Accelerators & Incubators
New York
Looking to start or expand a company in New York?
Learn about NYC’s accelerator ecosystem, from the many programs of NYU’s Urban Future Lab to hard tech support through New Lab, Hax, and IndieBio to energy scaling through The Clean Fight, there’s support for your climate startup.
Urban Future Lab
Urban Future Lab (UFL) is a climate tech innovation hub for clean energy, sustainable urban infrastructure, and deep decarbonization. As New York City strives to become a global leader in fighting climate change and creating a green economy, UFL connects people, capital, and purpose to advance market-ready solutions. It offers various programs for pre-seed to series A startups, such as ACRE, a business incubation program, PowerBridgeNY, a proof-of-concept center, and Clean Start, an advanced certificate from NYU. It also supports industry leaders with initiatives such as the Carbon to Value Initiative, Low-Carbon Hydrogen Accelerator, Offshore Wind Innovation Hub, and Innovate UK Global Incubator Programme. It serves entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, researchers, and customers across different sectors and technologies. By fostering a vibrant ecosystem of climate tech innovation and collaboration, UFL helps New York achieve its clean energy goals and climate leadership. UFL is part of the NYU Tandon School of Engineering and is located in Downtown Brooklyn
The Clean Fight
The Clean Fight is a not-for-profit clean energy accelerator that helps growth-stage startups scale in New York State to meet future energy and efficiency needs in a better way, while boosting economic opportunity and job creation for all. The Clean Fight focuses on high-impact solutions that can meaningfully reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support the state's clean energy goals. The Clean Fight offers financing support, customer development, scaling assistance, and mentorship to selected startups through a 6-month program. The Clean Fight primarily serves anyone who works or cares about the clean energy sector and who wants to join a visionary and diverse community of innovators. The Clean Fight is powered by New Energy Nexus and funded by NYSERDA.
New Energy Nexus
New Energy Nexus New York (NEX NY) is the New York chapter of New Energy Nexus, the world's leading ecosystem of funds and accelerators supporting diverse clean energy entrepreneurs. NEX NY operates The Clean Fight, a flagship not-for-profit accelerator that identifies and scales the top growth-stage climate tech companies from around the world, looking to expand into New York. The Clean Fight focuses on high-impact solutions that can help speed the energy transition in New York, while boosting economic opportunity and job creation for all. The Clean Fight offers financing support, customer development, scaling assistance, and mentorship to selected startups through a 6-month program. NEX NY also manages the Empire Technology Prize, a $10 million prize program that supports innovative clean energy startups in New York State. NEX NY primarily serves anyone who works or cares about the clean energy sector and who wants to join a global and inclusive community of innovators. NEX NY is funded by NYSERDA.
SOSV
SOSV is a global deep-tech firm known as the first check in hard science, running two programs for New York climate founders: HAX for industrial hardware and IndieBio for biology-based climate, food, and materials. It invests at inception for equity, then follows on through seed and beyond, pairing the check with a residency of lab access, machine shops, and in-house engineering, design, and supply-chain experts. HAX targets industrial decarbonization, electrification, storage, robotics, and future fuels; IndieBio backs biology for climate and materials. Suits technical founders needing hands-on engineering alongside a first institutional round.
Activate
Activate is a non-profit organization that supports scientists and engineers who want to create impactful climate tech startups. Founded in 2015, Activate aims to bridge the gap between research and entrepreneurship by providing fellows with funding, mentorship, education, and access to resources. Activate fellows work on innovative solutions for clean energy, carbon removal, water conservation, air quality, and more. The organization primarily serves researchers who have a PhD or equivalent experience in a relevant field and who are committed to launching a venture based on their research. By helping fellows turn their ideas into reality, Activate is accelerating the transition to a sustainable future.
Scale For ClimateTech
Scale For ClimateTech is a non-dilutive manufacturing accelerator, funded by NYSERDA, that de-risks the path from prototype to mass production for climate hardware. It provides Manufacturing Readiness Level assessments, a production roadmap, dedicated mentors, greenhouse-gas impact analysis, and introductions to founder-friendly contract manufacturers, suppliers, and investors. It suits companies with demonstrated technology now building a production and supply-chain plan. Suits growth-stage hardware founders scaling physical products, a strong step after Venture for ClimateTech.
New Lab
New Lab is a multidisciplinary technology center and innovation hub located in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. New Lab provides entrepreneurs, engineers, and scientists with access to shared workspace, prototyping facilities, research labs, and a network of partners and customers to help them launch and scale their ventures. New Lab supports startups working on solutions for a sustainable planet across sectors such as robotics, AI, 3D printing, connected devices, energy, nanotech, life sciences, and urban tech. New Lab primarily serves anyone who works or cares about the technology sector and who wants to join a global and inclusive community of innovators. New Lab is housed in Building 128, a former shipbuilding factory that has been transformed into a state-of-the-art facility for hard tech entrepreneurs.
Clean Energy Business Incubator Program
The Clean Energy Business Incubator Program (CEBIP) is a NYSERDA-supported initiative that provides assistance and resources for developers of disruptive renewable and clean energy technologies. CEBIP was established in 2011 as part of New York State’s efforts to foster a clean energy economy and to achieve the goals of the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. CEBIP offers its clients access to mentoring, networking, funding opportunities, office space, and technical support to help them overcome the challenges of launching and scaling a hard-tech venture. CEBIP primarily serves early-stage energy-based technology businesses that have the potential to make a significant impact on the energy sector and the environment. CEBIP is a valuable resource for clean energy innovators who want to build the future, today.
Venture for ClimateTech
Venture for ClimateTech is a non-profit venture studio and accelerator for pre-seed and seed climate founders, backed by NYSERDA and run by NextCorps, largely virtual and timed to Climate Week. Teams get non-dilutive funding, founder coaching, customer-discovery support, and investor and corporate introductions to push early technologies toward commercial readiness. It hands off to Scale for ClimateTech at the manufacturing stage. Suits very early climate founders wanting non-dilutive capital and commercialization help without giving up equity.
