After three months of intense focus, camaraderie and both virtual and in-person learning, The DeltaClimeVT Energy 2023 climate economy business accelerator announces ProsumerGrid as the winner.
Seventeen entrepreneurs from eight start-ups focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions by enabling the acceleration of electrification graduated from the DeltaClimeVT Energy 2023 climate economy business accelerator during an awards ceremony at Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center June 14. At the event, each company presented their final pitch and shared their plans to scale their start-up companies. The DeltaClimeVT business accelerator program, managed by Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund (VSJF), aims to bring innovative technologies, services, and business models to Vermont to reach Vermont’s climate and renewable energy goals more quickly while also ensuring the inclusion of low-to-moderate income residents in our energy transition.
ProsumerGrid has developed a software solution that allows electric utilities and prosumers to forecast, simulate the electric grid impacts and optimally plan distributed energy resources (DERs). Chosen through a peer-review process, the company won a $25,000 cash prize and a pilot project awarded by Burlington Electric Department (BED).
“This is the best accelerator that we have participated in,” said Marcelo Sandoval, Co-founder, CEO, Chief Scientist of ProsumerGrid during the acceptance of the award. “Specifically, this program has a unique curriculum that’s designed to create a collaborative competition and allow us to sit across the table from electric utilities, planning directors and CFOs.”
BED also awarded a pilot project to Vermillion Power Technologies, which makes residential solar and battery installations simple, modular and affordable through proprietary technology, and awarded a pilot project to Plug Zen, LLC, an electric vehicle charging company developing, manufacturing, and implementing EV charging solutions that allow multi-vehicle charging–up to 10 vehicles simultaneously through cable or inductive charging for multi-unit housing and businesses. Additional Vermont companies and utilities are in talks with cohort companies to implement further pilot projects.
“This accelerator helped me clearly identify my customer and understand how to get to them by actually bringing a customer to me so we could talk,” said Kwabena “Q” Johnson, president of Plug Zen LLC, upon winning the pilot with BED. “After that session, they were emailing with me to help me understand them even better. That really helped me through this program and that’s what brought me into the pitch where I felt like I already knew what they wanted and what they needed. It’s like they gave me a cheat sheet by giving me everything I needed. I really appreciated that.”
During Energy 2023, the seventh DeltaClimeVT business accelerator cohort, the start-up entrepreneurs focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and working with Vermont utilities to help achieve the goals in Vermont’s Climate Action Plan. The selected cohort companies focus on the decarbonization of buildings, transportation, heating and industrial processes through electrification or other renewables.
“Vermont’s people and Vermont’s Climate Action Plan helps drive us toward meaningful carbon reduction and increased resiliency,” said Geoff Robertson, Managing Director of DeltaClimeVT at VSJF. “This accelerator brings engaged entrepreneurs from start-ups to Vermont to help us reach these goals. The companies in this cohort are not only very complimentary to each other but they also hit on so many challenges that our energy system faces in reaching our climate goals!”
In March eight start-up companies from all over the U.S. and Canada were selected to take part in the three-month intensive learning experience where the entrepreneurs completed an intensive curriculum, developed by ecosVCTM, which included online workshops, webinars, and mentoring sessions.
DeltaClimeVT Energy 2023 Graduating Cohort Companies:
- $25,000 cash prize and a pilot project awarded by Burlington Electric Department (BED) – ProsumerGrid has developed a software solution that allows electric utilities and prosumers to forecast, simulate the electric grid impacts and optimally plan distributed energy resources (DERs). Georgia
- Pilot project awarded by Burlington Electric Department (BED) – Vermillion Power Technologies makes residential solar and battery installations simple, modular and affordable through their proprietary technology. Alberta
- Pilot project awarded by Burlington Electric Department (BED) – Plug Zen, LLC is an electric vehicle charging company developing, manufacturing, and implementing EV charging solutions that allow multi-vehicle charging–up to 10 vehicles simultaneously through cable or inductive charging for multi-unit housing and businesses. Detroit
- Dai Technologies Corporation provides concierge-like EV adoption solutions focused on enabling EV charging for places where people live: single family, condo/townhouse and multifamily communities. Washington, D.C.
- GismoPower® has revolutionized sustainable energy with the MEGA® (Mobile Electricity Generating Appliance), a patented, affordable, portable carport equipped with removable wheels that integrates a bifacial PV system and a powerful Class 2 EV-Charger. Florida and California
- Linebird is an equipment manufacturer of drone payloads and tools for hands-on work on live power lines. Virginia
- Optimal Technology is a Black-owned, venture-backed, energy firm that intelligently lowers the cost of electricity by up to 50% for small to medium sized building owners. Georgia
- Ren-N is a Vermont-based startup that sees the lack of access to capital as a significant barrier to entry for communities seeking to accelerate the development of renewable energy generation. Vermont
Partners and sponsors of DeltaClimeVT Energy 2023 include, Jane’s Trust Foundation, The Vermont Community Foundation, Burlington Electric Department, Vermont Public Power Supply Authority, Efficiency Vermont, Green Mountain Power, VSECU, Vermont Electric Coop, VGS, Vermont Electric Power Company, Vermont Economic Development Authority, and Flexible Capital Fund.
Click here to learn more about DeltaClimeVT Energy 2023.
About DeltaClimeVT – A Climate Economy Business Accelerator
Managed by the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund (VSJF), the DeltaClimeVT business accelerator is a Vermont-based program serving startup and seed-stage ventures focusing on energy and climate economy innovation in the energy sector. The program provides an intense accelerated learning and business development process designed to test assumptions, expose, and remediate business vulnerabilities, prepare for significant investment, and provide a platform for rapid scaling. As a proven leader in sustainability, Vermont offers participants access to many entrepreneurial climate economy and energy experts throughout the program. For more details, visit deltaclimevt.com or contact Geoff Robertson at geoff @ vsjf.org.
About Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund
In addition to offering the DeltaClimeVT business accelerator to startup and seed stage entrepreneurs, the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund (VSJF) provides business assistance, value chain facilitation, network development, and strategic planning to a wide range of stakeholders in the agriculture and food system, forest product, waste management, renewable energy, and environmental technology sectors. Located in Montpelier, Vermont, VSJF 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
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