Fourteen entrepreneurs from seven climate solution start-ups graduate from the Vermont-based business accelerator to help reduce fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in the heating and transportation sectors.
BURLINGTON, VT – DeltaClimeVT (formerly Accel-VT), a business accelerator providing support, mentorship, and access to capital for early stage companies committed to climate economy innovation, announced the winners of the latest DeltaClimeVT Energy business cohort last week at Main Street Landing in Burlington, VT. Onboard Data of Massachusetts received a $25,000 award after three months of intense work and competition while EV Match of California and Go Together of Washington, DC won a paid Tier 3 pilot project to demonstrate their technologies with Burlington Electric Department (BED), and EV Match of California won a paid Tier 3 pilot project to demonstrate their technology with Green Mountain Power (GMP). DCC of Quebec won a third paid pilot project with Burlington Electric Department (BED).
All seven cohort companies took away meaningful relationships with 41 Vermont energy industry representatives, entrepreneurs and investors that acted as mentors during the program, as well as more refined plans for the future success of their businesses.
Cohort members decided the $25,000 winner through a peer-ranking system using a method developed by Village Capital, a national business accelerator model designed for high-growth ventures solving major societal problems and looking to raise money from investors.
For the Tier 3 pilot projects, BED and GMP chose the respective winners.
Tier 3 of Vermont’s Renewable Energy Standard requires distribution utilities to acquire fossil fuel savings from energy transformation projects (projects that reduce fossil fuel consumed by their customers in the heating and transportation sectors).
DeltaClimeVT is managed by the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund, a nonprofit organization working to improve sustainable economic development in Vermont. Geoff Robertson, business assistance director at the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund, was impressed by the effort and innovation each of the cohort companies put into the program.
“Bringing so many entrepreneurs together focused on the same goal of reducing fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in the heating and transportation sectors has been inspiring,” said Robertson. “Having this group bring their knowledge and ideas to Vermont will help us further our state as a leader in developing and implementing climate solutions.”
Over three months, 14 DeltaClimeVT Energy entrepreneurs worked together in person at Burlington Electric Department’s Spark Space for three one-week sprints in Vermont as well as remotely to improve their business plans, network with industry leaders, meet with potential customers, and fast track their way to securing financial investments so they can grow their business opportunities in Vermont and beyond.
DeltaClimeVT Energy 2019 winner Onboard Data plans to use the $25,000 award to continue to develop its software product and serve clients in Vermont and greater New England. Onboard provides analytics software to uncover hidden energy, maintenance and comfort problems in commercial buildings. These problems are a significant reason commercial buildings emit more harmful emissions than transportation or industry. “We’re thankful to Vermont, the program managers and sponsors of DeltaClimeVT, and the cohort of entrepreneurs that supported us this summer,” said Ryan Holy, CEO and Co-Founder of Onboard. “We absolutely enjoyed our time in Burlington. We’ll be here frequently to serve clients and, if possible, establish a remote presence in this great city!”
DeltaClimeVT Energy 2019 Graduating Cohort Companies:
Onboard is in the business of helping people make buildings better. We provide analytics software to service providers and facility managers that maintain our most frequented spaces: such as our offices, hospitals, and schools. Instead of chasing energy, maintenance and comfort problems, our customers can turn to our software to uncover issues before they turn into emergencies. Maintenance personnel can now save time and money while delighting their building owners and tenants. www.onboarddata.io Massachusetts DeltaClimeVT Energy 2019 Winner
EVmatch is a mobile platform that allows EV drivers to find and reserve charging stations anywhere they go by enabling increased access to underutilized private charging stations. EVmatch reduces the stress in locating an available charger and immediately grows the public charging network by making private charging stations available to the public. www.evmatch.com/ California Burlington Electric Department Tier 3 Pilot Project Winner and Green Mountain Power Tier 3 Pilot Project Winner
Go Together is a SaaS platform for people to get where they need to go through their trusted networks using apps to do end to end trip planning to meet, collaborate and schedule carpools, biking, walking, transit, and more. Go Together leverages technology and the power of trusted communities to innovate the way people get where they need and want to go whether it’s to and from school, to practice, a game or to vote. gotogether.today/home/ Washington, D.C. Burlington Electric Department Tier 3 Pilot Project Winner
DCC is a hardware company supporting residential electric vehicle charging installations that are otherwise unattainable because of a limited power supply. With our device, EV owners now have a reliable solution if their panels are at full capacity or if they reside in a multi-unit dwelling. dccelectric.com Quebec Burlington Electric Department Pilot Project Winner
iSun Energy develops robust, esthetic, smart and easy to install solar carport and canopy systems with proprietary hardware and software systems. iSun offers an attractive structure delivering shading and protection, while also feeding the local grid with renewable solar energy, and the ability to mate with smart energy management systems, such as EV charging. Vermont
The Somerville Electric Vehicle Company provides charging solutions for micro-mobility applications (e-scooters, e-bicycles, e-mopeds) by using swappable batteries paired with a battery subscription service, so that users never have to wait to charge. Somerville EV Co charges and stores batteries in self-serve swap-and-go Battery Swap Kiosks. www.som-ev.com/ Massachusetts
United Aircraft Technologies developed a robust Interconnecting Clamp (ICC) for electrical wire management that reduces weight, improves safety, and simplifies maintenance through the use of Augmented Reality and Artificial Intelligence. This patent pending ICC is unique because it avoids metallic installation hardware while greatly simplifying installation complexity, reducing installer fatigue, and minimizing associated repetitive strain injury. www.uairtek.com/ New York
Partners and Sponsors of DeltaClimeVT Energy 2019:
Burlington Electric Department, Efficiency Vermont, Vermont Electric Power Company, VLITE, Vermont Public Power Supply Authority, Vermont State Employees Credit Union, Green Mountain Power, Vermont Electric Co-op, Vermont Gas, Stowe Electric, Washington Electric Co-op, Bourne’s Energy, Flexible Capital Fund, Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies, and Main Street Landing.
About DeltaClimeVT – A Climate Economy Business Accelerator
DeltaClimeVT (formerly Accel-VT) is a business accelerator providing startup support, mentorship, and access to capital for climate economy entrepreneurs who want to establish their business here in Vermont. In future cohorts, DeltaClimeVT may address other climate related innovation opportunities, including green building, sensor technologies, data management, and resource recycling. The resiliency of working lands businesses, as well as some segments of manufacturing, transportation planning, and community development, are also components of the climate economy. deltaclimevt.wpengine.com
About Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund
The Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund is a nonprofit organization committed to nurturing the sustainable development of Vermont’s economy. VSJF provides business assistance, network development, strategic planning, and value chain facilitation in agriculture and food system, forest product, waste management, renewable energy, and environmental technology sectors. The Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund was created by the Vermont Legislature in 1995 to partner with state government, private sector businesses, and nonprofits to build a thriving economic, social, and ecological future for Vermont. www.vsjf.org