Summer Sizzlers – Get Ready For The FCT Summit ’22 and More
For ClimateTech’s monthly newsletter highlighting upcoming opportunities for climate innovators, thought leaders, and community connectors.
The For ClimateTech Summit & The Global Innovation Challenge Are Back!
Join us virtually September 13-15 for our flagship event that energizes our broader For ClimateTech (FCT) community by creating opportunities for meaningful interaction, learning, and knowledge sharing in order to advance early–stage climate innovation.
The FCT Summit brings together industry experts, leaders, and investors to discuss opportunities and challenges in the rapidly expanding climate tech industry and will feature Venture For ClimateTech’s second cohort of incredible early-stage, climate tech companies. The Summit will consist of themed panels, sessions, and fireside chats for the climate community to engage in discussions focused on renewable energy, carbontech, water, mobility, and more.
This year we are kicking off the For ClimateTech Summit with this year’s Global Innovation Challenge, our annual prize series that aims to rally innovators and partners towards building a global movement to source and develop the most impactful and equitable solutions in climate tech. Three winners will be selected and will each receive:
- $10K cash prize
- Recognition and media promotion
- In-kind services and technical support office hours and tailored one-on-one feedback with our climate tech experts included from our partners, sponsors, and judges.
Learn more about the For ClimateTech Summit and the Global Innovation Challenge here.
Find Funding
Fast-Track Your Manufacturing with Scale For ClimateTech’s MEIR program
Scale For ClimateTech’s Manufacturing & Expertise-in-Residence (MEIR) program is offering up to $75K in project-matched funding for the manufacturing of solutions that address climate change and reduce GreenHouse Gas (GHG) emissions. Through the MEIR program, engage with technical experts and seasoned manufacturers to solve diverse engineering and manufacturing challenges related to your climate tech product.
See if you qualify for funding and start your application here.
Hackaday Prize Challenges Continue
The Hackaday Prize is offering a $25K award with numerous additional awards to teams focusing on sustainability, resiliency, and circularity. In addition to challenges through the year, this month it is accepting entries for the Hack it Back challenge. This challenge tasks entrepreneurs with adding new capabilities to old hardware, or to bring something broken back from the brink and make it functional again.
The entry period closes July 24, 2022. Find more challenges and submit your entries here.
Applications to Grow-NY Close This Friday!
Hurry to apply: Grow-NY is a business competition focused on growing an enduring food and agriculture innovation cluster in the Grow-NY region. The competition attracts innovative, high-growth food and agriculture startups from across the globe and engages them in the region’s rapidly-growing startup ecosystem.
Finalists will pitch their business ideas for a chance to win up to $1M.
Applications close July 1, 2022 at 5:00 PM EST. Learn more and apply here.
NYSERDA Makes $15M Available for Fourth Annual Commercial and Industrial Carbon Challenge
NYSERDA will award up to $15M as part of the Commercial & Industry Carbon Challenge, ranging from $500K to $5M per successful proposal. Within this funding, $10M is available to applicants who execute beneficial electrification, carbon capture, manufacturing process emission reductions or low-carbon fuel projects, with $5M in funding available to all other applicants.
The deadline to apply is July 29, 2022 at 4:00 PM EST. Learn more and apply here.
$50K Grants Available for Women Entrepreneurs Developing Breakthrough Technologies
The Accelerate(HER) Fund sponsored by Tiger Global Impact Ventures with Hello Alice and the Global Entrepreneurship Network, is providing grants up to $50,000 to support women entrepreneurs building breakthrough technologies or tech-enabled companies.
To be eligible, a business must:
- Be a for-profit technology or technology-enabled company
- Be majority woman-owned and operated (51%+)
- Have not (yet) received funding from angel or venture investors
Learn more and apply here
Compete for H-Prize: Hydrogen Shot Incubator’s $2.6 million Prize Pool
The H-Prize: Hydrogen Shot Incubator has $2.6M available in cash prizes available, which was launched by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office to identify, develop, and test disruptive technologies to reduce the cost of clean hydrogen production.
The Hydrogen Shot Incubator will culminate in a Pitch Day event, where Prove! phase winners will present their proof-of-concept along with experimental and analytical findings to potential investors and commercial partners.
Apply here by August 17, 2022 to propose, prove, and pitch!
For ClimateTech Features and Wins!
Chante Harris Named in GreenBiz’s “30 Under 30” Sustainable Leaders List
The GreenBiz Group named Chante Harris, Venture For ClimateTech’s Director of Climate Investment and Partnerships, as one of the 2022 “30 Under 30” Leaders in Sustainability. Candidates were selected through a global search for emerging leaders across sectors who are shaping the next generation of sustainable business.
The honorees for the seventh annual list were nominated by GreenBiz readers around the world and selected by the GreenBiz editorial team from among hundreds of submissions.
Hear from Harris and some of the other leaders recognized in GreenBiz’s 350 Podcast.
United Airlines and Dimensional Energy Announce Purchasing Agreement of 300 Million Gallons of Sustainable Aviation Fuel
In addition to the purchase agreement with United Airlines, United Airlines Ventures announced they will be investing in Dimensional Energy as a part of United Airlines net-zero commitment by 2050. Dimensional Energy, based in Ithaca, NY, creates renewable fuel from captured CO2 and renewable energy. Dimensional Energy originally formed and graduated from the Nexus-NY (now Venture For ClimateTech).
Read the full story here.
