Kick off Year 2 of our accelerator program for BIPOC-led startups!

Join us to celebrate the kickoff of Year 2 of ACCEL, an accelerator program from Greentown Labs and Browning the Green Space (BGS) designed to support BIPOC-led climatetech startups. At this event, hear from innovative startups that are developing climate solutions for sectors encompassing electricity, transportation, buildings, manufacturing, agriculture, and more.

The second iteration of ACCEL follows on a successful inaugural year that featured six startups working on innovations as diverse as sneakers made from food waste, ultracapacitors built with hemp sourced from Black and Indigenous farmers, and ultra-light solar panels. Their accomplishments during the accelerator included raising equity funding, earning acceptances into additional accelerators, winning grants, executing customer discovery, and more.

Take this opportunity to network, celebrate, and build community around this incredible program and meet the Year 2 cohort, which will be announced in the coming weeks! Are you an investor or corporate leader planning to attend? We’re looking to connect our cohort of founders with resources essential to success. We welcome conversation around how you can support! Please reach out to ACCEL Program Manager, Sonali Anderson ([email protected]), for more info.

Agenda

In ET:

10:00 to 10:30 a.m. Arrival and Networking

10:30 to 10:40 a.m. Welcome and Introduction with Greentown Labs CEO Kevin Knobloch and Browning the Green Space Co-Founder, President, and Executive Director Kerry Bowie

10:40 to 10:50 a.m. Partner Remarks featuring

• Eric Jewart, Leader at Microsoft’s New England Research & Developement (NERD)
• Raija Vaisanen, Deputy Managing Director of Workforce Development at MassCEC
• Kathryn Wright, Senior Program Officer, Clean Energy at the Barr Foundation
• Christina Tamer, VP of Ventures at VentureWell

10:50 to 11:10 a.m. “Direct Funding for Black & Brown Startups: Amplifying Impact in Clean Energy” featuring keynote speakers:

• Michael Hawthorne Jr, Co-Founder & Executive Director of Klean Energy Kulture
• Corey Dennard, Co-Founder and Entertainment Director of Klean Energy Kulture & Producer at Mr. Hanky Productions

11:10 to 11:35 a.m. ACCEL Year 2 cohort pitches

11:35 to 12:00 p.m. Networking

ACCEL Year 2 Cohort

About ACCEL

ACCEL is a year-long program that combines acceleration with a curated curriculum, incubation through a Greentown membership, and extensive mentorship from Greentown and BGS’s networks of industry experts. The program is designed to bolster BIPOC-led startups as they develop critical climatetech solutions by offering access to funding, networking connections, resources, and opportunities that structural inequities put out of reach. Learn more about ACCEL here.

About Browning the Green Space

Browning the Green Space is a coalition of leaders and organizations, primarily in the New England region, that share the passion to advance Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (“DEI”) in clean energy. Their goal is to increase the participation and leadership of Black and Brown people and of women (collectively, “underrepresented groups”) in the clean energy space and beyond (e.g., wasted food, water, agtech) in the Northeast. Learn more about Browning the Green Space here.

ACCEL's Funders and Curriculum + Resources Partner

Register Now

If you have questions or need to request accommodation, please reach out to Greentown Labs’ Events Coordinator, Kelly Wilson ([email protected]).

Venue Information

Parking is incredibly limited at Greentown Labs and we encourage attendees to consider taking advantage of public transportation. We’re a short walk from the newly opened Union Square station, as well as 1 mile away from the Harvard MBTA station. Union Square in Somerville is also easily accessible via the #86 and #91 MBTA buses. We offer bike parking on-site and the closest Bluebikes stations are at Dane St., Conway Park and Union Square.

Event Health + Safety Policy

This event is in-person and masks are encouraged but not required Greentown Labs. We recommend a medical grade or K/N95 mask; Greentown provides medical grade masks at the front desk of each location.

Greentown Labs is committed to the health and safety of our team, startups, partners, and attendees, and is actively monitoring local guidelines and CDC recommendations.