The region's inaugural climate-focused accelerator program kicks off this week, ushering in companies that address everything from reducing greenhouse gases to helping corporations integrate sustainable practices.
The program is hosted by the Tampa Bay Innovation Center, a longtime nonprofit that recently stepped into the spotlight with a partnership with Ark Invest's Cathie Wood.
The climate tech program is slated to start Wednesday. It will span 12 weeks, giving the founders training and mentoring in leadership, customer discovery, product strategy and investor readiness. It will culminate in the organization's sixth annual innovation showcase, slated for mid-April.
The program had the support of Ark Invest, Duke Energy and PODS Moving & Storage.
“Several sustainability-focused startups have participated in previous accelerator cohorts, and we believed there would be enough interest to conduct a program specifically for new ventures in this growing industry,” said Ken Evans, managing director of the accelerator program, in a statement.
According to Evans, over 250 companies expressed interest in the program. It was whittled down to eight from across the county. They are:
- Zero Circle – New York-based company that offers a platform to measure and report ESG (environmental, social and governmental) metrics
- BuildingLens – Portland-based company that states it prioritizes the occupants' health and comfort while keeping the building energy efficient
- Hago Energetics – California-based company that creates green energy by converting waste into hydrogen
- Emerald Technology Group – Seattle-based company that helps companies integrate sustainability-focused behaviors into a corporate culture
- Haylon Technologies – Chicago-based company that offers "smart battery management" that aims to cut costs and waste in half
- Connex2X – Clearwater-based company focused on retrofitting vehicles to become more environmentally friendly and improve vehicle safety
- Laminar Scientific – Iowa-based company focused on ocean wave energy, specifically microgrid electricity generation
- TEKMARA – Bradenton-based company offering a system for coastal protection
“Climate tech innovation will be an ongoing focus for the Tampa Bay Innovation Center’s programming and future resources provided to startup founders,” said Tonya Elmore, president and CEO of the Tampa Bay Innovation Center, in a statement. “We anticipate innovations in this sector leveraging innovations in ... core technologies that are at the center of evolving or disrupting current industry solutions."
