More Topics:
Editor's Eye on New York: UTIC, NYC ACRE and Green Spaces Offer Green Pastures for Clean Tech Startups
Posted April 14, 2011
We Recommend...
Marissa Feinberg
By Richard Rabicoff
Mark Birch is one of our favorite bloggers, whether he is writing about Chinese dumplings or NYC startups. The local entrepreneur and investor recently updated his list of New York City Tech Incubators and Accelerators, and we were intrigued to see, along with such categories as Technology, Food and Fashion, a heading for Urban Tech & Clean Tech.
Clean tech has been cleaning up these days. A recent report from the San Francisco-based Cleantech Group showed that companies in this sector swept up $2.57 billion in venture capital funding in the first quarter of 2011, up 31 per cent from a year ago. Solar companies accounted for about 25 percent of the haul and electric vehicles a bit more than 10 percent.
Here's a glance at the three incubators and accelerators on Birch's clean tech list.
Urban Technology Innovation Center - http://tinyurl.com/62t6m89
Launched in January with much hoopla from Mayor Bloomberg, the UTIC aims to promote green building technology in New York City.
Formed through a partnership of the New York City Economic Development Corporation ($250,000), Columbia University (facilities,) and Polytechnic Institute of New York University and the City University of New York (staff and database), the Center will provide clean tech companies with "real-world test sites" and resources.
Harry Charalambides, a veteran of UNICEF and Navigant Consulting, is the project manager for the initiative.
NYC ACRE (NYC Accelerator for a Clean & Renewable Economy) - http://www.nycacre.com/
ACRE provides an incubator for clean tech and renewable energy startups focused on reducing carbons in New York City to a low-carbon future. The project, sponsored by NYU-Poly, received a four year, $1.5M grant from the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority (NYSERDA)
Located in Soho, the incubator supports both physical and virtual tenants, including:
• Annellotech - A thermochemical technology to produce petrochemicals at low cost from renewable resources.
• Ecological - Monitors, assesses, and improves sustainability for real estate assets on a portfolio level.
• EcoLogic Solutions - Cleaning products for institutional markets.
• M.J. Beck Consulting, LLC - Consulting firm focused solely on the power and utilities industries.
• Rentricity - Flow-to-Wire systems that create clean electricity.
• Sollega - Solar energy technologies that reduce mounting and installation costs associated with solar arrays.
• SyntheZyme - Commercializing biocatalysis technology developed by Dr. Richard A. Gross at NYU Polytechnic Institute.
• ThinkEco - Hardware and software that uses intelligent engineering and algorithms to provide method for modernizing the electrical outlet.
• Water Canary Inc.--Water testing device that can instantly tell users whether water is safe to drink.
• Wind Products Inc. -Wind energy conversion products and services for residential, commercial, and industrial property owners, which has its main operations in the (NYC ACRE).
Green Spaces - http://www.greenspaceshome.com/
Jennie Nevin and Marissa Feinberg created Green Spaces to provide entrepreneurs with green tools like reclaimed furniture, efficient energy providers, a newsletter and website. Housed in TriBeCa, the center offers full-time (at $550 a month) and drop-in options, conference rooms, an intern program, newsletter advertising, and recommended vendors and services.
The organization also has a branch in Colorado, and plans another in Los Angeles. More than 70 companies use the facility on a full-time or part-time basis.
Co-founder Marissa Feinberg previously worked in partnership development for Felissimo's sustainable design initiatives, and for the General Electric Foundation.
Know of any clean tech incubators or accelerators not mentioned in this story? Let me know at richard.rabicoff@citybizlist.com. And be sure to follow me on Twitter @rrabicoff.
See Mark Birch's blog:
Revisiting NYC Tech Incubators and Accelerators
blog comments powered by