Deadline: 18-Jun-23

Applications are now open for the Future Climate Venture for innovators addressing the most important challenge of the time, led by the University of Connecticut.

The Future Climate Venture Studio brings together UConn, a national and global leader in interdisciplinary climate research; R/GA Ventures, a venture studio operator and early-stage investor; CT Next, Connecticut’s innovation agency; and additional partners from energy finance, venture capital, and technology.

The Studio’s mission is to identify, support, and collaborate with the startups addressing the most critical dimensions of the climate challenge, including decarbonization, alternative energy, planetary resilience, social impact, and more.

Focus Areas

• They’re looking for tech companies approaching climate change from every angle.
  • Mitigation
    • Solutions that actively halt climate change through the limitation or prevention of greenhouse gas release.
    • Carbon tech
    • Industrial decarbonization
    • Blue tech
  • Adaptation
    • Solutions that help their planet adjust and adapt to the expected consequences of the climate crisis.
    • Natural ecosystem management
    • Built environment innovation
    • Modeling and data
  • Energy
    • Solutions that enhance energy efficiency, support the use of clean and renewable energy, and more.
    • Battery storage and performance
    • Distributed energy
    • Alternative energy
  • Social
    • Solutions that address and alleviate the impacts of climate change on specific social groups and society at large.
    • Food, water, and transportation systems
    • Circular solutions
    • Disparate impact solutions.

How they support startups at every stage?

• The Future Climate Venture Studio will deliver meaningful value to your company with a minimal level of time commitment required. Through a mostly virtual format, they will provide startups with access to expert advisors, resources, network connections, and tailored studio content from UConn, R/GA, and their studio partners. Studio support includes:
  • Financial capital
    • Investment capital to expand and improve existing products, services, and technologies
  • Relationship capital
    • Introductions to top executives and experts across the climate tech ecosystem and beyond, curated to develop specific business opportunities and accelerate growth
  • Creative capital
    • Access to strategists, technologists, designers, and other consultants who provide services customized to the unique needs of each startup

Eligibility Criteria

• They are looking for startups who are approaching the climate challenge from multiple dimensions, with a focus on the application of deep science and technology.
• They are primarily looking for early-stage and growth-stage companies, and welcome startups from pre-seed to Series B. However, if your company is beyond Series B and you believe you would still be a good fit for the program.

For more information, visit Future Climate Venture.