Cleantech Open Northeast Welcomes 2017 Cohort

Cleantech Open Northeast, the Northeast region of the world’s oldest and largest cleantech accelerator program, announces its participants in the annual accelerator program which culminates in a business competition.

The 2017 Cleantech Open Northeast class includes 31 companies developing clean technologies related to energy, agriculture, water, waste management, advanced materials and more.  A full list of companies participating in the 2017 Cleantech Open Northeast accelerator can be found here.

“Once again the strength of our applicant pool is a testament to the vitality of the cleantech sector in the Northeast. We received a number of applications from companies that have worked with our ecosystem partners, demonstrating the network of support promoting the development and deployment of clean technologies in our region.” said Cleantech Open Northeast Director Kathryn Elmes.

Out of the 31 participating companies, 19 are from Massachusetts, 10 from New York, and two from Pennsylvania. Cleantech Open Northeast’s accelerator program often works in conjunction with partner accelerators and incubators based out of New York and Massachusetts. This year’s class includes teams who have previously participated in PowerBridge NY, NEXUS NY, 76West, CEBIP, EforAll, IDEA, MassChallenge, MIT Clean Energy Prize,  MIT Sandbox, NASA Space Race, and more. 2017 participant teams include companies that are currently based out of The Tech Garden - Syracuse, Griffiss Institute Center for Information Assurance, Greentown Labs, Chestnut Innovation Center, and MassChallenge.

 This year’s cohort includes companies who have received funding from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).

John B. Rhodes, President and CEO, NYSERDA said, “New York’s commitment to a cleaner and more resilient energy system is stronger than ever and we are proud to see so many companies from our incubators participating in the 2017 cohort. These ten innovative New York companies, which represent transportation, energy efficiency, energy generation, agriculture and other clean energy sectors, will play a vital role in meeting Governor Cuomo’s aggressive energy goals that will provide a healthier environment for future generations of New Yorkers.”

“Cleantech Open Northeast’s unwavering support for our local startup community has played an essential role in driving the region’s clean energy innovation economy forward,” said Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) CEO Stephen Pike. “The Commonwealth’s clean energy sector is bolstered by a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem and Cleantech Open Northeast is one of its most impactful players.”

“Cleantech Open Northeast plays a critical role in the cleantech innovation ecosystem.  National Grid is proud to sponsor a program that is helping to shape the future of the energy industry.” said Hilary Flynn, Director, External Innovation, National Grid.

Cleantech Open Northeast’s Class of 2017, which was selected from a pool of 77 applicants, represents all eight technology categories eligible to participate in Cleantech Open.

For the first time ever, the leading number of applicants were companies developing Agriculture, Water, & Waste technologies and businesses, with 15 applications in this category. There were 14 applications in  Energy Generation and an increase in Information & Communications and Chemicals and Advanced Materials with 13 and nine applications respectively. There were nine applications in Transportation, eight in Energy Efficiency, six in Energy Distribution, and three from Green Building categories.

Along with the 31 teams participating in this year's accelerator, Cleantech Open Northeast will be working with an additional four teams in their Team Development Program (TDP). In this program, companies will be working with one mentor and taking part in select events that will better equip them for participating in a future accelerator program. Check out more on the 2017 TDP teams here.

The Cleantech Open Northeast Class of 2017 will kick off the accelerator in Boston on June 26 and 27 with the Cleantech Open East Coast Academy, a rigorous two-day program during which companies will hear from leading cleantech business leaders, receive specialized startup mentoring, and refine their business plans.

Throughout the 5-month accelerator, companies will be connected with mentors, entrepreneurship education, visibility, opportunities to access capital, and other vital resources to help entrepreneurs and technologists launch a successful cleantech company. 

About Cleantech Open

Cleantech Open is the world’s largest cleantech accelerator and is dedicated to providing entrepreneurs and technologists the resources needed to launch a successful cleantech company. Our mission is to find, fund and foster entrepreneurs with big ideas that address today’s most urgent energy, environmental, and economic challenges. A 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, the Cleantech Open provides the infrastructure, expertise and strategic relationships that turn clever ideas into successful global cleantech companies. Over the past seven years, the Cleantech Open has awarded over $5 million in cash and services. During that time, our 880 alumni companies have raised more than $1 billion in external funding. Fueled by a network of more than 2,000 volunteers, the Cleantech Open unites the public and private sectors in a shared vision for making America’s cleantech sector a thriving economic engine.  For more information, visit us at northeast.cleantechopen.org or follow us on Twitter.

About NECEC

NECEC is the Northeast regional affiliate for Cleantech Open. NECEC executes the Cleantech Open Northeast accelerator and business plan competition in Massachusetts, New York, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey and Pennsylvania and builds the region’s innovation network for Cleantech Open and NECEC’s successor program for cleantech entrepreneurs Cleantech Navigate Northeast. Cleantech Navigate Northeast program helps better connect accelerator participants and alumni with financiers, strategic partners, and early adoption customers. Learn more at: http://navigate.necec.org/en/