The Challenge: Grow the Massachusetts Clean Energy Startup Ecosystem
Accelerators attract early-stage climatetech startups to Massachusetts, promote their growth, and improve their chances of success. Their graduates represent a pool of companies that are further along the commercialization path and can more easily attract private funding. Accelerators depend on grants and sponsorship support to conduct their valuable programs, which are highly complementary to MassCEC's mission.
About the Accelerator Funding Program
MassCEC has partnered with accelerator programs since 2011. This formal Accelerator Funding Program was launched in September 2019 to expand the pool of climatetech accelerator programs across Massachusetts and coordinate MassCEC’s various funding activities for accelerators in a consistent fashion.
The Accelerator Funding Program provides grants to Massachusetts accelerators for specific activities with the goal of growing the climatetech innovation ecosystem and commercializing early stage climatetech startups. Grants fund accelerator activities, including operations and management expenses, events and educational series, growing strategic clusters, prizes, and scholarships for their current cohort of startups.
Grants are up to $120,000 per year and award payments are typically tied to accelerator deliverables and to startup scholarships and support.
Funding Schedule
The FY24 funding round is now closed.
| Process Step | Timing |
|---|---|
Application period opens |
October 2, 2023 |
Proposals due |
November 17, 2023 |
Anticipated notification of award |
February 2024 |
Who's Eligible
- Applicants must be accelerator programs based in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and/or include a large percentage of Massachusetts-based startups among their current participants.
- Applicants must host participants that are cleantech startup companies. These companies' primary product or business strategy must meet the statutory definition of “clean energy” pursuant to M.G.L. c. 23J, Section 1, as amended, namely “…advanced and applied technologies that significantly reduce or eliminate the use of energy for non-renewable sources, including, but not limited to: energy efficiency; demand response; energy conservation and those technologies powered in whole or in part by the sun, wind, water, geothermal energy, including networked geothermal and deep geothermal energy, hydrogen produced by non-fossil fuel sources and methods, alcohol, fuel cells, fusion energy or any renewable, non-depletable or recyclable fuel…” Technologies related to coal, oil, nuclear power, biomass, and natural gas (except where used in fuel cells) will not be considered clean energy for purposes of this RFP.
- Applicants are not required to exclusively host cleantech startups in their accelerators, but the accelerator must have a cleantech element or track.
For full Program details, please refer to the Accelerator Funding Program Request for Proposals.
Apply
Application Process
The program is currently closed and not accepting applications. Past application materials are provided for reference only.
When the next round opens, applicants should complete and submit the applicable pre-formatted application template, either:
- Accelerator Funding Request Form for Returning Applicants: Accelerators are eligible to complete and submit this abbreviated application form if they have received at least three Accelerator Funding grants from MassCEC over the past four years and completed all of the associated milestones and deliverables associated with each of those grants.
- Accelerator Funding "New" Application Form: Accelerators that have received fewer than three grants from MassCEC in the past are required to submit this application form.
For full Program details, please refer to the Accelerator Funding Program Request for Proposals.