Accelerators, Incubators,
& Hubs
New York
Looking to start or expand a company in New York?
Learn about NYC’s accelerator ecosystem, from the many programs of NYU’s Urban Future Lab to hard tech support through New Lab, Hax, and IndieBio to energy scaling through The Clean Fight, there’s support for your climate startup.
Urban Future Lab
Urban Future Lab (UFL) is a climate tech innovation hub for clean energy, sustainable urban infrastructure, and deep decarbonization. As New York City strives to become a global leader in fighting climate change and creating a green economy, UFL connects people, capital, and purpose to advance market-ready solutions. It offers various programs for pre-seed to series A startups, such as ACRE, a business incubation program, PowerBridgeNY, a proof-of-concept center, and Clean Start, an advanced certificate from NYU. It also supports industry leaders with initiatives such as the Carbon to Value Initiative, Low-Carbon Hydrogen Accelerator, Offshore Wind Innovation Hub, and Innovate UK Global Incubator Programme. It serves entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, researchers, and customers across different sectors and technologies. By fostering a vibrant ecosystem of climate tech innovation and collaboration, UFL helps New York achieve its clean energy goals and climate leadership. UFL is part of the NYU Tandon School of Engineering and is located in Downtown Brooklyn
The Clean Fight
The Clean Fight is a not-for-profit clean energy accelerator that helps growth-stage startups scale in New York State to meet future energy and efficiency needs in a better way, while boosting economic opportunity and job creation for all. The Clean Fight focuses on high-impact solutions that can meaningfully reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support the state's clean energy goals. The Clean Fight offers financing support, customer development, scaling assistance, and mentorship to selected startups through a 6-month program. The Clean Fight primarily serves anyone who works or cares about the clean energy sector and who wants to join a visionary and diverse community of innovators. The Clean Fight is powered by New Energy Nexus and funded by NYSERDA.
New Energy Nexus
New Energy Nexus New York (NEX NY) is the New York chapter of New Energy Nexus, the world's leading ecosystem of funds and accelerators supporting diverse clean energy entrepreneurs. NEX NY operates The Clean Fight, a flagship not-for-profit accelerator that identifies and scales the top growth-stage climate tech companies from around the world, looking to expand into New York. The Clean Fight focuses on high-impact solutions that can help speed the energy transition in New York, while boosting economic opportunity and job creation for all. The Clean Fight offers financing support, customer development, scaling assistance, and mentorship to selected startups through a 6-month program. NEX NY also manages the Empire Technology Prize, a $10 million prize program that supports innovative clean energy startups in New York State. NEX NY primarily serves anyone who works or cares about the clean energy sector and who wants to join a global and inclusive community of innovators. NEX NY is funded by NYSERDA.
IndieBio
IndieBio is a biotech startup accelerator that helps scientists become entrepreneurs and build breakthrough companies. It is a program of SOSV, a global venture capital firm that supports big ideas in deep tech. IndieBio provides $525K initial investment, mentorship, lab space, and access to a network of investors and partners for its startups. IndieBio focuses on sectors where biology can be used to engineer novel solutions, such as climate tech, food tech, therapeutics, and materials. IndieBio primarily serves early-stage founders who have a radical idea to use biology to disrupt markets outside of healthcare. IndieBio is the birthplace of the great companies of tomorrow, such as Upside Foods, Mycoworks, and Bucha Bio.
HAX
HAX is a hard tech venture capital firm that invests in and supports pre-seed startups working on engineering or scientific breakthroughs in the physical world. Hard tech refers to domains such as robotics, sensors, connectivity, electronics, materials, industrial processes, and infrastructure that have huge potential but also high technical challenges. HAX is part of SOSV, a global venture capital firm with over $1 billion in assets under management and currently deploying a $277 million flagship fund. HAX provides its portfolio companies with six months of collaborative residency, hands-on engineering support, and an initial investment package of $250,000 USD with millions available in follow-on funding. HAX also helps startups tap into the world’s premier ecosystems for real-world product development, manufacturing and fundraising. HAX primarily serves early-stage founders who are solving hard problems with hard tech and have a vision to create massive industry opportunities. HAX is the world’s first and most active program focused on hard tech startups, with over 250 graduates since 2012 and a cumulative value of over $8 billion USD.
Activate
Activate is a non-profit organization that supports scientists and engineers who want to create impactful climate tech startups. Founded in 2015, Activate aims to bridge the gap between research and entrepreneurship by providing fellows with funding, mentorship, education, and access to resources. Activate fellows work on innovative solutions for clean energy, carbon removal, water conservation, air quality, and more. The organization primarily serves researchers who have a PhD or equivalent experience in a relevant field and who are committed to launching a venture based on their research. By helping fellows turn their ideas into reality, Activate is accelerating the transition to a sustainable future.
Urban-X
Urban-X is a leading accelerator for startups reimagining city life. Urban-X partners with founders to build bold technology solutions for a sustainable planet. Urban-X provides $150K in seed funding, mentorship, product design and development support, and access to a network of investors, partners, and customers to selected startups through a 20-week program. Urban-X primarily serves anyone who works or cares about the urban tech sector and who wants to join a global and inclusive community of innovators
New Lab
New Lab is a multidisciplinary technology center and innovation hub located in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. New Lab provides entrepreneurs, engineers, and scientists with access to shared workspace, prototyping facilities, research labs, and a network of partners and customers to help them launch and scale their ventures. New Lab supports startups working on solutions for a sustainable planet across sectors such as robotics, AI, 3D printing, connected devices, energy, nanotech, life sciences, and urban tech. New Lab primarily serves anyone who works or cares about the technology sector and who wants to join a global and inclusive community of innovators. New Lab is housed in Building 128, a former shipbuilding factory that has been transformed into a state-of-the-art facility for hard tech entrepreneurs.
Clean Energy Business Incubator Program
The Clean Energy Business Incubator Program (CEBIP) is a NYSERDA-supported initiative that provides assistance and resources for developers of disruptive renewable and clean energy technologies. CEBIP was established in 2011 as part of New York State’s efforts to foster a clean energy economy and to achieve the goals of the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. CEBIP offers its clients access to mentoring, networking, funding opportunities, office space, and technical support to help them overcome the challenges of launching and scaling a hard-tech venture. CEBIP primarily serves early-stage energy-based technology businesses that have the potential to make a significant impact on the energy sector and the environment. CEBIP is a valuable resource for clean energy innovators who want to build the future, today
