About the Cascadia CleanTech Accelerator
Cascadia CleanTech Accelerator is designed specifically to accelerate early-stage cleantech startups based in or looking to do business in the Northwest.
Benefits
Powered by CleanTech Alliance and VertueLab, each Cascadia CleanTech startup receives:
- Mentorship. Match with cleantech industry mentors who have expertise tailored to your business needs. Mentors help with business planning, intellectual property protection, marketing, financing and more.
- Connections that make a difference. The CleanTech Alliance and VertueLab networks provide access to businesses, utilities, service providers and investors from across the region.
- Hands-on business and financing workshops. The workshops assist with business model creation, product development, market development, inclusive design and funding strategies.
- Customer discovery assistance. Get help connecting with potential partners and customers to hone your minimally viable product and go-to-market strategy.
- Visibility for your company and brand. Established CleanTech Alliance and VertueLab industry events, programs and marketing outreach provide top-level visibility with a targeted audience.
- Specialized cleantech skill-building. The curriculum is designed uniquely for cleantech companies, with lessons on cleantech funding pathways, manufacturing, and planning and marketing sustainability.
- Robust Modules. Curriculum modules include, Business Model Canvas, Sustainability, Introduction to Manufacturing, Financial Projects and Exit Strategy, Go-To-Market Strategy, HR Legal Compliance and Team Building, as well as, Pitch Deck Preparation and Practice. If your start up will be producing a physical product or is exploring impact funders and quantifying your environmental impact, this curriculum is for you.
- New Modules. Modules on Inclusive Design and Mental Health
- Additional Opportunities Post Graduation. Participating companies that complete the program are eligible additional resources and opportunities, such as prototyping funds and investment opportunites as they are available.
- NW Cleantech Innovation Network. Alumni and participating companies have access to an additional suite of resources funded through the Department of Energy Energy Program for Innovation Clusters (EPIC) including Lab2Launch, CHIP, and Federal Funding Assitance. Click here to learn more.
Program Schedule and Costs
The Cascadia CleanTech Accelerator program begins in mid May and continues through mid September. There is no application fee. Participation fees are $500 per team and include:
- Full accelerator program participation for all members of your company.
- Two passes and exhibit space to the CleanTech Innovation Showcase in June.
- Membership to the CleanTech Alliance for the duration of the accelerator plus the following calendar year ($600 value).
- Access to additional networking and industry events
The Cascadia CleanTech Accelerator is a perfect opportunity to accelerate your business without giving up any equity or ownership. Because it’s non-dilutive, startups can take part as a standalone offering or as an add-on with other business accelerators or incubators.
Up to four Canadian-based cleantech startups, if selected for the cohort, will have their participation fees waived thanks to a partnership with the Consulate General of Canada. Participation fees include event tickets for CleanTech Alliance’s CleanTech Innovation Showcase.
Cascadia CleanTech Accelerator is designed for early-stage startup companies in the clean technology market. To participate, companies must:
- Be an incorporated company (or in the process of incorporating).
- Have a cleantech product or service, or be interested in serving the cleantech market.
- Have raised no more than $1 million in funding.