Climate & Energy accelerators
Accelerators for Climate & Energy founders
Climate and energy has the highest share of non-dilutive money of any vertical in this directory, and that changes how you should read it. Eight of the 16 programs here fund founders without taking equity: the Department of Energy's lab-embedded fellowships (Chain Reaction Innovations at Argonne, Innovation Crossroads at Oak Ridge) pay a salary, around $115,000 a year in recent cohorts, plus benefits and research funding for two years of full-time work inside a national lab. Activate's two-year fellowship provides more than $300,000 in stipend and research support. NYSERDA's Venture For ClimateTech adds up to $50,000 non-dilutive, and Wells Fargo's IN2 program has funded startups at $250,000 per company with no equity taken.
The catch is that non-dilutive rarely means low-commitment. The lab fellowships require relocation, US citizenship or permanent residency, and a two-year full-time commitment. IN2 has no open application at all; you enter by nomination from its partner network. Cleantech Open charges a participation fee. And the equity programs in this vertical are all over the map: Evergreen Climate Innovations writes $200,000 to $300,000 checks as a Midwest-only impact investor, Halliburton Labs structures participation as an equity transaction without disclosing the numbers, and Austin Technology Incubator takes a small equity stake in exchange for membership rather than cash.
Every record here spells out which of these models you are actually signing up for, in plain English, from what the program itself publishes. Where a program does not publish its numbers, we say so rather than guessing. Check the status line and last-verified date before planning around any program, and use the calendar for the application windows we can support with sources.
Showing 21 of 21 programs, plus 1 that has ended
| Check size | Equity | Terms | Format | Next window | Signal | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACCEL (Advancing Climatetech and Clean Energy Leaders)climatetech / clean energy (all sectors) | up to $25,000 grant | Not publishedNon-dilutive grant up to $25,000 plus Greentown incubator membership, VentureWell curriculum, and BGS network. No equity taken. Runs in Somerville MA and Houston TX; equity_pct null because no equity component exists. | Non-dilutive | MA | Hybrid | None confirmed | Oct 1, 2026 | VerifiedPossibly dormantWe could not confirm a recent or upcoming cohort. It may have paused or wound down. Verify before applying. |
| Activate Fellowship (incl. Cyclotron Road)hard tech: energy, carbon capture, materials, sustainable infrastructure (16 verticals) | $100,000/year living stipend plus $100,000 R&D support and $12,000/year travel and professional development (more than $300,000 over two years) | Not publishedTwo-year fellowship funding founders full time; no equity and no fees (FAQ). The apply and communities pages list a $100K living stipend per year, $100K in R&D support, $12K per year in travel and professional development funds, a health insurance stipend, and a relocation allowance; the fellowship page states 'More than $300K over two years.' Five communities: Anywhere (virtual, for fellows at least 70 miles from an in-residence city), Berkeley / Cyclotron Road, Boston, Houston, and New York. Per the FAQ, Berkeley and Boston fellows live in or relocate to those areas, Houston fellows live within commuting distance of Houston, and New York requires no relocation but fellows must be able to commute to New York City three times a month; a relocation stipend covers new fellows who move more than 70 miles. Cohort 2027 applications close October 30, 2026 at 12 p.m. PT; the fellowship begins July 1 and applicants are selected in spring. | Non-dilutive | CA | Hybrid | Oct 30, 2026 | Oct 1, 2026 | Verified |
| Austin Technology Incubator - Energy & CleanTech / Mobilityenergy, cleantech, circular economy, mobility deep tech | Not publishedATI FAQ states: 'ATI requires a 2% equity stake in each company that is accepted to be an ATI member company.' This replaces the earlier unconfirmed membership-fee assumption; the model is equity for membership and services, with no cash investment. Average membership duration one to three years per FAQ. Rolling admissions confirmed on the apply page; open to companies with a working prototype or MVP, no UT affiliation required. | 2% | Mixed | TX | In person | None confirmed | Oct 1, 2026 | Verified |
