Detroit-based NextEnergy has been a beacon for energy entrepreneurs in an evolving industrial city. Founded in 2002, NextEnergy focuses on job creation and investment in advanced energy technology. As a recipient of the Department of Energy NIICE grant, NextEnergy and Evergreen Climate Innovations teamed up to create the Midwest Energy Accelerator. Additionally, NextEnergy has recently wrapped up the second year of their I-Corps program to promote business development in energy and transportation sectors.
I-Corps, short for Innovation Corps, is a program of the National Science Foundation dedicated to taking the training of scientists and engineers beyond laboratories and into practical applications. They work to connect research to commercialization, and build on relationships with entrepreneurs to develop a business curriculum program. NextEnergy spearheads the Midwest I-Corps node in partnership with University of Michigan’s Center for Entrepreneurship to promote this program on a regional level.
The NextEnergy 2015 I-Corp program is dedicated to tackling energy and transportation issues. An expert team was assembled to offer mentorship in business development, technology commercialization, and access to venture support networks. The recent cohort came together over several sessions in May and June, and came away with polished plans for the future of their technological innovations.
Partnerships with the University of Michigan, Department of Energy, ARPA-E, National Science Foundation, Pure Michigan, and Evergreen Climate Innovations make this program a regionally focused effort backed by national support for clean energy advancement.