Innovation Scope
For its sixth accelerator cohort, the C2V Initiative and its Carbontech Leadership Council (CLC) are welcoming applications from startups at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4-7 that are developing carbontech solutions. More specifically, the program collaborators are interested in carbontech innovations related to the following categories:
Carbon Conversion to Value-Added Products:
CO2 and other carbon-rich streams to fuels (e.g. SAF/e-fuels, methanol, LPG, RNG)
CO2 and other carbon-rich streams to chemicals (e.g. C2-C4+ chemicals, intermediates, polymers)
CO2 and other carbon-rich streams to materials (e.g. carbonates, fertilizers, advanced carbon materials)
Carbon-rich waste (e.g. waste biomass, municipal, industrial waste, industrial residues) to value (e.g. via gasification, fermentation, pyrolysis)
AI/ML-enabled approaches that accelerate carbon conversion technologies, including catalyst, materials, reactor, process, separations, energy integration, or scale-up optimization, etc.
Carbon Capture:
Point-source capture (e.g. from energy or process emissions)
Direct air capture (DAC) and direct ocean capture (DOC)
Gas-separation technologies (e.g. purification, biogas upgrading)
AI/ML-enabled approaches that improve carbon capture, gas separation, purification, or upgrading technologies, including materials discovery, sorbent, solvent, membrane, contactor, process, system design, automation, performance monitoring, or controls optimization
Carbon Sequestration and Removal:
Marine CDR / blue carbon (e.g. ocean alkalinization, biomass sinking)
Biomass carbon removal and storage (BiCRS) (e.g. waste biomass, biochar, biomass burial)
Enhanced mineralization/rock weathering
AI/ML-enabled approaches that support carbon sequestration, removal, or durable storage pathways, including process optimization, project design, monitoring, system modeling, performance prediction, or deployment risk reduction where directly connected to a physical carbon removal or storage pathway
Not in scope:
Previously established direct CO2 uses, such as enhanced oil recovery (EOR), are not in scope
Enabling technologies that solely focus on software, carbon marketplaces, carbon credits, registries, financing, or insurance, although critical to the industry, are not in scope for this year
Hardware for measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) (e.g. remote sensing, IOT/sensors, continuous emissions monitoring, isotopic tracing)
Standalone software platforms are not in scope unless they directly support the development, optimization, scale-up, or deployment of an eligible carbontech technology
Stage:
Technological maturity: TRL 4-7, i.e., validated in a laboratory environment
Commercial maturity: actively investigating product-market fit and seeking partnerships
There is no minimum or maximum public/private funding limit
Geography:
Applicants may apply from anywhere in the world
Events will take place in-person in Boston, New York, Houston, and virtually (see detailed schedule below)
Attendance is mandatory for in-person events, regardless of startup location. Failure to participate could result in removal from the program
Up to a $10,000 discretionary stipend per selected startup to support their participation in the accelerator
These categories are not exhaustive, and overlap is possible. Startups with a novel carbontech innovation are encouraged to apply even if their technology is not listed above. Refer to the Request for Applications for more details.
Applicants to the sixth cohort of the C2V Initiative will be evaluated on several factors, including novelty and feasibility, potential climate benefits, potential impact on the overall carbontech market, and the startup’s preparedness to fully leverage the benefits of the program.
