Through funding from the state of California, via the University of California Office of the President and the UC Berkeley Office of the Vice Chancellor of Research, the CITRIS Climate Action Acceleration Fund will support sustainability and climate resilience projects that are ready to advance to the next stage of commercialization.
This grant and its accompanying services aim to prepare research teams to apply to the CITRIS Foundry and other incubator programs to further their ideas for technology that improves environmental sustainability, mitigates harmful effects of climate change, or strengthens resilience of human and ecological systems.
We invite proposals of up to $10,000 to accelerate mature projects that could become startup companies, or products or platforms that could be adopted by industry or government entities.
Selected teams will receive:
- Guidance through a one-week intensive bootcamp on innovation and entrepreneurship through the CITRIS Innovation Hub (one to two participants per team)
- Consultation from the managing directors of the CITRIS Foundry and the CITRIS Innovation Hub over the course of the grant period
- Access to a co-working space on the fourth floor of Sutardja Dai Hall on the UC Berkeley campus
Program Requirements
Funds may not be used for faculty salaries but may provide summer support or a stipend to staff, students or postdoctoral researchers; funds may also be used for related expenses such as legal or business consulting necessary for incorporation.
Projects must be completed within six months. Activities could include customer discovery, commercialization evaluations, business plan development and research into activities related to company formation. The final result will be a business plan and/or pitch deck to support applications for incubators and outside funding.
Successful projects will join an incubator or accelerator program or incorporate as a startup within six to 12 months of finishing the program.
Eligibility
Teams must be led by a UC Berkeley faculty or staff member, postdoctoral researcher, or graduate or undergraduate student.
Students must have a faculty sponsor for fund administration purposes.
Previous awardees of the CITRIS Seed Funding Program are encouraged to apply.
Apply
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.