🍵Sustainability Startup Accelerators

The growing network of sustainability startup accelerators and programs that you can engage with

January 23, 2023

Hi everyone 🖐,

As someone who has engaged with the entrepreneurial ecosystem in many capacities – as a corporate innovation lead, as a mentor and as an entrepreneur - I am glad to see the growing network of sustainability accelerators and programs supporting the world’s green transformation.

I am sharing here five accelerators and programs 🚀 that you can apply to as a startup or that can support your company’s sustainability journey through innovation scouting, identifying investments, to get inspiration from startups, and/or in other ways 👇.

Let me know if this kind of content is helpful for your sustainability efforts! 🌎🌱

Location: USA, France & Global

Program: hands-on training, 12-week series of intensive workshops, boot camps, and webinars to propel startups to the next level (USA program).

Focus: Cleantech Open runs the world’s largest clean technology accelerator program. Each year, over 100 companies participate in one of the Cleantech Open US, Global Climate Innovation or Global Ideas programs helping create an inclusive green global economy.

Timing: 2023 application open through April 16 (USA program)

Location: Switzerland

Program: relevant applicants are presented to partner corporations and selected startups are invited to meet with partner’s personnel. This can result in proof of concepts, partnerships, and investments.

Focus: to find and collaborate with startups that together with program partners (food manufacturers and producers) could help feed the planet sustainably. Looking for startups in the areas of sustainable food & feed solutions, sustainable supply chain & manufacturing, sustainable packaging, and ag-tech.

Timing: applications closed on Jan 11, finalists announcement April 25

Location: Costa Rica

Program: 12-week incubation program with individual and group sessions. Opportunity to receive investment from Pomona Impact VC.

Focus: Costa Rican companies that develop green technologies with a positive ecological impact including reducing energy consumption or pollution, increasing efficiency, using clean energy and/or improving the conditions of the flora/fauna, among others.

Timing: 2023 TBD

Location: Singapore

Program: three-month, high touch program supporting up to 8 companies protecting the biological diversity of our planet.

Focus: it is anchored on the belief that solving the biodiversity crisis will require both the adoption of nature-based solutions, as well as technological innovation. The accelerator is supporting companies across two themes: nature technology and nature-based solutions.

Timing: ~August kick-off

Location: USA

Program: this 12-week program invests $100k in six startups per cohort, twice a year, working at the forefront of the climate crisis.

Focus: accelerating and investing in sustainability and climate tech startups. This program is open to any startup that is focused on solving, mitigating, or adapting to our current climate and environmental crises and engages with founders that reflect the diverse communities impacted by climate change.

Timing: 2023 TBD

Keep in mind that despite the programs’ locations, some cater to partners and recruit startups from a global audience. Also, this is not meant to be exhaustive – there are many more programs out there, even within the organizations listed that touch on sustainability.

At a time when both climate change AND biodiversity loss are widely recognized as global twin crisis, it is great to see a growing support network for startups in these areas.

Send me your thoughts on the relevance of this content to your sustainability efforts 😎.

Warm regards / saludos,

Julio

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