News

Greentown Labs Announces Go Build 2023 with Saint-Gobain

The partnerships-focused accelerator is accepting applications from startups with innovations to extend product life cycles, develop alternative raw materials, and revalorize waste

Somerville, Mass. and Houston, Texas, June 6, 2023 Greentown Labs, the largest climatetech incubator in North America, and Saint-Gobain, a multinational manufacturer and distributor of high-performance materials, are now accepting applications for Greentown Go Build 2023. Designed to accelerate startup-corporate partnerships to advance climatetech, this Greentown Go program is focused on enabling circularity and decarbonizing the built environment by revolutionizing building solutions, old and new.

More specifically, Go Build 2023 is interested in innovations to extend product life cycles, alternative raw materials, and enabling technologies for waste revalorization. Further details on the specific technology areas of interest can be found in the request for applications.

Startups selected for the program will gain access to mentorship, networking opportunities, and educational workshops throughout the highly structured, six-month program. Program benefits for the participating startups include:

  • A structured platform to engage leadership from Saint-Gobain and explore potential partnership outcomes, including investment opportunities, development partnerships, and commercial partnerships
  • A $10,000 stipend per selected startup to support their participation in the accelerator
  • Mentorship, networking opportunities, and partnership-focused programming from the Greentown community of climatetech startup experts
  • Exclusive access to the Greentown and Saint-Gobain networks
  • Desk space and membership within Greentown for the duration of the program, which grants access to $1M+ of in-kind resources, including software and legal support; 70+ corporate partners; community resources; and more

Saint-Gobain is a longtime, dedicated partner of Greentown and its startup community. The company has made many science-based climate commitments, including reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, eliminating its production of waste that isn’t recovered, and excising non-recyclable raw materials. This is the third Greentown Go program partnership between Greentown and Saint-Gobain, following successful buildings-focused accelerators in 2019 and 2021—results from those programs can be found here and here.

“The Greentown Go Build program is an opportunity for innovative startups to share how they are disrupting the construction market with innovative and sustainable solutions that address the need for circularity and sustainability and that align with our mission of making the world a better home,” said Minas Apelian, Vice President, External and Internal Venturing, Saint-Gobain. “Through this program, we are eager to identify companies dedicated to reducing our reliance on raw materials and associated supply chain risk to ensure circular solutions result in profitable, sustainable growth for business and sustainable construction solutions for our industries.”

Greentown runs Greentown Go programs across five tracks: Go Make (manufacturing), Go Move (transportation), Go Energize (energy and electricity), Go Build (buildings), and Go Grow (food and agriculture). These startup-corporate partnership programs challenge the status quo within each key greenhouse-gas sector as they accelerate partnerships between industry giants and innovators.

“We are thrilled to be building on our successful track record of Greentown Go programs with Saint-Gobain and look forward to driving decarbonization of the sector through startup-corporate partnerships,” says Kevin T. Taylor, Interim CEO and CFO at Greentown Labs. “Saint-Gobain has been an exemplary partner for our Greentown Go programs and for Greentown more broadly—working collaboratively with our startups and deploying many of their technologies. We are eager to meet the world-class building tech startups that apply for the program.”

Applications for Go Build 2023 are due by Aug. 31, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Applicants may apply from anywhere in the world. To learn more and apply, visit the Go Build 2023 website.

###

About Greentown Labs

Greentown Labs is a community of climate action pioneers working to design a more sustainable world. As the largest climatetech startup incubator in North America, Greentown Labs brings together startups, corporates, investors, policymakers, and many others with a focus on scaling climate solutions. Driven by the mission of providing startups the resources, knowledge, connections, and equipment they need to thrive, Greentown Labs offers lab space, shared office space, a machine shop, an electronics lab, software and business resources, and a large network of corporate customers, investors, and more. With incubators in Somerville, Mass. and Houston, Texas, Greentown Labs is home to more than 200 startups and has supported more than 500 since the incubator’s founding in 2011. These startups have collectively created more than 24,000 jobs, raised more than $4 billion in funding, and generated more than $9.8 billion in regional economic impact. For more information, please visit www.greentownlabs.com or Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Greentown Media Contact:

Julia Travaglini

Senior Vice President of Marketing & Communications

[email protected]

603-867-3657

About Saint-Gobain

Worldwide leader in light and sustainable construction, Saint-Gobain designs, manufactures and distributes materials and services for the construction and industrial markets. Its integrated solutions for the renovation of public and private buildings, light construction and the decarbonization of construction and industry are developed through a continuous innovation process and provide sustainability and performance. The Group’s commitment is guided by its purpose, “MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER HOME”. For more information about Saint-Gobain, visit www.saint-gobain.com and follow us on Twitter @saintgobain.

Saint-Gobain Media Contact:

Lauren Howe

[email protected]

978-400-3036