Introducing Cohort 7 Click on the buttons to watch each team's video
ABOUT
IMPACT
Since its inception Scale For ClimateTech has helped innovators and startup teams worldwide accelerate their development process, and manufacturers and supply chain partners expand their opportunities and revenue potential. Here is a glimpse of our impact on 67 cohort companies supported to date.
$1.2 Billion
Funds Raised by Companies
580+
Jobs Created
121
Companies
Board of Advisors
Program Team
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Scale For ClimateTech?
Scale For ClimateTech (S4C) provides immersive training on manufacturing for climate tech hardware innovators, along with a team dedicated to making manufacturing easier — from mentors and experts in the field and product and packaging designers, to manufacturers, suppliers, and investors. S4C aims to scale-up the manufacturing and delivery of innovative climatetech hardware products and solutions to the New York State market in support of New York’s Climate Act goals and to foster and promote climatetech hardware design, engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain development in New York State.
Since 2018, The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has supported the Scale For ClimateTech program. This program has supported more than 69 companies that have raised $431M in capital and earned $40M in revenue over the last 4 years. Scalable hardware companies are the engines of technology commercialization, job creation, and economic growth. In many cases, these promising companies struggle to traverse the many challenges of manufacturing to bring physical products to market. This NYSERDA program focuses on overcoming the challenges of product manufacturing for climate technology (climatetech) companies so as to advance the State’s climate goals, bring jobs to the State, and bolster New York’s manufacturing industry. Evolving the nature of cleantech companies’ engagements with manufacturers and other supply chain partners increases the likelihood that the companies will successfully scale. This program offers services to climatetech companies and supply chain partners to enable them to achieve key manufacturing milestones, accelerate the time it takes to move from prototype to commercial product, and facilitate connections and agreements between manufacturers and innovative climatetech companies.
Scale For ClimateTech is one of NYSERDA’s Technology to Market programs, which aim to support companies – and through them, their technologies and solutions – that will help New York State reach the targets laid out in the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA, or Climate Act). These targets include a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions of at least 85% below 1990 levels by 2050 and 100% zero-emissions electricity by 2040, among others, and a commitment to climate justice and a just transition to a clean energy economy.
Who’s behind Scale For ClimateTech?
Scale For ClimateTech is funded by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and administered by two organizations — SecondMuse in NYC and NextCorps in Rochester, New York.
NYSERDA
NYSERDA, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, offers objective information and analysis, innovative programs, technical expertise, and support to help New Yorkers increase energy efficiency, save money, use renewable energy, and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. A public benefit corporation, NYSERDA has been advancing energy solutions and working to protect the environment since 1975.
SecondMuse
SecondMuse is an impact and innovation company that builds resilient economies by supporting entrepreneurs and the ecosystems around them. They do this by designing, developing, and implementing a mix of innovation programming and investing capital. Over the last decade, they’ve designed and implemented programs on seven continents with 600+ organizations such as NASA, The World Bank, and Nike.
NextCorps
NextCorps is a non-profit helping innovative technology companies launch and grow. It supports tech startups and existing manufacturers in building their businesses through a variety of internationally and nationally recognized programs. In addition to its sector-specific startup accelerator programs in optics/photonics/imaging, climate tech, and B2B SaaS, NextCorps also operates a state-of-the-art tech incubator in Rochester, NY, in the heart of the Downtown Innovation Zone, as well as manufacturing specific programs to help grow existing small and mid-sized businesses. NextCorps is an affiliate of the University of Rochester.
What is climate tech?
Climate Tech is an innovation that supports decarbonization of the economy through hardware, software, technology-enabled services, data analytics, or processes that broadly reduce energy consumption, increase resource efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and/or enable the transition to a sustainable and decarbonized economy.
What services does Scale For ClimateTech provide?
Innovator Services (for Cohort Members):
Scale For ClimateTech helps growth-stage ClimateTech innovators develop a faster and less expensive path to market than they will experience on their own. As a Cohort Member, you will receive assistance to help you navigate and make critical decisions throughout the manufacturing process, including:
Technical support from the prototype phase throughout manufacturing development to enable rapid advancement of your Manufacturing Readiness Level
- One-on-one office hours with Subject Matter Experts
- Connections to market intelligence experts
- Customized accountability board to help scope and execute a manufacturing roadmap project
- Third-party MRL assessments
Education to help you navigate through time-sensitive, critical decisions related to the development of your manufacturing capabilities and your manufacturing processes
- Immersive workshops and trainings on MRL sub-threads, including: Technology & the Industrial Base, Design, Materials, Cost & Funding, Process Capability & Control, Quality Management, Manufacturing Personnel, Facilities, and Manufacturing Planning.
