A new year means another chance to apply for CalSEED’s Concept award of $150K. Funded by California Energy Commission’s Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) program, CalSEED works to advance clean energy concepts to commercial readiness by providing funding and professional development assistance. CalSEED seeks applications from individuals, businesses, and nonprofits working on early-stage innovations — from concept to basic prototype. Applicants do not need a tech background to apply but rather an idea or concept that falls within CalSEED’s eligibility requirements.

Applications close on March 5. Click here to apply today.

Who can apply?

California Sustainable Energy Entrepreneur Development (CalSEED) is open to any California-based individual, group, company, or organization with an early-stage innovation. Available to ALL Californians, CalSEED encourages small businesses, women, people of color, LGBTIAQ+, rural, veterans, and people from low-income or under-resourced communities to apply. Visit calseed.fund to learn more about eligibility requirements.

What is CalSEED?

CalSEED is a funding and professional development program for innovators and entrepreneurs working to bring early-stage clean energy concepts to market. Powered by New Energy Nexus and its mission to create a 100% clean energy economy for 100% of the population, CalSEED supports diverse entrepreneurs who deliver equitable outcomes from their cleantech innovations. The CalSEED Concept Award provides promising innovators with $150,000 in grant funding, unprecedented professional development resources, and access to California’s best accelerators and incubator programs! Concept Award winners are also eligible for an additional $450,000. Applicants are qualified to receive up to $600k in funding to advance their ideas.

In 2016, Momentum partnered with New Energy Nexus to design and develop the program, winning a $25 million grant from the California Energy Commission. With a core focus on social impact and equity, the program has developed 116 California entrepreneurs, with many working in, and led by, underrepresented groups.