Apply if you’re based in Illinois
Evergreen Climate Innovations works with Nicor Gas to support entrepreneurs who are making a positive environmental impact throughout Illinois.
Recipients of the Nicor Gas Multicultural Innovator Award receive a non-recourse grant of $25,000, 12-months of business mentorship from Nicor Gas and Evergreen Climate Innovations, and heightened exposure to both investors and potential customers.
Award Application Criteria
Founder/ CEO:
Company must have a founder or CEO who identifies as socially and/or economically disadvantaged.
Eligible Geographies:
Based in Illinois or has a substantial Illinois presence
Company Criteria:
- 2-12 full-time employees
- Can be either product or service-based
- No more than $3M in funding raised
- Must demonstrate at least 3-6 months of funding runway
- Does not need to be market-ready, but preferred
Sectors:
Renewable energy, energy efficiency, smart buildings/cities, water, ag-tech, energy storage, mobility/advanced transportation, circular economy, and digital solutions for operational efficiencies, reduced maintenance costs, customer engagement, and/or worker training/management
If you have any questions, please email Senior Program Manager Dylan O’Reilly at dylan@evegreeninno.org.
Congratulations to our 2023 winner, Aeternal Upcycling!
Our 2023 recipient of the Nicor Gas Multicultural Innovator Award was Aeternal Upcycling. Aeternal Upcycling’s technology not only diverts plastic away from the waste stream and into the circular economy but can reduce carbon emissions by up to 75 percent compared to the use of traditional petrochemicals.
“We are excited to work with Nicor Gas and Evergreen Climate Innovations. True disruption requires challenging the status quo and being receptive to the valuable input of people with different viewpoints and experiences. Driving radical change with novel technologies is not only crucial for our industry but for our changing climate too. Combining new and diverse ideas, novel technologies, and legacy wisdom presents a winning recipe that will help us persevere — and thrive — in our fight to enable environmental solutions that will have a lasting impact on our climate, and allow us to create a sustainable and equitable society.”
Ready for investment and support?
Your climate tech startup may be eligible.