MARYLAND'S CLIMATE TECH PRE-ACCELERATOR: Winter 2023

The Maryland Climate Tech Pre-Accelerator is a unique opportunity to test your climate-tech research, invention, and ideas to have commercial viability. The Maryland Innovation Energy Accelerator (MEIA) implements the program with the NSF Mid-Atlantic Hub I-Corps team at the University of Maryland. The exciting agenda of the Pre-Accelerator will have you work on the following elements for your potential venture:

· Understand if you are personally ready for the startup journey

· Provide an understanding of customer discovery and opportunities to learn more at the NSF Mid-Atlantic Hub I-Corp programs at the University of Maryland 

· Understand the process of building your successful business model 

· Provide a commercialization path that includes potential funding sources, such as grants, equity, bank financing, or sweat equity. 

Three experienced startup coaches will facilitate the pre-accelerator, including Kobby Osei-Kusi and Mike Ducker, who have experience with climate tech, startups, market discovery, facilitating investment, finding federal grants, and product development. Most importantly, you can pick and be mentored by Energy Executives in Residence to help you focus on your next steps. 

In addition, participants can join NSF Mid-Atlantic Hub I-Corp's next program in October; if interested, enroll here. 

The pre-accelerator will run with weekly mentor sessions or workshops between October and early December. The workshop will be primarily virtual, with an in-person graduation. Pre-accelerator graduates who want to continue the startup journey will be welcomed into MEIA's Launchpad or Accelerator programs, where MEIA will recruit an executive and support team for you.  

If you are ready to take the first steps into your climate-tech startup journey, sign up for the 2023 Winter Maryland Climate Tech Pre-Accelerator here. If you have any questions, please get in touch with mike.ducker@mdeia.org.