| Carbon to Value Initiative (C2V)carbontech: carbon capture, conversion and removal | Discretionary stipend of up to $10,000 per startup | Not publishedSix-month carbontech accelerator run by the Urban Future Lab at NYU Tandon, Greentown Labs and Fraunhofer USA, built around structured engagement with its Carbontech Leadership Council of corporations, nonprofits and government agencies. The Applicant FAQ says applying is free and C2V takes no equity; each selected startup can receive a discretionary stipend of up to $10,000 in non-dilutive funding for travel and program costs, plus incubator membership at Greentown and/or the Urban Future Lab during the program. Startups at TRL 4 to 7 can apply from anywhere but must attend in-person events in Boston, New York and Houston. Year 6 applications closed August 28, 2026; the program runs about December 2026 to June 2027, with a kickoff in Houston on December 3, 2026. | Non-dilutive | Not published | Hybrid | None confirmed | Oct 1, 2026 | Verified |
| Chain Reaction Innovationsenergy and science hard tech | $115,000/year stipend for two years plus healthcare benefits | Not publishedApply page states: 'Stipend of $115k per year for two years plus healthcare benefits' and 'Neither Argonne nor DOE take an equity stake in the startup.' Cohort 2027 applications opened September 15 and close at 5 p.m. CT on October 30, 2026. After application review and virtual semifinalist presentations in January, an invitational pitch event for finalists is held March 10 to 11, 2027 at Argonne; successful applicants are notified in spring 2027 and expected to start at Argonne on October 1, 2027. US citizenship or lawful permanent residency required at time of application. | Non-dilutive | IL | In person | Oct 30, 2026 | Oct 1, 2026 | Verified |
| Cleantech Opencleantech (all sectors), national multi-region accelerator | Not publishedFee now primary-verified on the 2026 accelerator page: participation fee $2,600 early bird / $2,950 regular for up to two members, $1,875 for student-led companies; application fee $30 early bird / $80 regular. No equity taken. Up to $150,000 in total cash prizes and/or investment plus up to $50,000 in-kind; national grand prize delivered as a SAFE (0% discount, no interest, no valuation cap or board seat). 2026 applications ran Feb 1 to Apr 6, 2026 (closed); program May 31 to Aug 25, 2026, National Finals Oct 20 to 22, 2026 in Boston. | Not publishedFee now primary-verified on the 2026 accelerator page: participation fee $2,600 early bird / $2,950 regular for up to two members, $1,875 for student-led companies; application fee $30 early bird / $80 regular. No equity taken. Up to $150,000 in total cash prizes and/or investment plus up to $50,000 in-kind; national grand prize delivered as a SAFE (0% discount, no interest, no valuation cap or board seat). 2026 applications ran Feb 1 to Apr 6, 2026 (closed); program May 31 to Aug 25, 2026, National Finals Oct 20 to 22, 2026 in Boston. | Fee-based | CA | Hybrid | None confirmed | Oct 1, 2026 | Verified |
| Cox Cleantech Acceleratorcleantech / sustainability | $250,000 per company | Not publishedA 12-week in-person cleantech accelerator in Atlanta run by Cox Cleantech with gener8tor and the Georgia Cleantech Innovation Hub, investing $250,000 per company in a cohort of 5. The equity percentage is not published. Applications for the next program run August 9 to November 8 (the page does not print the year; the window was live when verified on 2026-08-26). | Equity for cash | GA | In person | Nov 8, 2026 | Oct 1, 2026 | Verified |
| Cox Cleantech Residencycleantech / sustainability | $10,000 stipend | Not publishedA 6-week program with a $10,000 stipend for 10 companies, positioned as a pathway into the Cox Cleantech Accelerator. Teams must be based in the Southeast US and no equity is taken. Recruitment for 2026 is complete; applications for the next cohort open in Spring 2027. | Non-dilutive | GA | In person | None confirmed | Oct 1, 2026 | Verified |
| Elemental Impact (formerly Elemental Excelerator)energy, industry, food/ag, nature, water, transportation | $500,000-$5,000,000 per project (Data Center Innovation Initiative only; Strategy and Project Track amounts not published) | Not publishedFunding-opportunities page now primary-verified: instruments are SAFE, D-SAFE, convertible note, or direct investment with milestone-linked payments. Strategy Track (pre-seed/seed, 3+ FTE, operating prototype, ~9 month engagement) and Project Track (Series A+) amounts not published; Data Center Innovation Initiative states $500K-$5M per project for up to 10 startups through 2027. Applications open year-round. | Mixed | HI | Hybrid | None confirmed | Oct 1, 2026 | Verified |
