Apply if you’re an entrepreneur building an innovative company
We’re on a mission with the U.S. Bank Foundation to support underserved and underrepresented cleantech entrepreneurs.
The U.S. Bank Foundation Cleantech Inclusion Award is a grant awarded to entrepreneurs who identify as socially and/or economically disadvantaged and who are building innovative companies that benefit the environment, create jobs, and drive economic development.
The two recipients of the Cleantech Inclusion Award receive a non-recourse grant of $30,000, 12-months of business mentorship from U.S. Bank Foundation and Evergreen Climate Innovations, and heightened exposure to both investors and potential customers.
Award Application Criteria
Founder:
Company must have at least one founder who identifies as socially and/or economically disadvantaged
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 and has the potential to benefit historically underserved communities
Sector:
Eligible founders must have a product or service that mitigates harmful emissions, reduces carbon, 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 Inclusion 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.