- Peer to peer group sessions
- Access to manufacturing tools and materials
Access to a supplier network within the State to drive collaboration and business agreements
- Tours of ecosystem partners and NY supply chain and manufacturing facilities
- Access to vetted suppliers and manufacturers
Facilitated partnerships between your company and potential investors, corporate partners, and customers to increase the number of new innovative solutions being manufactured in New York State.
- Invitation to participate in an Innovation Showcase (Demo Day) where your climate tech hardware will be exhibited to the larger climate tech ecosystem, including SCPs and investors
- Strategic partnership opportunities for pilot testing, engineering and design services
Innovator Services (open to all Innovators):
In this newest iteration, Scale For ClimateTech offers additional assistance to all climate tech innovators at large to receive match-making services to our vetted supplier and manufacturer network.
Innovators interested in being matched with our network can fill out this form here.
- Free consultations to identify manufacturing needs
- Facilitated introductions to explore potential manufacturing agreements, partnerships, and business opportunities with suppliers
Supply Chain Services (for Manufacturers and Suppliers):
In this newest iteration, Scale For ClimateTech offers services to Manufacturers and Suppliers that opt-in to our manufacturing directory.
Manufacturers and Suppliers interested in opting in to our directory can fill out this form here.
- Free consultations to identify target customers
- Free marketing to the climate tech community
- Promotion of services within our Newsletter, Social Media and partnership channels
- Sharing relevant opportunities for potential customers to attend events such as trade shows, open houses, and conferences
- Featured success stories of partnerships between Innovators and Suppliers
- Reimbursement to attend climate tech events to connect with potential customers and partners
What types of innovations are eligible for Scale For ClimateTech?
While any innovation that meets the definition of “Climate Tech” is of interest to Scale for ClimateTech, a few sectors that contribute the most to greenhouse gas emissions in New York State which Scale For ClimateTech are particularly interested in, are:
Buildings – The buildings sector was the largest source of emissions in 2023, responsible for 31% of emissions statewide, which includes the combustion of fossil fuels in residential (10%) and commercial buildings (6%), emissions from imported fuels (10%), and product use (5%). This sector could include key subsectors such as large commercial, small commercial, multifamily residential, and single-family residential, among others.
Transportation – The transportation sector was responsible for approximately 26% of New York’s GHG emissions in 2023, which includes emissions from fuel combustion (18%), product use (1%), and imported fuels (7%). This sector could include key subsectors such as public transportation, vehicle fleets (trucks, buses, ride hailing, etc.), personal transportation, last-mile logistics, low carbon fuels, hydrogen production, distribution, and storage among others.
Grid – The grid and electricity sector comprised 16% of statewide emissions in 2023, including emissions from fuel combustion (7%), imported fuels (7%), imported electricity (2%), and electricity transmission & distribution (<0.1%). This sector could include key subsectors such as smart infrastructure and operations, large-scale renewables, distributed energy resources, energy storage, and long duration storage, among others.
Industry – Industrial emissions made up 10% of statewide emissions in 2023, including emissions from the oil and gas industry in New York (5%), industrial processes (1%), the direct combustion of on-site fuel (2%), emissions from imported fuels (1%), and non-combustion industrial processes (<0.1%). This sector could include key subsectors such as carbontech and negative emissions technologies (carbon capture, removal, conversion, storage), chemicals, food and beverage, machinery, paper and pulp, electronics, metals, plastics, and construction, among others.
Who should apply to the Scale For ClimateTech Cohort?
Innovators selected for this cohort should have:
- A Climate Tech hardware product or innovation that supports decarbonization via a reduction of energy consumption, increase in resource efficiency, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and/or enablement of the transition to a sustainable and decarbonized economy.
- While any Innovator that meets the definition of “climate tech” is of interest to Scale for ClimateTech, a few sectors contribute the most to greenhouse gas emissions in New York State.
