Energy2025
The 2025 Challenge
To be part of a competitively selected cohort of start-up and seed stage ventures offering innovative products and services aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing resilience in an effort to help Vermont meet its climate goals. We are seeking start-ups ready to deploy with customers and addressing the decarbonization of buildings, transportation, heating and industrial processes through electrification, thermal energy networks or other renewables, with a particular focus on load management. Ventures that address the energy burden for under-represented and low to moderate income populations are of particular interest.
This ninth DeltaClimeVT energy and climate business accelerator program is designed to accelerate the drive towards a zero-carbon future for Vermont, by helping Vermont’s utilities increase adoption of clean energy, smart building and electric vehicle technologies. Founders will work directly with Vermont utilities throughout the program to contribute to Vermont’s Comprehensive Energy Plan (90% renewables/efficiency by 2050), Vermont’s Climate Action Plan, and Burlington’s Net Zero by 2030 goals.
We are particularly interested in services and technologies that have wide potential applicability in rural locations and that allow commercial and industrial businesses, low and moderate-income Vermonters, underrepresented populations and multi-family building residents to participate in the emerging low-carbon economy.
Examples of technologies or services could include but are not limited to:
- Smart building technologies such as building controls, dynamic EV charging equipment, heat pump load management, storage;
- Especially technologies that make electric panel upgrades more cost-effective, or smart panel devices that avoid the need for upgrades and/or help with managing loads;
- Service models designed to manage and maintain heat pump, storage and other DER utility programs with assets in the field, to include customer enrollment;
- EV charging companies at all scales, for various site applications including residential, multi-family, and utility managed Level 2 and 3 chargers;
- Technologies that encourage the most cost-effective approaches to decarbonization when considering the whole system to avoid costly grid upgrades (e.g. ground source heat pumps, thermal energy network technologies and services);
- Innovative carbon capture or carbon reduction or reuse technologies that might apply at smaller power generation facilities.
About the Program
The DeltaClimeVT business accelerator program is managed by the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund and facilitated by ecosVC. The program is centered around the ecosVC Lens of the Market® ACCELERATED curriculum, designed to ensure participating startups produce a well grounded case for their business and are able to articulate a compelling plan for success to investors.
The program features an extensive online curriculum plus 1-1’s facilitated by ecosVC principals, active engagement with sponsoring Vermont utilities, business mentors, investors and successful venture leaders. Startups must have at least two senior members of their team actively participate in all aspects of the program. The program includes two online and two in-person intensive sessions (each 2-4 days in duration), weekly assignments and bi-weekly webinars as well as frequent 1:1 engagement with program leaders and mentors.
Final Award
Active engagement and peer-mentoring by participants is an essential part of the program and a final award of $25,000 is provided to a peer-selected company. The DeltaClimeVT program managers work to ensure that startups in the cohort are non-competitive.
Important Dates
October 15, 2024
Application opens
January 27, 2025
Application deadline
February 11, 2025
Cohort selection announced
March 3 – 4, 2025
Energy 2025 Kick-off
March 7 – 27, 2025
Webinars and one-on-one meetings with facilitators
March 31 – April 3, 2025
Sprint 1, Burlington, VT
April 11 – 25, 2025
Webinars and one-on-one meetings with facilitators
May 5 – 7, 2025
Virtual sprint 2
May 16 – May 30, 2025
Webinars and one-on-one meetings with facilitators
June 9 – 12, 2025
Final sprint, Burlington, VT
June 12, 2025
Award Ceremony & Celebration, Burlington, VT
Latest News
“It’s just incredibly humbling, to say the least. The corporate partners and the mentors of the DeltaClimeVT program have been incredibly generous with their time. I’ve never experienced anything like that. Everyone said yes to having a conversation. And then they were very candid about providing feedback, even if sometimes it wasn’t always the feedback you wanted to hear but it helps make your company better and it helps make you develop a product that’s better so that’s been incredible. We’ve been in a few accelerators – this has been the best by far.”
