If you have an idea for a sustainable technology, product, or service that you want to commercialize, you may be in luck. You still have until Sunday, April 18 to submit your entry for the 2021 Cleantech Open accelerator program. The program, created to help emerging cleantech companies kick-start their businesses, offers skills training, mentoring, investor matching, pitch training, cash prizes, and global exposure through online events.
The event's organizers are at the height of recruitment season for this year's program and are busy holding kickoff webinars for interested cleantech entrepreneurs. They’re also coaching startups through the application process. Two more informational webinars are being held:
If you can't make the webinars, you can learn more about the incubator's requirements and eligibility criteria here.
About the Cleantech Open
Since 2005, Cleantech Open (CTO) has trained over 1600 early-stage clean-technology startup entrepreneurs through its annual business accelerator. A majority of CTO alumni have survived the merciless technology startup "valley of death" and gone on to raise $1.2 billion and create over 3,000 clean economy jobs. The Cleantech Open is also explicitly encouraging women and BIPOC founders and teams to apply to make the event—and the industry—a more diverse community that reflects the world we live in.
What is Venture Capital's Role in Creating a Greener Future?
Cleantech Open’s Executive Director Ken Hayes is bullish on green investments. He says, "The investor landscape in Silicon Valley is adapting to the increased demand for climate action, and an ecosystem is emerging, attuned to the needs of climate entrepreneurs. This creates great opportunities for climate tech startups in Silicon Valley—an innovation hub that has an impressive track record of delivering transformational technologies at a global scale."
You can hear Mr. Hayes expand on these ideas in this comprehensive overview he delivered at the Innovation Center Denmark in Palo Alto, Calif.
Learn About the Leading Cleantech Marketing Trends for 2021
CTO marketing volunteer Melanie Adamson of Alder Agency, and National Marketing Chair Bettina Grab of ImpactB2B, invited cleantech marketing superstars, including the VPs of Marketing for 75F and Greentown Labs, to discuss the marketing challenges faced by cleantech startups, scaleups, and unicorns. Catch up on the recording and download the slides here in case you missed it.