- Scale for ClimateTech is particularly interested in the following key sectors: Buildings, Grid, Transportation, & Industry.
- While any Innovator that meets the definition of “climate tech” is of interest to Scale for ClimateTech, a few sectors contribute the most to greenhouse gas emissions in New York State.
- A Climate Tech hardware product or innovation that supports decarbonization via a reduction of energy consumption, increase in resource efficiency, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and/or enablement of the transition to a sustainable and decarbonized economy.
- Scale for ClimateTech does not support companies with technologies which support fossil fuels or extend the useful life of fossil fuel technologies and infrastructure.
- A minimum of a works-like / looks-like climate tech prototype that has a hardware component.
- A LOI/LOS, joint development agreement, contingent purchase order, or NRE commitment that indicates pilot testing, pre-sales, or other customer commitment to manufacture climate tech solutions.
- Operations or operational plan that will contribute to demonstrating a benefit(s) to New York State. Examples of activities that represent a “Demonstrated Benefit to New York State” include:
- Having some portion of a member company’s or organization’s workforce (beyond at least one employee), such as headquarters, research and development, or manufacturing, based in New York State.
- Benefiting manufacturers, supply chain partners, vendors, and/or service providers in New York State, including but not limited to having purchase orders for parts from a NYS based source or contracts for purchase for a NYS based location.
- Serving an addressable market of customers within New York State with climate tech solutions.
- Significantly reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions in New York State.
- Financial resources sufficient to fund the next 12 months of progress towards product manufacturing.
- A Self-Reported Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 5 or higher to participate in Bootcamp. We expect to select companies for the cohort that will have an average TRL of 7. To assess the TRL level of your offering, take a TRL self-assessment here.
- A team in place with a dedicated technical or manufacturing lead who is authorized to make decisions on behalf of the company and can commit to regular programming. A willingness to learn and share, honor time commitments, and be an engaged member of the cohort.
Companies do not need to manufacture in New York to be eligible to participate in the program. While Scale For ClimateTech hopes to increase local manufacturing, we know that supply chains are spread across the country and beyond.
Does it cost anything to participate in the Scale For ClimateTech Cohort?
There is no cost to participate or stake in equity involved.
What curriculum does the Scale For ClimateTech Cohort cover?
During the program, participants will receive immersive training on manufacturing and business planning to gain an understanding of the overall manufacturing process, and the stages that will lead to manufacturing maturity for your ClimateTech solution.
Our curriculum is based on the Department of Defense’s Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL), a measure to assess the maturity of a given technology, system, subsystem, or component from a manufacturing perspective. See table below. MRLs are patterned after Technology Readiness Levels, a methodology for estimating the maturity of technology elements.
This approach is used to thoroughly assess, manage, and mitigate risks in ten levels to anticipate and resolve issues. These areas include: Technology & the Industrial Base, Design, Materials, Cost & Funding, Process Capability & Control, Quality Management, Manufacturing Personnel, Facilities, and Manufacturing Planning.
| MRL Level | Description |
| 1 | Basic research expands scientific principles that may have manufacturing implications. The focus is on a high-level assessment of manufacturing opportunities. The research is unfettered.
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| 2 | Invention begins. Manufacturing science and/or concept described in application context. Identification of material and process approaches are limited to paper studies and analysis. Initial manufacturing feasibility and issues are emerging.
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| 3 | Conduct analytical or laboratory experiments to validate paper studies. Experimental hardware or processes have been created but are not yet integrated or representative. Materials and/or processes have been characterized for manufacturability and availability, but further evaluation and demonstration is required.
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| 4 | Required investments, such as manufacturing technology development identified. Processes to ensure manufacturability, producibility and quality are in place and are sufficient to produce technology demonstrators. Manufacturing risks identified for prototype build. Manufacturing cost drivers identified. Producibility assessments of design concepts have been completed. Key design performance parameters identified. Special needs identified for tooling, facilities, material handling and skills.
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| 5 | Manufacturing strategy refined and integrated with a risk management plan. Identification of enabling/critical technologies and components is complete. Prototype materials, tooling, and test equipment, as well as personnel skills, have been demonstrated on components in a production relevant environment, but many manufacturing processes and procedures are still in development. Manufacturing technology development efforts initiated or ongoing. Producibility assessments of key technologies and components ongoing. Cost model based upon detailed end-to-end value stream map.
