Greentown Labs ACCEL — BIPOC Climatetech Accelerator
Greentown Labs / Browning the Green Space
$25,000 per company
Researched for this program: 5 rejection traps · 5 required documentsWhat decides this award ↓
$25K non-dilutive grant for BIPOC-led climatetech startups
ACCEL (Advancing Climatetech and Clean Energy Leaders) is a one-year accelerator co-run by Greentown Labs and Browning the Green Space, offering $25,000 in non-dilutive grant funding plus incubation space, mentorship, and curriculum to BIPOC-led climate technology startups. Up to eight companies are selected annually from a competitive pool of 140+ applicants. The program combines technical acceleration with curated access to Greentown's network of corporate partners, investors, and government stakeholders in Boston and Houston.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- Private
- Amount range
- $25,000 – $25,000
- Realistic amount
- $25,000 cash grant paid to each of the ~8 selected companies. Additional in-kind value from Greentown incubation (estima…
- Deadline
- Annual — applications typically open in Q4 of the prior year. Year 3 cohort applications closed January 2025; Year 4 cycle expected to open Q4 2025 / Q1 2026.
- Status
- between-intakes
- States
- Nationwide
- Payment model
- lump sum
Who qualifies
- Founders must identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) or other underrepresented group in climate tech
- Climate technology startup — product, technology, or service must address decarbonization, clean energy, or climate resilience
- For-profit startup companies (early stage — seed through Series A)
- No geographic restriction — national program (companies relocate to Greentown Boston or Houston for incubation period)
- Companies must commit to participating in the full one-year ACCEL curriculum and programming
- No equity taken by Greentown Labs or Browning the Green Space
Hard requirements
- Must be incorporated
- Demographic eligibility: minority-owned
- Restricted to industry: climate technology / clean energy
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Product development and R&D
- Team salaries and contractor costs
- Equipment and prototype materials
- Market validation and customer discovery
- Travel for business development
- Working capital — grant is unrestricted
Ineligible expenses
- Non-business personal expenses
- Equity purchases in other companies
How to apply
-
1
Monitor ACCEL for open applications
Visit greentownlabs.com/accel and sign up for notifications. Applications typically open Q4 each year. Year 3 saw 140+ applicants for 8 spots — begin preparing materials well in advance.
~0.5 hrs
-
2
Submit startup profile and application
Apply via Greentown's portal (greentownlabs.com/apply-now). The application covers: team background and BIPOC founder credentials, technology description and stage, market opportunity, climate impact thesis, and what you're seeking from ACCEL specifically.
~6 hrs
-
3
Interview and selection
Shortlisted founders are invited to interview with Greentown Labs and Browning the Green Space staff. Final cohort of ~8 companies announced publicly. Year 3 cohort was announced in February 2025 after a multi-month selection process.
~2 hrs
-
4
Participate in one-year ACCEL program
Selected companies receive the $25,000 grant, incubation space at Greentown, and engage with the curated curriculum covering product/technology development, market development, fundraising, and management. Corporate partner introductions and investor network access included.
~200 hrs
ACCEL explicitly prioritizes founders at the intersection of BIPOC identity and deep climate-tech expertise — having both a credible decarbonization technology AND a compelling personal story about what structural barriers you've faced gets through to interviews. Greentown values hardware/deep-tech over pure software plays.
Deadline & timing
ACCEL operates on an annual cohort cycle. Year 1 (2023), Year 2 (2024), Year 3 (2025) cohorts are confirmed. Year 4 (2026) cycle has not yet been publicly announced as of May 2026 — check greentownlabs.com/accel for updates. Applications are competitive and require submitting a startup profile through Greentown's portal.
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