A studio for innovators addressing the most important challenge of our time, led by the University of Connecticut.
The Future Climate Venture Studio brings together UConn, a national and global leader in interdisciplinary climate research; R/GA Ventures, a venture studio operator and early-stage investor; CT Next, Connecticut’s innovation agency; and additional partners from energy finance, venture capital, and technology.
The Studio’s mission is to identify, support, and collaborate with the startups addressing the most critical dimensions of the climate challenge, including decarbonization, alternative energy, planetary resilience, social impact, and more.
A national and global leader among public research universities, with more than 32,000 students seeking answers to critical questions in classrooms, labs, and the community. A culture of innovation drives this pursuit of knowledge throughout the university’s network of campuses.
R/GA Ventures works with startups and corporate partners to create a more human future. We do this by identifying disruptive and inspiring technologies and ideas, and supporting those ideas with the financial, creative, and relationship capital necessary to drive growth and returns.
CTNext is Connecticut’s catalyst for entrepreneurship. CTNext leverages public and private investment to create and support programs that help fund, advise, connect and inspire innovators with new and early-stage companies. Our mission is to accelerate startup growth and success, positioning Connecticut as the most desirable location in the country for an innovative company to build, grow and create jobs. Learn more at ctnext.com.
Solutions that actively halt climate change through the limitation or prevention of greenhouse gas release.
Solutions that help our planet adjust and adapt to the expected consequences of the climate crisis.
Solutions that enhance energy efficiency, support the use of clean and renewable energy, and more.
Solutions that address and alleviate the impacts of climate change on specific social groups and society at large.
The Future Climate Venture Studio will deliver meaningful value to your company with a minimal level of time commitment required. Through a mostly virtual format, we will provide startups with access to expert advisors, resources, network connections, and tailored studio content from UConn, R/GA, and our studio partners. Studio support includes:
Investment capital to expand and improve existing products, services, and technologies
Introductions to top executives and experts across the climate tech ecosystem and beyond, curated to develop specific business opportunities and accelerate growth
Access to strategists, technologists, designers, and other consultants who provide services customized to the unique needs of each startup
Companies will also benefit from UConn's interdisciplinary faculty and departments dedicated to innovative research and development in the field of climate science, including access to core technology facilities. This includes corporate partnership opportunities, technical help, and guidance from various industry-funded centers of excellence within UConn’s Innovation Partnership Building (IPB).
Sorry, but our applications are currently closed. If you are interested in future events and the application for future cohorts, please complete this form.
We are primarily looking for early-stage and growth-stage companies, and welcome startups from pre-seed to Series B. However, if your company is beyond Series B and you believe you would still be a good fit for the program, reach out.
Once you submit your application, we may reach out directly if we have more questions or to schedule a time to meet with our team. We will notify you if your company has or has not been selected as a finalist for this cohort. Finalists will be invited to present to our selection advisory committee. This will be a 5-minute presentation, followed by 20 minutes of Q&A. Finalists will be selected on an ongoing basis, so we encourage you to apply early.
Please check back for deadline dates for our next cohort.
We recommend that each founder review the application questions and copy them to work on your answers offline before beginning your application. At times founders have lost computer power or have mistakenly closed a browser window and lost their applications in progress. Also, please fully read the program details on the main page and within these FAQs so you have a solid understanding of what the program is offering and what you hope to get out of the experience. If you have a deck or other materials already prepared, you will have the option to include them in your application.
Participation in other accelerator programs will not exclude you, but we prefer to work with companies that can devote the time required to pursue the full range of opportunities delivered by the Studio.
No, the Future Climate Venture Studio is free to participating startups and there is no requirement for founders to give up a set amount of equity to participate.
Our approach is different from an incubator or accelerator in that we do not require participating companies to accept investment for a set amount of equity or give up equity without capital investment. R/GA Ventures, and select Studio Partners, will make capital investments into each participating startup. The investment amount and deal terms will be determined by stage and/or terms of previous funding raised by the startup.
The program will be a mix of both, with one week at the beginning and the culmination of the program likely taking place in person in Connecticut on the UConn campus. The remainder of the program will take place virtually.
Outside of the two in-person weeks, our program’s activities are streamlined to allow our founders to concentrate on the work needed to grow their companies and for any collaboration opportunities that may be identified with our Studio Partners and other participating companies. Studio activities will take place between Monday - Thursday each week and will primarily be limited to 1 - 2 hours each day for full cohort or individual activities.
Yes. We are looking for startups who are approaching the climate challenge from multiple dimensions, with a focus on the application of deep science and technology.
Startups will have access to UConn faculty members from the university’s College of Agriculture, Health & Natural Resources; School of Engineering; Avery Point; and College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; all of which have dedicated to innovative, interdisciplinary research in the field of climate science. Startups will have access to core technology facilities within UConn and the Technology Incubation Program that currently has over 60 startup companies. Additionally, they will benefit from corporate partnership opportunities through UConn’s Industry Partnership Building (IPB) and can also receive technical help and guidance from various industry-funded centers of excellence within IPB.
This is another unique element of support provided by the Future Climate Venture Studio. Creative capital is tailored support from R/GA’s world-class network of talent in strategy, technology, marketing, visual branding, and verbal design. This helps companies sharpen their presence across their marketing and sales channels and enhance the functionality and user experience of their products.
Relationship capital is the opportunity to benefit from access to our Studio partner and global client networks, with the potential to bring deep industry experience, resources, and connections to startups in the Studio. These curated introductions may be in service of investment, commercial opportunities, and more.