gas emissions from off-road vehicles such as construction, agriculture, mining, and forestry vehicles.
• Developing and deploying vehicle-to-everything technologies that can lead to meaningful savings at the vehicle and transportation system level.
• Developing high-performance, domestically produced electrical steels (E-steels) for use in electrified powertrains.
• Addressing critical cybersecurity needs for smart and secure electric vehicle charging.