| Evergreen Climate Innovations (formerly Clean Energy Trust)Midwest climate tech seed investing | typically $200,000-$300,000 | Not publishedNonprofit impact investor (501vc Investment Fund), not a cohort accelerator. The 501vc page states typical investments of $200,000 to $300,000 into pre-seed and seed climate startups in the 16-state Greater Midwest (IA, IL, IN, WI, MI, MN, KS, MO, OH, TN, KY, ND, SD, CO, NE, western PA). Applications are considered on a rolling basis; the fall and spring application deadlines each start an approximately five-month investment cycle. The Fall 2026 deadline was Aug 17, 2026; the spring 2027 deadline is not yet posted. Instrument type not specified. Opportunities page also lists sponsor awards (U.S. Bank Foundation Cleantech Award, Nicor Gas Illinois Innovator Award), amounts not published. | Equity for cash | IL | Remote | None confirmed | Oct 1, 2026 | Verified |
| Halliburton Labsclean energy scaling / industrial energy hardware | $100,000 cash plus $400,000 in in-kind support, taken as equity (generally via SAFE) | Not publishedFAQ: 'We invest $100,000 cash and take $400,000 in in-kind equity for the support we provide. Generally, we do this in a SAFE but may be flexible depending upon the funding status of the startup.' No equity percentage is published, so equity_pct stays null. The homepage says Halliburton Labs does not take board seats, commercial rights, or intellectual property rights. The FAQ describes a cohort-based program with two entry points each year: applications are accepted year-round, finalists pitch at a Pitch Day held twice a year, and companies are selected after about a month of further diligence; generally no more than eight companies are selected per year. Open to applicants from anywhere in the world, excluding sanctioned countries or individuals. The FAQ also says it is not an accelerator. The earlier statement that the program lasts about 12 months no longer appears on the site, so program_length_weeks is null. | Equity for cash | TX | In person | None confirmed | Oct 1, 2026 | Verified |
| Innovation Crossroadsenergy and advanced manufacturing hard tech | $115,000/yr living stipend (Cohort 2027) plus health insurance stipend, professional development allowance, and ORNL R&D funding | Not publishedTwo-year lab-embedded fellowship funding founders full time at ORNL; no equity (as stated in the program FAQ when checked in July 2026; that FAQ page no longer loads, and the current apply page describes DOE- and TVA-funded fellowship support, not an investment). The Cohort 2027 apply page lists a yearly living stipend of $115,000, a health insurance stipend, a professional development allowance, and R&D funding for collaboration with ORNL researchers; the first year is an Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education fellowship, renewable after a one-year review for support of up to two years. Eligibility: doctorate or equivalent experience, US citizen or lawful permanent resident, no more than $2 million raised in debt or equity from nongovernment sources in the three years before applying, relocation to the Knoxville-Oak Ridge area for two years, and a cooperative research and development agreement with ORNL. Cohort 2027 applications are accepted September 15 to October 30, 2026 (closing 8 p.m. ET); the cohort is selected May to June 2027 and starts August 2027. | Non-dilutive | TN | In person | Oct 30, 2026 | Oct 1, 2026 | Verified |
| Joules Acceleratorgrid technology / utility cleantech | Not publishedSite states 'All services are offered to startups at no charge.' No equity terms and no investment amount are published. A 90-day (three-month) program; Joules runs two cohorts of six advanced grid startups per year and looks for pre-seed to Series A startups at Technology Readiness Level 4 to 8. Cohort 17 was announced at Future Grid 26 and kicked off August 17, 2026. Cohort 18 applications are open through November 30, 2026 via an online application (under 20 minutes); a shortlist of 25 applications is shared with Joules' network, which selects six, and Cohort 18 will be announced by the end of 2026 and kick off in early 2027. | Not publishedSite states 'All services are offered to startups at no charge.' No equity terms and no investment amount are published. A 90-day (three-month) program; Joules runs two cohorts of six advanced grid startups per year and looks for pre-seed to Series A startups at Technology Readiness Level 4 to 8. Cohort 17 was announced at Future Grid 26 and kicked off August 17, 2026. Cohort 18 applications are open through November 30, 2026 via an online application (under 20 minutes); a shortlist of 25 applications is shared with Joules' network, which selects six, and Cohort 18 will be announced by the end of 2026 and kick off in early 2027. | Equity-free | NC | Hybrid | Nov 30, 2026 | Oct 1, 2026 | Verified |
| LACI Incubation Programclean energy, zero-emissions transportation, circular economy | Not publishedPer LACI's Startup Programs page, incubation startups agree to a 1.5% to 3% equity stake in the form of a warrant that can be earned back by achieving impact milestones; no cash investment amount is stated, so investment_amount stays null. Cohort model of on average 15 companies per cohort (Cohort 12 welcomed 13 startups in June 2026), for pre-seed to seed US-based startups with a working prototype (TRL 4+) and a strategy to expand in Southern California. A hybrid curriculum runs during the first six months (the application portal says the first four months are intensive curriculum), then roadmap execution; LACI describes a two-year engagement. Benefits include a weekly one-hour Executive in Residence session, pilot execution support including funding, free hot desk membership, and eligibility to apply to LACI's Impact Fund and Debt Fund (check sizes $50K to $500K). Incubation Cohort 13 applications ran June 1 to July 14, 2026 on the portal; no Cohort 14 window is posted. | 1.5% to 3% (warrant; can be earned back through impact milestones) | Mixed | CA | Hybrid | None confirmed | Oct 1, 2026 | Verified |
| Scale For ClimateTechclimate hardware manufacturing scale-up | Not publishedProgram site states there is no cost to participate and no stake in equity involved; support is mentorship, technical training, and supplier and manufacturer connections. Per-company funding amounts are not published. Focus sectors verified as Buildings, Transportation, Grid, and Industry for growth-stage hardware innovators. Cohort 8 window not yet posted as of 2026-07-22; site application link is still the Cohort 7 form. | Not publishedProgram site states there is no cost to participate and no stake in equity involved; support is mentorship, technical training, and supplier and manufacturer connections. Per-company funding amounts are not published. Focus sectors verified as Buildings, Transportation, Grid, and Industry for growth-stage hardware innovators. Cohort 8 window not yet posted as of 2026-07-22; site application link is still the Cohort 7 form. | Non-dilutive | NY | Hybrid | None confirmed | Oct 1, 2026 | Verified |
| Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Acceleratorenergy technology (grid and distribution, efficiency, renewables, storage) | $220,000 total: $20,000 via convertible equity agreement plus $200,000 uncapped MFN SAFE | 5% | Equity for cash | AL | Not published | None confirmed | Oct 1, 2026 | Verified |
| Third Derivative (D3)climate tech across all emissions sectors; industrial, cooling, batteries | Not publishedVirtual 18-month accelerator; admissions are rolling with multiple intakes per year and about a three-month application-to-decision process. Eligibility: minimum two full-time employees, working prototype (TRL 4+), for-profit, no basic science risk, global applicants welcome. Investment amounts and equity terms are not published and vary by cohort initiative, so amounts left null. Future Industries Partnership open call active as of July 2026 (Southeast Asia, India, Middle East focus); no deadline posted. | Not publishedVirtual 18-month accelerator; admissions are rolling with multiple intakes per year and about a three-month application-to-decision process. Eligibility: minimum two full-time employees, working prototype (TRL 4+), for-profit, no basic science risk, global applicants welcome. Investment amounts and equity terms are not published and vary by cohort initiative, so amounts left null. Future Industries Partnership open call active as of July 2026 (Southeast Asia, India, Middle East focus); no deadline posted. | Mixed | CO | Remote | None confirmed | Oct 1, 2026 | Verified |
| U.S. Venture Sustainability Acceleratorenergy / mobility / decarbonization | $100,000 | Not publishedgener8tor and U.S. Venture invest $100,000 in each of five startups working on sustainability and mobility, over a 12-week in-person program in Appleton, Wisconsin (relocation required). The investment goes into the current round or an uncapped convertible note; the equity percentage is not published. The program page says it is not currently accepting applications and lists no upcoming program. | Equity for cash | WI | In person | None confirmed | Oct 1, 2026 | Verified |
| Venture For ClimateTechearly-stage climate tech (hardware-inclusive) | up to $50,000 non-dilutive | Not publishedProgram page states 'up to $50,000 in non-dilutive funding'; no equity taken. Six-month program in three phases (Cohort 6 ran April to October 2026), about 8 to 12 hours per week of founder time. Eligibility: TRL 4 to 7, legal entity not required, must address New York State climate goals in buildings, transportation, grid, or industry. Cohort 6 application window was Jan 5 to Feb 20, 2026; Cohort 7 window not yet posted as of 2026-07-22. | Non-dilutive | NY | Hybrid | None confirmed | Oct 1, 2026 | Verified |
| Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN2)clean energy for built environment, housing, food-energy-water | up to $250,000 non-dilutive per startup, delivered as NLR technical assistance | Not publishedFully non-dilutive; no equity. IN2 is a $55 million energy technology program funded by Wells Fargo & Company and co-administered by the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), formerly NREL. Emerging Tech track: selected startups receive up to $250,000 in nondilutive funding in the form of hands-on technical assistance from NLR scientists, not cash. There is no open application: startups are referred by IN2 Channel Partners (more than 60 accelerators, incubators, and university programs, per NLR) during program application windows and evaluated by NLR researchers and the Wells Fargo and Executive Advisory Boards; application inquiries go to IN2@nlr.gov. The most recent Emerging Tech startup cohort news on the IN2 site dates from November 2025, and no 2026 startup cohort had been announced as of September 28, 2026. The separate Scalable Tech track helps corporations, municipalities, and other adopters pilot vetted technologies; on July 23, 2026 its second cohort awarded a $750,000 pool to four of nine participating organizations. Channel Partner Strategic Awards fund partner organizations, not startups. | Non-dilutive | CO | Hybrid | None confirmed | Oct 1, 2026 | Verified |
| West Gate Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Programlab-embedded fellowship for energy and hard-tech innovators | $115,000 per year living stipend for up to two years, plus $150,000 in technical assistance redeemed at NLR | Not publishedTwo-year fellowship at the National Laboratory of the Rockies in Golden, Colorado, one of the Department of Energy's Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program nodes alongside Chain Reaction Innovations, Cyclotron Road and Innovation Crossroads. Selected innovators receive a $115,000 annual stipend paid quarterly for up to two years; relocation, health insurance and travel stipends for qualifying candidates; and two-year technical assistance funding worth $150,000 that is redeemed at NLR for technical services rather than paid to the innovator or company. The FAQ says the program takes no equity. Applicants apply as individuals, must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents, must relocate to Golden or the greater Denver area, and must have raised no more than $2 million from nongovernment sources in the prior three years. Up to five innovators are selected per cohort. Cohort 6 applications opened September 15, 2026 and close October 30, 2026. | Non-dilutive | CO | In person | Oct 30, 2026 | Oct 1, 2026 | Verified |
Programs that have ended
| Check size | Equity | Terms | Format | Next window | Signal | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rice Alliance Clean Energy Acceleratorenergy transition / clean energy | Not publishedEnded: Rice Alliance says the program concluded in 2025 after five cohorts (2021 to 2025). Its FAQ said the accelerator did not invest in companies or take equity; startups received a non-dilutive company stipend whose amount was not published. Class 5, the last cohort, was a 10-week program of 12 startups. | Not publishedEnded: Rice Alliance says the program concluded in 2025 after five cohorts (2021 to 2025). Its FAQ said the accelerator did not invest in companies or take equity; startups received a non-dilutive company stipend whose amount was not published. Class 5, the last cohort, was a 10-week program of 12 startups. | Non-dilutive | TX | Hybrid | None | Sep 29, 2026 | VerifiedProgram endedThe operator has said this program ended, or its program pages are gone and it has shown no activity for two years or more. We keep the record so its history stays visible. |
Guides for Climate & Energy founders
Plain-English mechanics for the terms these programs use.
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