Amogy Raises $46M in For Commercializing its Ammonia-to-Power Technology for Heavy Duty Transportation
Amogy, Cohort 4 member of S4C, announced earlier this month that it raised $46M in capital to further scale its ammonia-to-power technology, with plans to apply its systems to an 18-wheel tractor trailer, as well as an ocean cargo ship. After successful demonstrations of the first-ever Ammonia powered farming tractor and aerial drone, the team moves to use the bridge round funding to commercialize its energy-dense power solution that could decarbonize the heavy-duty transportation sector.
Read the full release here.
California Energy Commission (CEC) Releases Proposed Award of Nearly $2M for KIGT to Install Chargers at the City of Ontario eStation
The CEC’s Clean Transportation Program recently released a notice of proposed awards for Charging Access for Reliable On-Demand Transportation Services and identified KIGT, S4C Cohort 3 member, as the top scoring applicant. The grant solicitation announced a total of $6 million available to fund projects that would support electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure for high mileage on-demand transportation services, including services such as ride-hailing, taxis, and meal or grocery delivery.
See the full notice here.
New Frontier Aerospace Recognized as Runner Up for the 2022 Extreme Tech Challenge
New Frontier Aerospace earned themselves a runner-up spot on the Global Finals stage at the Extreme Tech Challenge 2022, where the world’s largest startup competition focuses on purpose-driven innovation.
New Frontier Aerospace was recognized in the mobility category for its rocket-powered hypersonic aircraft that get passengers and urgent cargo anywhere on earth in two hours or less — cleaner than jets. It’s revolutionary 3D printed aircraft is powered by an advanced rocket engine that is more affordable and reliable than today’s jet engines – and can run on carbon negative, bio-sourced fuel.
Read more about it here.
Event Calendar
Why Startups Need Market and Technology Intelligence
July 14, 2022, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM EST
Join Scale For ClimateTech and RTI Innovation Advisors virtually for an interactive webinar to learn where to get up-to-date market intelligence and how to use it to set your business up for continued success. The talk will be led by Steven McManus, MEP Center Client Manager, and Dr. Taylor Moot, Innovation Analyst from RTI as they break down the many reasons startups fail and explain how market and technology intelligence can increase a startup’s probability of success.
Register for the virtual discussion here.
Patent & IP 101 For Startups
Tuesday, July 19, 2022 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM EST
Learn how to protect your ideas and your business via our virtual ecosystem session hosted by Scale for ClimateTech and the New York Science Technology Law Center (NYSSTLC). Hear from Brian Gerling J.D., Director of the NYSSTLC about the basics surrounding IP and patents, in addition to other resources available to startups in New York State
Learn more and register here
Elements of Smart Manufacturing Webinar Series
The Center of Excellence in Advanced and Sustainable Manufacturing (COE-ASM) at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and TDO (Train, Develop, Optimize) are hosting a FREE six-part webinar series designed for business decision-makers who want to learn how to put smart manufacturing to work. Once a week, starting July 14, industry experts will demystify the digital technologies driving Industry 4.0.
7/14 – Introducing the New Frontier of Industry 4.0
7/21 – Software Applications for Smart Manufacturing
7/28 – The Human Side of Digitalization
8/04 – Harnessing Analytics to Drive Digital Transformation
8/11 – Leveraging the Industrial Internet of Things (IoT)
8/18 – Leveraging Automation
Register here.
Pipeline Partner Opportunities
Apply Now to The Clean Fight: Energy Storage Edition!
The Clean Fight is seeking best-in-class battery and energy storage companies interested in scaling business or manufacturing in New York. Selected companies receive:
- High-touch matchmaking with customer and capital partners
- Up to $100K per company for capacity building, deployment, or manufacturing support in NY
- New York navigation from leading regulators, utilities, and industry experts.
No equity stake is taken. Apply here by June 30.
43North Now Accepting Applications
43North, an accelerator program in Buffalo, NY, is on the hunt for its next cohort! Now in its eighth year, selected 43North companies receive a host of benefits including:
- $1M investment
- Free Class A office space in Buffalo’s Tech Hub at Seneca One Tower
- 1-1 mentorship
- Connections to investors, as well as the ability to operate tax-free through STARTUP-NY.
This is a great opportunity for founders to accelerate the growth of their business while backed by a community of mentors, connectors, and innovators. Applications close on Friday, July 8, 2022. Lean More & apply here.
Program Updates
Meet the FCT Summer Interns
Mariam Kamerji is the Venture for ClimateTech (V4C) Operations Intern for the summer where she will be supporting the V4C team in planning and coordinating the For ClimateTech Summit and Global Innovation Challenge. Mariam is a rising junior at Columbia University where she studies economics with a minor in sustainability.
Mikayla Bader is the For ClimateTech Creative Content Intern this summer where she is supporting the design and creation of graphics, images, and style of our branded content. Originally from Saratoga Springs, NY, she moved to Rochester, NY, to study illustration at RIT where she is a rising senior, minoring in psychology in addition to seeking an immersion in women and gender Studies.
Katie Lederman is the For ClimateTech Editorial Intern at NextCorps, where she will work in the marketing department to write content and handle day-to-day brand maintenance. Katie is a rising junior at George Washington University (GW) in the School of Business pursuing a Bachelor of Science in marketing and a minor in psychological and brain sciences. While at GW, she also plays attack on the Division 1 women’s lacrosse team.
Read more about them and what they are up to this summer, here.
What’s the Consensus?
This month’s consensus on, “If you could have one aspect of launching and growing your startup totally taken care of, aside from infinite capital, what would be your number-one choice?” is… Financial Expertise with 33% of the vote. Here’s the breakdown:
