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. 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.

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

“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.”

Aimee Gotway BaileyFounder & CEO, Rock Rabbit, Energy 2024 Winner

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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.

Ken Nolan, General Manager at Vermont Public Power Supply Authority

Ken Nolan

General Manager, Vermont Public Power Supply Authority

Bio

Since 2016, Ken Nolan has served as Vermont Public Power Supply Authority’s (VPPSA) General Manager. He joined the Authority with more than 30 years of electric utility experience. Previously, he held positions in power supply and resource planning, including 10 years at VPPSA (1988 to 1998). He then moved to the municipal utility, Burlington Electric Department, where he progressed his career from resource planning and management to Chief Operations Officer and Manager of Strategy and Innovation. In addition to his responsibilities with VPPSA, Ken serves on the Boards of Directors for Vermont Electric Power Company, Hometown Connections Inc., and VEPP Inc. Ken holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Vermont.

Sarah Braese

Assistant General Manager, Vermont Public Power Supply Authority

Bio

As Assistant General Manager, Sarah is responsible for managing the regulatory and overall power supply services provided by the Authority. Among other duties, she is responsible for developing and presenting the Authority’s regulatory position, managing VPPSA members’ Renewable Energy Standard compliance, as well as the design, development and delivery of internal and external training programs. Prior to joining VPPSA in 2022, Sarah worked in a variety of operational, project management, membership, and training roles with regional trade associations serving electric utilities including the Northeast Public Power Association (NEPPA) and Energy Council of the Northeast (ECNE). She holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Vermont’s Rubenstein School of Natural Resources, a Master of Business Administration from Southern New Hampshire University and is a Certified Association Executive (CAE).

Darren Springer Accel-VT Advisor

Darren Springer

General Manager, Burlington Electric Department

Bio

Darren Springer is the General Manager at Burlington Electric Department (BED). He previously served as Burlington Electric’s Chief Operating Officer and led the Center for Innovation team which includes the Policy & Planning, Finance, Information Technology and Energy Services divisions.

Prior to joining BED, Darren served as Chief of Staff for the Office of Governor Peter Shumlin. Before working in the Governor’s Office, Darren was appointed as Deputy Commissioner at the Vermont Public Service Department, leading the advancement of the 2014 net metering law and 2015 renewable energy standard.

Darren worked for 4 years in the Washington, D.C. Office of U.S. Senator Bernard Sanders as Senior Policy Advisor for Energy & Environment, and later as Chief Counsel. He has also worked for the National Governors Association as Program Director for Energy and Transportation. Darren has a B.A. from Florida Atlantic University and earned a J.D. and Master of Studies in Environmental Law from Vermont Law School. While at Vermont Law School, he was selected as Managing Editor of the Vermont Law Review, and clerked for U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy on the Senate Judiciary Committee. He is a member of the Vermont Bar, Virginia Bar, and Florida Bar. Darren has also served as a Policy Fellow on Climate Change and Renewable Energy at the University of Vermont Center for Research on Vermont.

Cyril Brunner

Innovation and Technology Leader, Vermont Electric COOP

Bio

Cyril Brunner is the Innovation and Technology Leader at Vermont Electric Cooperative. He values building and elevating teams, breaking down department silos and is committed to delivering results. His primary focus is on seeking out insights to lead VEC’s members and staff through the energy transition. In addition, he leads their IT team, technology strategy, and integrated resource planning.

Morgan Hood Headshot

Morgan Hood

New Product Development Manager, VGS

Bio

Morgan Hood has 15 years of industry experience with energy efficiency and product development. Her current role as New Product Development manager at VGS is helping the company establish a new portfolio of products and services focused on decarbonization. Morgan’s highly developed customer engagement expertise with large industrial and manufacturing facilities, commercial real estate, retailers, and residential customers help her unlock the valuable customer insights that fuel the product development process. Her method-based approach relies on the principles of design thinking, value proposition design, and the business model canvas as creative frameworks for evidence-based decision-making.

Chris Vaughn

Energy Innovation and Resiliency Coordinator, Green Mountain Power

Bio

Chris Vaughn joined Green Mountain Power (GMP) in 2022 as an Energy Innovation and Resiliency Coordinator. Chris’ work focuses on GMP’s strategic electrification initiatives, with the goal of reducing costs for customers and lowering carbon emissions in Vermont. Prior to Green Mountain Power, Chris worked for the City of Burlington, Vermont within the Burlington City Arts department. Chris completed his bachelor’s degree in English Literature at Saint Michael’s College in Colchester, Vermont.

Joseph Steig

Principal,
ecosVC

Bio

Joseph Steig is a principal at ecosVC, a consulting and training company for STEM ventures, and will be the lead facilitator for DeltaClimeVT 2025. He also consults with companies and investors in a CFO capacity, currently serving in that capacity at FruitScout, an agtech startup. Previously he was CFO at LRVHealth, a healthcare venture fund based in Boston. Joseph has worked in a diverse range of industries from aquaculture to software and has extensive consulting experience with universities and innovators on technology commercialization.

Joseph was a founding board member of FORGE, the educational non-profit affiliated with the world’s largest clean tech incubator, Greentown Labs. He has led accelerators in cleantech and agtech for over a decade. He went to Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts and divides his time between New England and Vancouver, Canada.

Geoff Robertson

Finance and Venture Investments, VCET

Bio

Geoff Robertson is the Finance and Venture Investments at VCET. He previously worked as the managing director of VSJF’s DeltaClimeVT business accelerator that serves startup and seed-stage ventures focusing on climate economy innovation. Prior to VSJF Geoff held the position of CEO at Empower Mobility, a mobile platform and software company, where he was responsible for managing business development, human resources, and finances. As the CFO at School Spring, LLC, Geoff negotiated the successful sale of the cloud based recruitment and applicant tracking system for K – 12 schools. He previously served as the Entrepreneurial Advisor at Davis & Hodgdon CPAs serving School Spring, the Vermont Food Venture Center, and many other small businesses in Vermont.

Judy Giordan

Managing Director, ecosVC

Bio

40+ years of experience translating research to commercial opportunities. Judy is co-founder of the Chemical Angels Network, entrepreneur and former Fortune 100 executive. Judy serves as board member, co-founder, advisor and investor in seed and early stage start-ups. And Judy is Immediate Past President of the American Chemical Society. Her previous executive positions include Vice President and Global Corporate Director of Research and Development at International Flavors and Fragrances, Inc.; Vice-President Worldwide Research and Development for the Pepsi-Cola Company, the global beverage arm of PepsiCo, Inc.; Vice President Research and Development, Henkel Corporation, the North American operating unit of the Henkel Group; and co-founder and managing partner of 1EXECStreet, a successful San Francisco based boutique executive search firm. She has also held management and technical contributor positions at Polaroid and ALCOA and has served with the National Science Foundation as Program Director for the IGERT Program.

Lisa Morris

Energy Services Planner, Vermont Electric Cooperative

Bio

Lisa Morris, Energy Services Analyst at Vermont Electric Co-op, began her career in urban planning and transitioned to the energy world after moving to Vermont in 2012. Over the past decade, she’s worked on variable peak pricing, co-op community solar, net metering, beneficial electrification, and flexible load programs. Her work involves the interplay between policy goals and program implementation and how the two inform each other to further Vermont’s energy transformation. She holds a Bachelor of the Arts in Sociology from Oberlin College and a Master of Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Michigan.

Jake Marin

Senior Emerging Opportunities Manager, VEIC

Bio

Jake Marin is a Senior Emerging Opportunities Manager at VEIC. He manages s a diverse portfolio of projects but specializes in adoption of new HVAC technologies. Previously, Jake was the Program Manager for HVAC and Refrigeration at Efficiency Vermont. Here, he developed Vermont’s first heat pump program in 2014 and has continued to help develop programs and guidelines for the greater Northeast and Mid-Atlantic region through his collaboration with the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnership (NEEP). These programs have supported the installation of over 35,000 high efficiency heat pumps and over 14,000 heat pump water heaters in Vermont alone. Starting with single zone ductless mini-splits, his heat pump program portfolio has grown to include multi-zone, ducted, air to water and, most recently, Ground Source Heat Pump.

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.

Click here to see our DeltaClimeVT Energy2024 mentors.

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

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Vermont Community Foundation Logo
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