About the Partnership
The Heartland Climate Tech Partnership was founded in 2021 by Centrepolis Accelerator at Lawrence Technological University, Evergreen Climate Innovations, mHUB, and the Spark Innovation Center to advance the commercialization of innovative climate tech and clean energy businesses across the Greater Midwest Region.
Project affiliates include the Chain Reaction Innovations based at Argonne National Laboratory, the Innovation Crossroads program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
2 Years of Partnership
In this past year of the Heartland Climate Tech Partnership, we have been able to successfully launch our second cohorts of the three accelerator programs hosted by mHUB, Centrepolis, and the Spark Innovation Center. In the lead up to kicking off the programs, industry partners were secured, and extensive outreach and promotion took place across the partnership to ensure that the accelerators received high quality applicants. In the first year, 21 startups went through the accelerator programming, and this second year we are supporting 34 startups.
Accelerators
The Heartland Climate Tech Partnership’s three accelerator programs are hosted by mHUB, Centrepolis Accelerator, and the Spark Innovation Center. Below are details from each accelerator and metrics highlighting their most recent cohorts.
Based in Southfield, Michigan, Centrepolis Accelerator at Lawrence Technological University leads the C3 Accelerator.
Based in Chicago, Illinois, mHUB leads the Climate & Energy Tech Accelerator.
Based in Knoxville, Tennessee, the Spark Innovation Center, an initiative of the University of Tennessee Research Park, leads the Spark Cleantech Accelerator.
Accelerator participants receive support from Heartland partners as well as project affiliates.
Centrepolis Accelerator (Southfield, MI)
Centrepolis Accelerator at Lawrence Technological University is accelerating the growth of Michigan’s cleantech, advanced manufacturing, innovative hardware entrepreneurs and small manufacturers by providing access to funding, experts and key business and product development resources.
C3 ACCELERATOR
The C3 Accelerator offers grants, investments, and services that support the development and scaling of Cleantech, Climate tech, and Circular Economy technologies. The program is open globally to both growth stage startups and established firms with unique C3 technology and/or business models. The application deadline is rolling.
11 participating companies
11 hardware startups
6 entrepreneurs identify as underrepresented
1 of the companies leverages national lab IP, DOE university research
funding, or other DOE-funded technologies
mHUB (Chicago, IL)
mHUB is a leading independent hardtech and manufacturing innovation center that exists to convene the entrepreneurial ecosystem around physical product innovation to ensure that the manufacturing industry continues to accelerate, grow, and thrive.
Since launching in 2017, the mHUB community has generated more than $1.14B in revenue, launched more than 1,502 products, hired more than 5,193 employees, and raised over $1.49B in capital.
CLIMATE & ENERGY TECH ACCELERATOR
This accelerator program focuses on identifying early-stage startups working on hardtech and infrastructure solutions.
10 participating companies
10 hardware startups
8 entrepreneurs identify as underrepresented
3 of the companies leverages national lab IP, DOE university research
funding, or other DOE-funded technologies
Spark Innovation Center (Knoxville, TN)
The Spark Innovation Center is an initiative of the University of Tennessee Research Park, and builds on the facilities and expertise at the University, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).
Spark focuses on helping promising advanced technology and clean energy companies grow, offering access to top quality lab space, expert mentoring, and coordinating support services from partner organizations in the region.
SPARK CLEANTECH ACCELERATOR
The Spark Cleantech Accelerator supports early stage cleantech businesses and drives commercialization of their technologies in Tennessee and throughout the Midwest. These metrics include the 6 companies selected for the Cohort 2 of the Spark Cleantech Accelerator as well as the 7 companies that are part of Cohort 7 of the Innovation Crossroads program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Both cohorts participated together in the 12 week 2023 Spark Cleantech Accelerator.
13 participating companies
12 hardware startups
10 entrepreneurs identify as underrepresented
9 of the companies leverages national lab IP, DOE university research
funding, or other DOE-funded technologies
The Heartland Climate Tech Partnership is managed and organized by Evergreen Climate Innovations.