NECEC’s Cleantech Open Northeast Announces 2021 Cohort

BOSTON - Cleantech Open Northeast (CTONE), the northeast region of the nation’s largest cleantech startup accelerator, has accepted 52 startups from across the Northeast and around the globe into its 2021 cohort, NECEC announced today. Selected from a pool of 71 applicants, this year’s cohort is the largest in the history of Cleantech Open Northeast.

“The Northeast is leading the nation in accelerating the transition to a clean energy economy thanks to our unparalleled network of cleantech innovators,” said NECEC President Peter Rothstein. “Cleantech Open Northeast plays a key role in supporting and training the next generation of these cleantech entrepreneurs, and we are thrilled to welcome the 2021 cohort of startups to the accelerator program.”

“For more than 15 years, Cleantech Open Northeast has provided our region’s cleantech pioneers with unmatched guidance and mentorship, and grown the ecosystem of startups driving cleantech and climatech solutions,” said Cleantech Open Northeast Senior Director Beth Zonis. “This year’s cohort represents a wide range of technologies and services focused on tackling our shared climate challenges. We are excited to kick off the 2021 program.”

The 2021 cohort includes startups from Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont, as well as several companies based outside the region, in Canada, and in other international locations. Ventures participating in the 2021 cohort represent a range of cleantech sectors, including energy distribution and storage, chemicals and advanced materials, information and communications technologies, energy efficiency, transportation, green building, waste, agriculture, water, and energy generation. A full list of participating companies is available here.

“Cleantech Open Northeast provides essential support to Massachusetts startup companies as they develop the new technologies and business solutions that will create jobs and enable the state to achieve net zero emissions faster and more cost effectively,” said MassCEC CEO Steve Pike. ”MassCEC is pleased to partner with Cleantech Open Northeast again this year to help this cohort accelerate their progress toward commercialization.”

“Entrepreneurs play a critical role in ramping up the deep decarbonization and clean energy technologies needed to propel us forward in our fight against climate change, both in New York State and across the Northeast,” said New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) President and CEO Doreen M. Harris. “We are proud to support this partnership that cultivates their success with rapidly advancing climate tech innovation and scaling green solutions as members of our growing clean energy economy.”

CTONE’s six-month accelerator will remain virtual throughout 2021. During the program, startups will access training through webinars and business clinics, gain insight from expert mentors, build connections with strategic investors, angel groups, and venture capital firms, and receive products and services from in-kind sponsors. Through the support of NYSERDA, the 2021 accelerator program will introduce new curriculum content developed by New York State Pollution Prevention Institute focused on helping startups measure their greenhouse gas emissions reduction potential and implement a new tool developed by Clean Energy Ventures that allows companies to gauge their environmental impact. Cleantech Open Northeast will also implement a special focus this year on helping startups build diversity, equity, and inclusion values into their companies.

Each year, the accelerator program culminates in a regional pitch competition where startups showcase their ventures before a panel of judges that select four regional winners to each receive a $10,000 cash prize. In 2021, thanks to a grant from the Sire Foundation, CTONE will also add a new $10,000 prize to a carbon sequestration startup that completes the annual accelerator. The regional winners and finalists will continue on to compete for the national grand prize at the Cleantech Open finals.

Cleantech Open Northeast is supported by Regional Premier Sponsors MassCEC and NYSERDA. In 2021, Cleantech Open Northeast added several new additional sponsors: The Amy Batchelor and Brad Feld Anchor Point Foundation, Kohler, Sire Foundation, Asahi Glass Company, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, Novartis, InnoEnergy; and new in-kind sponsors: AEG, AVX, Harvard Business School Startup Partners, NextFab, Qubic Labs, and Yale Entrepreneurial Society.  

About Cleantech Open

Cleantech Open Northeast is part of the global Cleantech Open accelerator and is managed by NECEC as the on-the-ground affiliate. Cleantech Open is the world’s oldest and largest cleantech accelerator and is dedicated to providing entrepreneurs and technologists the resources needed to launch a successful cleantech company. Its mission is to find, fund and foster entrepreneurs with big ideas that address today’s most urgent energy, environmental, and economic challenges. Cleantech Open provides the infrastructure, expertise and strategic relationships that turn clever ideas into successful global cleantech companies. Since 2005, Cleantech Open has supported more than 1,800 alumni companies. Between 2005 and 2015 they awarded more than $5 million in cash and services, and companies raised more than $1.2 billion in external funding. Fueled by a network of more than 2,000 volunteers, 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 cleantechopen.org.

About NECEC

NECEC is the premier voice of businesses building a world-class clean energy hub in the Northeast, helping clean energy companies start, scale, and succeed with our unique business, innovation, and policy leadership. NECEC includes the Northeast Clean Energy Council, a nonprofit business member organization, and NECEC Institute, a nonprofit focused on industry research, innovation, policy development, and strategic communications. NECEC’s innovation program includes Cleantech Open Northeast, the Northeast affiliate of the national cleantech accelerator Cleantech Open, and Cleantech Navigate, which provides cleantech startups with curated connections to mentors, test sites, customers, corporate partners, and investors. NECEC brings together business leaders and key stakeholders to engage in influential policy discussions and business initiatives while building connections that propel the clean energy industry forward. Visit NECEC.org.

Media Inquiries: Meggie Quackenbush, mquackenbush@necec.org

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