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| 6 | Initial manufacturing approach developed. Majority of manufacturing processes have been defined and characterized, but there are still significant engineering/design changes. Preliminary design of critical components completed. Producibility assessments of key technologies complete. Prototype materials, tooling, and test equipment, as well as personnel skills have been demonstrated on subsystems/ systems in a production relevant environment. Detailed cost analysis includes design trades. Cost targets allocated. Producibility considerations shape system development plans. Long lead and key supply chain elements identified.
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| 7 | Detailed design is underway. Material specifications are approved. Materials available to meet planned pilot line build schedule. Manufacturing processes and procedures demonstrated in a production representative environment. Detailed producibility trade studies and risk assessments underway. Cost models updated with detailed designs, rolled up to system level and tracked against targets. Unit cost reduction efforts underway. Supply chain and supplier Quality Assurance assessed. Long lead procurement plans in place. Production tooling and test equipment design and development initiated.
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| 8 | Detailed system design is essentially complete and sufficiently stable to enter low-rate production. All materials are available to meet the planned low-rate production schedule. Manufacturing and quality processes and procedures proven in a pilot line environment, under control and ready for low-rate production. Known producibility risks pose no significant risk for low-rate production. Engineering cost model driven by detailed design and validated. Supply chain established and stable.
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| 9 | Major system design features are stable and proven in test and evaluation.Materials are available to meet planned rate production schedules. Manufacturing processes and procedures are established and controlled to three-sigma or some other appropriate quality level to meet design key characteristic tolerances in a low-rate production environment. Production risk monitoring is ongoing. Initial production cost goals met, learning curve validated. Actual cost model developed for full scale production environment, with projected impact of continuous improvement.
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| 10 | Engineering/design changes are few and generally limited to quality and cost improvements. System, components, or items are in rate production and meet all engineering, performance, quality, and reliability requirements. All materials,manufacturing processes and procedures, inspection and test equipment are in production and controlled to six-sigma or some other appropriate quality level. Full rate production unit cost meets goal, and funding is sufficient for production at required rates. Lean practices well established and continuous process improvements ongoing.
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Here is a self-assessment exercise to get familiar with understanding your MRL level:
| Is the design ready? | Is it stable? Reproducible? Have key design characteristics been identified? |
| Are materials ready? | Are materials available? Have they been characterized? Are there any special handling issues? |
| Are resources ready? | Are production costs understood? Have design-to-cost goals been established? Is funding in place to cover production maturation? |
| Are processes ready? | Are production costs understood? Have design-to-cost goals been established? Is funding in place to cover production maturation? |
| Are processes ready? | Have critical processes been identified and demonstrated? Are those processes stable and in control? |
| Are manufacturing personnel ready? | Are there any special skills required? Are personnel trained and/or certified? Is the workforce stable? |
| Are manufacturing facilities ready? | Are the facilities in place? Can they support the production rate? Will the facilities layout support lean production? |
| Is the Manufacturing Plan ready? | Has a Manufacturing Plan been completed? Is the supply chain integrated into the plan? Have long-lead items been identified? |
What inspired Scale For ClimateTech?
Many climate tech innovators commercializing hardware products face a difficult path to market because of the capital intensity and long lead times associated with the initial manufacturing of products. There is often a lack of understanding of how or where their products can be made or if their products can be made profitably at scale. Furthermore, when startup companies lack strong manufacturing strategies, they often struggle to secure private investment or strategic corporate partnerships. Hardware startup companies typically experience cash flow squeezes when undertaking manufacturing. At the same time, manufacturers can be hesitant to work with startup companies because startups are often not prepared with critical deliverables like technical drawings designed for manufacturing at scale or the appropriate cash flow to fund production. This represents a significant risk for manufacturers and supply chain partners. In addition, manufacturers often do not understand the specific needs of startups and are underprepared to identify and leverage best practices for working with them. These challenges converge to create circumstances that are difficult for startup companies to overcome. Knowledge and resource gaps can result in startup companies stalling or outright failing. Our program team, advisory board, partners, mentors, and supply chain partners are all a part of this effort to bridge these gaps and support climate tech companies in reaching commercialization.
Join Us
We match all program participants with a dedicated mentor who can expertly address each company’s specific needs.
Contact us if you’d like to get involved.