As one of eight regional partners for the Department of Energy’s Cleantech UP, Evergreen Climate Innovations will showcase the most innovative and promising university-based cleantech companies in the Midwest, of which one will receive a $50,000 grant.
Evergreen Climate Innovations intends to maximize each student applicant’s access to quality mentorship, business development, and exposure. Finalist teams will be selected to take part in a mini-accelerator, where they will have access to Evergreen Climate Innovations’ tailored curriculum, leading network of mentors, and community of experienced innovators.
The winner of our final event – the Cleantech UP Showcase – will be determined by a panel of expert cleantech industry judges. The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishers will also go on to present at the Department of Energy’s National Cleantech UP competition.
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Eligibility
- Cleantech UP is open to teams of students at undergraduate, graduate, or PhD levels.
- Half of the team must be comprised of current, active students.
- The program is open to students residing in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.
Application & Criteria
- There is no application fee, however you must use the Gust platform to access and complete the application.
- The application consists primarily of single-line and short answer questions, and also requires applicants to upload a pitch deck, short video, and financial projections spreadsheet.
- Evaluations will be conducted by Evergreen Climate Innovations staff to determine finalists teams. The finalists will be coached through a mini-accelerator and the top finishers will be determined by a live panel of expert judges at the final showcase event.
- For questions, please contact George Johnson at George@cleanenergytrust.org.
Important 2017 – 2018 Dates
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- September 18, 2017: Application Opens
- November 30, 2017: Applications Close
- December 2017 – February 2018: Mini-Accelerator (do not need to be on-site in Chicago)
- February 2018: Final Cleantech UP Showcase Event in Chicago, IL (date TBD)