Accelerate at VERGE 23 is a fast-pitch competition featuring entrepreneurs with innovative technologies, products and services in carbon, energy, food, transportation, and buildings. Selected finalists will pitch from the VERGE stage to thousands of businesses, government and thought leaders. Qualifying nominations must include a 60-second video naming the market opportunity your company addresses and why you want to pitch at VERGE 23. These should feature the team member being nominated to deliver the pitch.

Development Innovation Ventures (DIV) is USAID’s open innovation program that tests and scales creative solutions to any global development challenge. Innovative solutions come in many forms – whether a product, technology, service, or application of a creative business and delivery model. DIV is an open door to USAID – anyone, anywhere can apply at any time. USAID provides flexible, tiered grant funding to test new ideas, take strategic risks, build evidence of what works, and advance the best solutions. Proposals are accepted year-round across three stages, from any type of organization, in any country in which USAID operates.

• Stage 1: Proof of Concept (Up to $200,000 – up to 3 years)
• Stage 2: Testing and Positioning for Scale ($200,000 to $1,500,000 – up to 3 years)
• Stage 3: Scaling ($1,500,000 to $5,000,000 – up to 3 years)

 
In addition to tiered funding, DIV provides evidence grants (up to $1,500,000) to support research and evaluations that generate rigorous evidence of an innovation’s impact per dollar and potential for expansion. These applications are evaluated separately from proposals for tiered funding.

Hera Hub DC, a female-focused coworking space is soliciting Applications for its 2nd annual pitch contest. Startups that are 51% women-owned and located in the DC Metro area are eligible to send their applications which would be reviewed by an independent panel. The finalists would comprise of 8 growth stage and 4 early stage companies. In addition to the cash, the winners would also be nominated to pitch at Hera Venture Summit, in San Diego this September.

For more information: Click here

Vinetta chapters is a DC-based Capital Platform that sources, funds and supports the world’s most promising female founders. Currently, applications are being accepted for the 2nd round of the Venture challenge-2019. Over 150 applicants from the DC-tech ecosystem would be handpicked by a group of DC-based venture funds and angel groups. In addition to the cash prize, winners would receive mentorship support from top investors, major bragging rights and credibility.

For more information: Click here

CECET (along with NYSERDA) is working towards clean energy technology advancement through funding support and technical assistance. Interested candidates would receive expert guidance in product design, R&D, evaluation and advisory support, in addition to laboratory testing facility to a number of clean technologies like Wind, Solar, Geothermal, etc.

DOE’s Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) is accepting proposals as part of its TEAMER program, which accelerates MHK technology through funding support and testing infrastructure assistance. The FOA objective is to select a Network Director who would be responsible for the establishment of Test Facility Network, technical processes, Management and Scheduling, External Communication and Outreach.

For more information: Click here

DOE’s Building Technologies Office (BTO) has announced funding assistance to support next‐generation building technologies to improve energy productivity, flexibility, resiliency, and lower energy costs. The priority research areas include Flexible Building Technologies, HVAC Technologies, Solid‐State Lighting (SSL) Technologies, Metrics, Current Status, and Targets. BENEFIT-2019 program would be providing $47Mn of federal funding to successful applicants.

For more information: Click here

Powerhouse ventures is accepting proposals from early-stage startups building solutions to enable a decarbonized, decentralized, democratized, and digitized energy system. Entrepreneurs harnessing the latest in digital technology and business model innovation to advance software-enabled, distributed, and renewable energy in domestic and global markets are invited to apply.

For more information: Click here

CEVG NY in partnership with NYSERDA is soliciting applications from clean energy companies with technology, products, and services that could substantially reduce the environmental damage from the use of energy. The investment criteria are based on clean energy proposal, people, investment returns, valuation, and location. Successful applicants would receive capital along with hands-on support from experienced executives, entrepreneurs, and investors.

For more information: Click here

DOE intends to invest in early-stage research aimed at improving transportation system-level energy efficiency, energy productivity, and affordability. The specific areas of interest are advanced batteries and electric drive systems, energy efficient mobility systems, materials for more efficient powertrains, co-optimized advanced engine and fuel technologies, and alternative fuels and new mobility options.

For more information: Click here

DOE is soliciting proposals for R&D over innovative modular approaches to low-head hydropower development to lower overall costs in custom-designed projects at greenfield sites leading to a more resilient grid and greater reliability. The areas of interest are Hydropower Operational Flexibility, Low-Head Hydropower, and In-Stream Hydrokinetic Technologies, Advancing Wave Energy Device Design and Marine Energy Centers Research Infrastructure Upgrades.

For more information: Click here

DOE is accepting applications to boost geothermal technologies through significant cost reduction, improvement of drilling and sustainability. The major topics of interest are the development of technologies for characterizing, monitoring, and predicting the state of stress for geothermal exploration and development of new technologies for prediction and mitigation of lost circulation events in geothermal drilling.

For more information: Click here