Competition/Prize

TEX-E Prize

The TEX-E Prize is a multi-round startup competition for Texas students who are developing innovative technologies and business models to advance the energy transition and address climate change. The goal of the competition is to support, encourage, and inspire students across the state of Texas to pursue entrepreneurship as a way to reduce emissions while also building a healthier and more resilient society.

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Fourth Revolution Awards (Illinois)

The Fourth Revolution Awards acknowledges outstanding manufacturing-based startups, community organizations, and hardtech entrepreneurs in the region. Winners will receive two 3-Month shared workspace memberships at mHUB, local and national recognition, personalized coffee chat/meeting.

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Bezos Earth Fund $1M Greenhouse Gas Removal Ideation Prize

Greenhouse Gas Removal (GHGR) is crucial for achieving the Paris Agreement objectives and mitigating the worst impacts of climate change. Our two-tier challenge is designed to illuminate and inspire groundbreaking ideas in the race to scale technological greenhouse gas removal solutions. The first phase involves awarding up to $4,000 to up to 50 compelling one-page proposals that present an innovative solution to a major GHGR challenge. These proposals set the stage for the optional second phase where up to 12 of the most promising ideas will receive grants of up to $50,000 to validate and experiment with the proposed solution space, accelerating the GHGR initiatives to scale.

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TECHCONNECT WORLD INNOVATION CHALLENGE

Launch your electrifying journey into the future of innovation! Join the world’s largest multi-sector commercialization program for emerging deep technologies. Pitch your groundbreaking innovations and connect with top-tier corporate, investment, military and federal leaders for partnering, licensing and investment opportunities. Whether you’re a startup, university TTO, federal lab, or federal awardee, seize the moment. Submit your commercially viable innovation now and connect with the largest gathering of tech-scouts and funding offices worldwide. Submit today!

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SBA Growth Accelerator Fund Competition

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offers $50,000 to $200,000 in prize awards for impactful and inclusive approaches to foster a thriving, collaborative national innovation support ecosystem to advance research and development (R&D) from ideas to impact. By fostering connections between entrepreneurs, advisors, mentors, partners, philanthropies, corporations, investors, and other shared resources, the 2024 Growth Accelerator Fund Competition (GAFC) will catalyze strategic ecosystem partnerships to build community and organizational capacity for the successful launch, growth, and scale of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)-based entrepreneurs and startups.

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NASA MSI Incubator: Wildfire Climate Tech Challenge

NASA’s Wildfire Climate Tech Challenge, part of the MSI Incubator initiative, seeks innovative solutions for wildfire prevention and climate technology. NASA invites students and employees of Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) to address the escalating issues caused by wildfires exacerbated by climate change. Successful participants will have the opportunity to join a startup incubator program and compete for a prize of $100,000. Additionally, this initiative offers a platform for participants to present their ideas to venture capitalists and NASA experts, furthering the development of technology in the fields of wildfire prevention and climate change, while promoting inclusivity and diversity.

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Re-X Before Recycling’ Prize

This three-phase prize will award a total of $4.5 million in cash prizes and $1.1 million in national laboratory analysis consultation and technical assistance to teams that develop innovative ways to extend the lifetimes of products or parts via re-using, repairing, refurbishing, remanufacturing, or repurposing (“Re-X”) before recycling.  

The innovations developed through this prize will reduce life cycle energy and emissions, strengthen circular supply chains for emerging clean energy technologies, and decrease the demand for virgin materials. Innovations that enable new or expanded Re-X supply chains can also engage communities and labor, advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA), and support the implementation of the White House Justice40 initiative

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National Small Business Week Awards

As part of National Small Business Week, the U.S. Small Business Administration takes the opportunity to highlight the impact of outstanding entrepreneurs, small business owners, and community members from all 50 states and U.S. territories. Every day, they’re working to grow small businesses, create 21st century jobs, drive innovation, and increase America’s global competitiveness. And in recognizing the changing face of America, the SBA’s National Small Business Week awards honor individuals and businesses that reflect our nation’s rich diversity.

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Power At Sea Prize

The American-Made Power at Sea Prize seeks new, innovative, and feasible marine energy concepts that can fulfill Powering the Blue Economy initiatives—including supporting offshore industries, science, and security activities, and meeting the energy and water needs of coastal anThe American-Made Power at Sea Prize seeks new, innovative, and feasible marine energy concepts that can fulfill Powering the Blue Economy initiatives—including supporting offshore industries, science, and security activities, and meeting the energy and water needs of coastal and rural island communities. The two-phase, $1.7 million prize is open to new and existing participants in marine energy.d rural island communities. The two-phase, $1.7 million prize is open to new and existing participants in marine energy.

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Keeling Curve Prize 2024

The Keeling Curve Prize, awards $50,000 annually to 10 projects that demonstrate the ability to reduce, replace, or remove greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and oceans. Since 2018, $1.75M has been awarded to 60 nonprofits, for-profits, and startups, and more than 1,130 viable solutions have been vetted. Eligible categories include carbon sinks, energy, finance, social and cultural pathways, and transport and mobility

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NextEra Energy Investments, LLC – 2024 Seed Competition

NextEra Energy Investments, LLC (NEI), an indirect and wholly owned subsidiary of NextEra Energy, Inc., is holding a Seed Competition. Startups have the potential to receive up to a $500,000 seed capital investment, with such investment documentation terms to be negotiated between the potential winner and NEI. The Seed Competition is intended for entrepreneurs solving critical problems within Cybersecurity, Data & AI, Decarbonization and Energy Transition who want to work with NextEra and its subsidiaries to innovate for a better tomorrow.

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2023 Inflation Reduction Act Climate-Ready Workforce for Coastal States and Territories Competition

NOAA is issuing this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for qualified organizations to form and support partnerships that will work collaboratively to support regional economies and their associated workforces by developing training programs that build in-demand skills, offering wraparound services that allow workers to successfully enroll in and complete training, and helping workers enter or advance into good jobs that enhance climate resilience. Wraparound services allow people to overcome barriers to participate in the program, especially individuals in underserved groups. Examples of wraparound services include transportation, childcare, elder care, and housing services. NOAA heavily prioritizes efforts to reach individuals from historically underserved communities, and to benefit disadvantaged communities.

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