Venture For ClimateTech Seeking Early-Stage Climate Companies to Join Fifth Cohort
ROCHESTER, N.Y., Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Venture For ClimateTech announced today that climate tech startup funding and business support is available to advance new technologies. The accelerator has opened applications to join its fifth cohort with each company accepted receiving support and services in addition to up to $50,000 in non-dilutive funding. Specifically, the program, administered by NextCorps and supported by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), provides one-on-one mentoring, access to investors, and educational programming to prepare entrepreneurs for first customer contracts, pilot runs, and business growth.
“We’ve found that the quicker we can position these teams to a scalable or commercialized place, the higher their chances are for follow-on investment—both private and public—and for long-term success,” said Venture For ClimateTech Managing Director, Jack Baron. “We receive hundreds of applications each year from innovators with promising climate technologies. Our program has, on average, raised our teams’ preparedness by two Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) to a position where the current investment market is more apt to provide initial investment. If we’re to meet our climate goals on the state and federal level, we need companies and technologies such as these to scale as quickly as possible.”
Innovators and founders who have an idea or technology that has the potential to substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions are encouraged to apply by March 7, 2025. Applicants can be located anywhere in the world for this virtual program but must have technologies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support New York State’s energy transition. Cohort participation occurs in three sequential phases which take place over five months and focus on attracting customers, investors, and product demonstrations, culminating in an in-person investor pitch day, the For Climate Innovation Showcase, held during Climate Week NYC in September 2025.
“There are so many benefits that came with this opportunity: the connections to investors, the enhancement of our pitch materials, and the ability to more eloquently describe what we are doing to interested parties,” said Chris Thomas, CEO of RTRN Bioworks, Inc. and Cohort 4 member. “All of that resulted from working with the Venture For ClimateTech community. There are people from this program who I know I’m going to be talking to for years because of how instrumental they will be and have been in the past few months.”
Venture For ClimateTech, supported by NYSERDA, launched in 2021 to accelerate New York State’s equitable energy transition by advancing climate tech solutions on their path to commercialization. It serves as a foundational step for companies to launch commercial pilots, join other later stage accelerators, or fellowships with prestigious organizations.
NYSERDA Director of Commercialization, Stephen Bravo said, “The Venture For ClimateTech program creates a path for companies to bring innovative climate and clean energy technologies to the forefront of the industry. NYSERDA is proud to support the skill building and business knowledge companies need to commercialize products, attract future investment, and grow cutting-edge solutions that accelerate New York State’s clean energy transition.”
Through hands-on mentorship, the investor network, and core curriculum, Venture For ClimateTech provides critical support. Since 2021, 58 Venture For ClimateTech cohort companies have secured more than $98 million in follow-on funding, proving that inventive ideas and teams with the right support can garner investment interest at the very early stage.
- Holocene, a direct air capture provider that participated in the second cohort of the program in 2022, entered into a historic $10 million agreement with Google in 2024 to deliver 100,000 carbon removal credits by the early 2030s priced at $100 per ton.
- Active Surfaces, a 2023 cohort participant, opened its new manufacturing facility to produce its ultra-thin flexible solar film in 2024.
- Voltpost, the creator of EV charging lampposts enabling urban chargers and a 2021 cohort participant, is currently rolling out charging stations coast to coast with local governments.
Companies interested in applying are encouraged to attend one of several available informational webinars to find out more about the program.
Informational webinars:
- Open Q&A with Venture For ClimateTech Alumni
February 18, 2025, from 3:00 to 4:00 PM ET
Register here - Open Q&A Venture For ClimateTech
March 4, 2025, from 2:00 to 3:00 PM ET
Register here
For more information and to register, visit our website here.
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