The companies
Revvit makes EV charging abundant and accessible to all through unlocking the potential of super low-cost Level 1 (120V) charging infrastructure. Traditional EV infrastructure players focus on faster and more high-powered forms of charging. This comes with extremely high costs, significant burdens on local grids and disappointing user experiences. Revvit’s approach focuses on the long-tail of destinations like workplaces, hotels, recreation sites and municipal lots where vehicles are naturally parked for hours at a time. With Revvit, vehicles can passively charge on infrastructure that costs 80% less to install. With 2 pilots underway Revvit has already shown cost savings above $10,000 per charger on installation and are on the way to eliminating charging deserts in New England and beyond. Massachusetts
RioNadi (Energy Hunters) develops user-friendly and reliable software that integrates EV charging, distributed renewable energy, and power utilities to enhance service reliability and user experience. Founded in 2024, the company is a collaboration of experts in clean energy infrastructure, banking, and technology. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, RioNadi partners with utilities across the U.S. to expand EV charging networks, optimize fleet management for EV buses and commercial vehicles, and alleviate grid congestion through advanced battery storage solutions. With over $700K in grants secured, 10+ MW of capacity developed, and a growing presence across five states, RioNadi is rapidly scaling its impact. Texas
Soraytec offers a real-time, IoT solution directly installed on power lines to enhance the ROI of utility assets and energy sales. This technology provides actionable data on power quality, efficiency, and safety, allowing utilities to make informed decisions. As a result, it can cut costs by up to 25% and decrease the duration and frequency of interruptions. Alabama
Sparkflow is an alternative energy solution which allows rural New England communities to harvest electricity from previously installed infrastructure. The company uses a well-tested technology to extract electricity from the thermal differential existing between the ambient temperature and the flow of effluence from wastewater treatment plants. This allows wastewater treatment plants to lower their operational expenditures, reduce their reliance on carbon-based electricity from the grid, and access grants to offset their operating costs. New Hampshire
TheGreenSolve is an AI-powered ESG compliance and carbon accounting platform designed for enterprises, SMBs, and consumer brands to seamlessly track emissions, conduct Product Life Cycle Assessments, and verify sustainability efforts. TheGreenSolve’s Scope 1-3 emissions tracking ensures regulatory compliance and supply chain transparency, while NetLow, the company’s gamified sustainability platform, drives employee engagement in ESG initiatives. They leverage blockchain technology for tamper-proof ESG reporting and carbon credit verification, ensuring transparency and preventing greenwashing. Additionally, TheGreenSolve’s project-based carbon credit verification enables businesses to monetize sustainability efforts through frameworks like Verra and Gold Standard. TheGreenSolve transforms ESG compliance into a verifiable, scalable, and revenue-generating opportunities. Ohio
VESMA Electric Inc. empowers low-carbon local living through innovative and safe eMobility solutions that improve social and economic access within local communities. Their VALENCE platform features the first balance-assisted eBike technology optimized for transporting heavy loads, accommodating two riders and/or cargo of up to 550 pounds. By significantly enhancing stability, safety, and cargo capacity, to improve the safety and practicality of daily journeys for commuters, families, and logistics operators. New York
Siva Powers America is a distributed wind turbine manufacturer operating in the sub 1 MW size range. Their conventional, 3 bladed wind turbines are deployed behind the meter at large farms, small industrial sites and community wind projects that can use 300 MWh – 2 GWh in energy ($30K-$200K in energy costs) per year. They help their clients generate energy from the wind at their sites at the lowest cost per kWh and lowest physical footprint of any other competing technology in the 250 kW – 750 kW scale. New York
Advisors
At DeltaClimeVT, we tap an innovative group of leaders who are subject matter experts and/or have deep entrepreneurial and investment experience, based on the needs of each cohort selected.
Darren Springer
General Manager, Burlington Electric Department
Chris Vaughn
Energy Innovation and Resiliency Coordinator, Green Mountain Power
DID YOU KNOW?
DeltaClimeVT offers cohort members more than 35 hours of time with mentors, investors and potential customers.
Mentors
DeltaClimeVT coordinates with mentors comprised of industry experts, successful entrepreneurs, business advisors and investors throughout the program. Cohort members work directly with mentors during the three sprints in addition to socializing with them at extracurricular social events as well as other business events.
Sponsors
DeltaClimeVT relies on sponsorships to execute successful cohorts. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor please contact Geoff@vsjf.org.
Jane’s Trust Foundation
