Last Call to Apply to Venture For ClimateTech and More
Welcome to For ClimateTalk – For ClimateTech’s monthly newsletter highlighting upcoming opportunities for climate innovators, thought leaders, and community connectors.
Due to the significant number of applicants requesting extensions, the Venture For ClimateTech (V4C) team is extending the application deadline until Friday, February 27, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET.
V4C is a non-profit global accelerator program that supports the most promising climate tech innovators through hands-on support on the path to first customers, pilot runs, and investment.
If you have any last-minute questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out through our general email here with the subject “V4C Application Question”. We look forward to reviewing all of your applications!
Learn more and apply now through the link button below.
Ask the Experts: What's the #1 Mistake Climate Hardware Startups Make?
Funding Opportunities
Project Drawdown Bridging the Gap Between Science and the Public Good
Project Drawdown just unveiled its Climate Science Serving America Fellowship, targeting early-to-mid-career PhDs dedicated to scalable climate science. This inaugural phase offers 2–3 positions for U.S. researchers. The organizer is also actively seeking the funding necessary to open even more spots before the end of 2026.
Learn more about the opportunity here.
Cohort News
Decarbonizing the Steel Industry
Hertha Metals, led by CEO and V4C Cohort 1 alumna Laureen Meroueh, is scaling a continuous electric arc furnace that produces molten steel from any grade of iron ore in a single step. By eliminating coal and traditional coke plants, the process reportedly reduces energy use by 30% and lowers production costs by 25% compared to conventional American mills.
Check out the story from MIT here to learn how Meroueh is leveraging this technology to restore U.S. competitiveness in the steel industry.
Switched Source Featured in POWER Magazine
Switched Source, a Scale For ClimateTech (S4C) alumni, was highlighted in POWER Magazine for achieving a 60% increase in deployments of its grid-enhancing technology across more than 10 utility service territories nationwide. The feature explores how the company is helping utilities unlock additional capacity from existing infrastructure and accelerate grid modernization without costly system upgrades.
Read the full article here to learn more about the momentum behind this growing deployment.
Perseus Materials Secures Lockheed Martin Investment
Perseus Materials, V4C alum, has closed a strategic investment from Lockheed Martin to scale its rapid manufacturing system for large-scale composite parts. The company utilizes a mold-less additive manufacturing process that reduces energy demands and enables the direct field-fabrication of massive structures like wind turbine blades and ship components.
Check out the latest from Perseus Materials here to see how this modular technology is eliminating traditional manufacturing bottlenecks.
SXD Wins 2025 Earthshot Innovation Challenge Grand Prize
V4C alum SXD has been named the $100,000 grand prize winner of the 2025 Earthshot Innovation Challenge, in recognition for its patented AI technology that eliminates material waste at the source—enabling up to 69% material savings and an approximately 80% reduction in CO₂ emissions. The award highlights SXD’s leadership in advancing scalable, high-impact climate solutions.
Read more about SXD and the prize here.
COMMUNITY
Mentor Applications Open: Venture For ClimateTech (Deadline 3/13)
V4C is recruiting experienced founders, operators, investors, and industry experts to serve as mentors for its next cohort of climate innovators. Mentors play a critical role in helping early-stage startups refine their value propositions, navigate commercialization, and accelerate their path to market.
If you’re ready to support breakthrough climate solutions and give back to the ecosystem, we invite you to apply by March 13 using the form linked here.
Cross-Columbia GridTech Hackathon Applications Now Open
Applications are now open for the Cross-Columbia GridTech Hackathon, where graduate students, alumni, and faculty will tackle real New York grid challenges and compete for $5K+ in startup-support prizes. The event is sponsored by the ClimateTech Expertise Network alongside host partners including the Columbia Energy Association, Columbia Climate School, and ENVENT.
Applications close March 13, with a virtual info session on March 5, 2026. Learn more and apply here today.
Manufacturing & Supply Chain News
In Case You Missed It: RG&E & NYSEG 2026 Rebate Program Webinar
Bridging the $10M Knowledge Gap
As experienced supervisors retire, many manufacturers are discovering that critical operational expertise isn’t being passed down, creating a costly “knowledge gap” that threatens productivity. This article from Advanced Manufacturing explores why traditional mentorship often fails and how companies can implement structured systems to capture and transfer vital institutional wisdom.
Retool ’26: Save the Date!
The annual Retool conference is officially scheduled for June 9, 2026, in Jamestown, NY. Attendees are encouraged to stay tuned for upcoming program details and should plan to reserve vendor tables early to engage their teams in vital conversations regarding manufacturing innovation, supply chain opportunities, and clean tech.
Learn more here.
Manufacturer & Supply Chain Partner Spotlight: Mardon Tool & Die Co.
Founded in 1981 and rooted in decades of precision and craftsmanship, Mardon Tool & Die Co. delivers high-quality CNC milling, tight-tolerance machining, fixtures, assemblies, and full inspection services across medical, aerospace, industrial, automotive and more. Their team blends small-business agility with big-tier output, building collaborative partnerships and solutions that stand the test of time. Whether you need prototype work or high-volume production with meticulous quality control, Mardon is equipped to help.
Click here to check them out and explore how they can support your next project.