The American-Made Perovskite Startup Prize is a $3 million prize competition designed to accelerate the growth of the U.S. perovskite industry and support the rapid development of solar cells and modules that use perovskite materials. Through two contests, established perovskite researchers will launch a company and move toward commercialization in under a year. The current Countdown Contest closes on March 23, 2023.
The Inclusive Energy Innovation Prize will provide a total of $2.5 million in funding to up to 10 teams to advance ideas for a just and equitable transition. The winners of Phase One will receive cash awards of $200,000 each. Phase One winners will be eligible to participate in a Phase Two of the prize 12 months later, during which time it is anticipated that a total of $500,000 will be awarded to up to three teams.
The Department of Energy has released the FY22 Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer Phase 1 Release 2. SBIR/STTR known as “America’s Seed Fund,” provides nondilutive grants to small businesses to help them develop and commercialize technology innovations. The Department of Energy (DOE) has announced topics for the next round of grants. This year’s solicitation is particularly focused on recruiting applicants from underrepresented demographics and also includes a cross-cutting funding opportunity on community partnerships to enable a just and equitable energy transition.
Calling all innovators! The Valley Ventures accelerator program is now accepting applications for its sixth cohort (VV6) in fall 2021. Each year, Fresno State’s Water, Energy and Technology (WET) Center and the BlueTechValley (BTV) Innovation Cluster offer an opportunity for up to 10 ventures to participate in the accelerator, this year incorporating a new addition to the program—Valley Ventures advisory services. The fall 2021 cohort of the Valley Ventures accelerator will provide water, clean energy and agricultural technology ventures opportunities to advance commercialization and business development in California and beyond.
Sixty alumni of the Valley Ventures program have raised a total of $40M in private and public funding and have generated over $35M in sales since the program’s inception in 2017. WET Center staff will guide teams through the accelerator and advisory services programs with a focus on minimizing risk and maximizing impact both financially and for our communities.
Ventures located in California, or those planning to commercialize and develop businesses in California, that provide technological solutions in water, clean energy and agriculture, are encouraged to apply. To apply for the Valley Ventures sixth cohort, click the below button to begin your application.
The New York Clean Transportation Prizes program will electrify transportation, reduce air pollution, and enhance clean mobility in disadvantaged communities in New York State. The competitions will each run in two phases. In the first phase, participants must register by July 22, 2021, to be eligible to submit proposals.
The three prize competitions are:
– up to three $10 million grand prizes will be awarded to innovative projects that address local air pollution reduction at scale in disadvantaged communities. The submission deadline is August 24, 2021. – up to three $7 million grand prizes will be awarded to projects that demonstrate innovative safe and convenient electric mobility options that help solve disadvantaged community transportation needs. The submission deadline is August 25, 2021. – up to three $8 million grand prizes will be awarded to projects that demonstrate electrified solutions to the deployment of medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles or their replacement through other electrified transportation modes. The submission deadline is August 26, 2021.An independent pool of global experts will help New York State assess applications and guide the project selection process through the different phases of the competitions. Under the first phase of the program, projects selected and located in one of the six New York State investor-owned utility (IOU) territories will be eligible to receive the following award package:
Calling all founders with massive ideas: Applications for CDL 2021/22 Program Year are now open Applications are due July 30 for the nine-month program that starts this October
Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) is seeking applications from motivated venture founders in the process of building the world’s most promising science and technology startups who could benefit from mentorship, technical advice and the opportunity to raise capital.
The nonprofit organization’s mission is to accelerate the commercialization of science for the betterment of humankind. CDL runs a nine-month, objectives-based program for massively scalable, seed-stage, science- and tech-based companies in 15 streams at nine sites across the globe.
More than 4,000 founders from over 1,700 companies have already participated in CDL since 2012, and CAD $8 billion in equity value has been created through the program. CDL does not charge any fees or take equity.
Five key elements help venture founders transform their projects into scalable, financeable companies:
Saint-Gobain, MassCEC, and Greentown Labs recognize the significant role that healthy buildings will play in improving the sustainability of our built environment. The Healthy Buildings Challenge seeks startups with innovative technologies at the prototype stage and beyond that advance building sustainability and wellbeing for building occupants. Our world needs innovation that can optimize for the health of people and the health of the climate, together.
The American-Made Challenges (AMC) has launched round 5 of the Solar Prize and is offering two tracks – hardware and software. These tracks will follow the same three-contest structure but compete for separate prizes. Participants have the chance to win millions in cash prizes, support vouchers, and other resources to help them advance in the competition and accelerate the development of their solutions.
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) has launched Phase 2 of the Solar Desalination Prize.
This competition strives to help achieve the goals of the Water Security Grand Challenge. SETO is seeking ideas that will accelerate the development of systems that use low-cost solar-thermal energy to produce clean water from very-high-salinity water, like water produced from oil and gas extraction. The clean water produced can be used in municipal, agricultural, and industrial applications.
Contest 1, Innovation, is open to the public. Quarterfinalists will be announced in September 2021 and receive $50,000 each. Contest winners will then continue to the next phases of the challenge and have the opportunity to win millions of dollars over the competition.
Shell UK has announced a new program for energy start-ups – Shell StartUp Engine UK – in partnership with Unreasonable Group (Unreasonable). The program focuses on scale and growth-stage start-ups that are best placed to accelerate a fair and just energy transition, improve access to energy and help consumers make smarter energy choices. CEOs of these start-ups will benefit from high-profile mentorship, access to potential investors and partners, and being part of the Shell and Unreasonable start-up communities.
If you have an idea that has the potential to have a significant positive impact across one or several of the SDGs while being financially successful, apply here to build your company with Satgana. Satgana’s goal is to co-create companies from scratch, alongside extraordinary entrepreneurs. It offers financial, operational, and organizational support for ventures.
Have a cleantech idea or startup that will change how we fight climate change and think the Beam Grant will help you take that next step?
Startups who are beginning to build momentum should apply now! If you have incorporated a startup and are in the process of translating your innovation into a first prototype, or demonstrating a physical proof of concept, and can demonstrate access to resources you need to make it to the next stage, you are a strong candidate for this mini-grant.
Are you a founder with a vision to create a real impact? A strong application will be able to describe an informed, well-reasoned rationale for emissions reductions.
Do you have a need for our support? Explain in your application how the $1,000 award will allow you to advance development. The clearer the plan to use this, and the clearer the value of this support, the more compelling the case.
