MARYLAND CLIMATE TECH PRE-ACCELERATOR

Fall 2026 (July 21 to October 6)

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
Learn the customer discovery and opportunities to learn more at the NSF Mid-Atlantic Hub I-Corp programs at the University of Maryland 
How to develop a viable business model 
Provide a commercialization path that includes potential funding sources, such as grants, equity, bank financing, or sweat equity.

These experienced startup coaches, Kobby Osei-Kusi, Edmund Pendleton, Ben Margolis, and Mike Ducker, will facilitate the pre-accelerator. They have experience with climate tech, startups, customer discovery, facilitating investment, finding federal grants, and product development.

The pre-accelerator will run with weekly mentor sessions or workshops between February and March. 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.  

past pre-accelerator alumni

Telkes Home

Hybrium Energy

Telkes Homes is a climate-focused housing company that develops and manufactures high-performance, energy-efficient homes designed to reduce emissions and make sustainable, electrified living more accessible through modern construction methods.

Visit Telkes Home

Hybrium Energy

Hybrium Energy is a portable modular energy system that produces hydrogen and usable thermal power from solid metal inputs, enabling reliable off-grid energy without traditional fuel supply chains.

Visit Hybrium Energy

TerraSol

Hybrium Energy

TerraSol

TerraSol is a marketplace that connects landowners and developers to accelerate solar project development by using geospatial data to assess site viability, optimize project financial structures, and provide practical agrivoltaics crop suitability estimates.

Visit Terrasol

MARYLAND CLIMATE TECH PRE-ACCELERATOR

Fall 2026 (July 21 to October 6)

Meet the Instructors

Kobby Osei-Kusi

Edmund Pendleton

Kobby Osei-Kusi

Mike Ducker

Edmund Pendleton

Kobby Osei-Kusi

Ben Margolis

Edmund Pendleton

Edmund Pendleton

Edmund Pendleton

Edmund Pendleton

Edmund Pendleton

past pre-accelerator alumni

Telkes Home

Hybrium Energy

Hybrium Energy

Hybrium Energy

Hybrium Energy

Hybrium Energy

TerraSol

Hybrium Energy

TerraSol

Sign up for the 2026 Maryland Climate Tech Pre-Accelerator

MARYLAND CLIMATE TECH PRE-ACCELERATOR

Fall 2026 (July 21 to October 6)

Meet the Instructors

Kobby Osei-Kusi

Edmund Pendleton

Kobby Osei-Kusi

Mike Ducker

Edmund Pendleton

Kobby Osei-Kusi

Ben Margolis

Edmund Pendleton

Edmund Pendleton

Edmund Pendleton

Edmund Pendleton

Edmund Pendleton

past pre-accelerator alumni

Telkes Home

Hybrium Energy

Hybrium Energy

Hybrium Energy

Hybrium Energy

Hybrium Energy

TerraSol

Hybrium Energy

TerraSol

Sign up for the 2026 Maryland Climate Tech Pre-Accelerator

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