Apply if you’re an entrepreneur building an innovative company
The U.S. Bank Foundation Cleantech Award is a grant program designed to support talented entrepreneurs building innovative companies that aim to drive economic development, create jobs, and benefit the environment.
The U.S. Bank Foundation Cleantech Award is committed to:
- Fostering innovation that drives economic development in the Midwest and beyond
- Creating new jobs in the rapidly growing cleantech sector
- Supporting startups aligned with the ongoing energy transition
Through this program, we strive to identify and nurture the most promising talent and ideas in the cleantech sector wherever they may be found, removing barriers to resources that drive innovation and economic progress.
The two recipients of the Cleantech Award receive a non-recourse grant of $30,000, 12-months of business mentorship from U.S. Bank and Evergreen Climate Innovations, and heightened exposure to both investors and potential customers.
By expanding the traditional pipeline of opportunities and investing in a wide range of talented entrepreneurs, we aim to accelerate the development of transformative cleantech solutions with the aim of promoting economic growth and job creation across our target regions.
Not currently accepting applications.
Award Application Criteria
Founder:
Best fit is for companies in the pre-seed or seed stage.
Eligible Geographies:
Companies headquartered in the following states are eligible:
Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Company Criteria:
- Company must be legally incorporated
- Company employment must be within the range of 2-12 full-time employees
- Company must not have raised greater than $3 million from external investors
- Company must own or have a valid license to relevant IP
- Preferred: Companies with a market-ready product or service
- Preferred: Service provides positive social impact
Sector:
Eligible founders must have a product or service that mitigates harmful emissions, reduces carbon emitted into or already in the atmosphere, or otherwise positively impacts the environment. Eligible sectors include renewable energy, energy efficiency, smart buildings/cities, energy storage, mobility/advanced transportation, sustainable food & agriculture, resiliency services, carbon mitigation, environmental product/ service innovation, sustainable wastewater management, sustainable management of living and natural resources & land use.
Additional Qualities:
While not explicitly required, other beneficial qualifications include:
- Company is revenue-generating
If you have any questions, please email Senior Program Manager Dylan O’Reilly at dylan@evergreeninno.org.
Congratulations to our 2023 winner, Agriwater!
Our 2023 U.S. Bank Foundation Cleantech Award winner was Agriwater. Agriwater is a Tennessee-based company focused on reducing the prevalence of hazardous wastewater lagoons and carbon emissions from agricultural wastewater with their proprietary water treatment system.
“Agriwater's innovative technology removes contaminants from wastewater, decreasing the likelihood of pollution in rural areas, reducing greenhouse gases and even creating clean water for reuse and recycling.”
Ready for investment and support?
Your climate tech startup may be eligible.