'For The Love Of The Planet:' Tech Incubator Climate Haven Now Open

NEW HAVEN, CT — ClimateHaven, New Haven’s newly established climate tech incubator at 770 Chapel St. is officially open.

So far, 17 climate tech startups have been accepted into the competitive program over the last three months and have"hit the ground running, engaging in roundtables, participating in events, and working with our mentors."

"We’re officially official," the nonprofit wrote on Instagram.

"As a nonprofit innovation hub, ClimateHaven will support early-stage climate tech entrepreneurs, providing workshops, accelerator programming, and access to resources and networks that startups need to scale their climate technologies. We are very excited to work with such a dynamic mix of innovative, forward-thinking entrepreneurs, and we are honored to support them in their efforts to achieve carbon neutrality for our planet.”

On hand for the ribbon cutting last week were Gov. Ned Lamont; Alexandra Daum, Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development; Katie Dykes, Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection; Justin Elicker, Mayor of New Haven as well as ClimateHaven’s startups, supporters and funders "who have been catalytic to the organization’s rapid growth."

Right off the bat, ClimateHaven hosted the opening night reception of the Yale Clean Energy Conference, a two-day gathering of leading experts to discuss clean energy justice, finance, technology, policy and careers.

The rand opening, Ryan Dings, ClimateHaven CEO, said, "Marks an important milestone as we officially open the doors to the ClimateHaven community."

"We are very excited to work with such a dynamic mix of innovative, forward-thinking entrepreneurs," he said. "And we are honored to support them in their efforts to achieve carbon neutrality for our planet.”

Dykes, who is also a member of the ClimateHaven board of directors, agreed.

“We are amazed by the entrepreneurial talent that ClimateHaven is attracting from across the state and the region," Dykes said. "We look forward to witnessing the impressive technologies the startups develop, technologies that we will need if we are to meet the challenge presented by climate change and build the clean energy economy Connecticut deserves.”

A nonprofit innovation hub, ClimateHaven supports early-stage climate tech entrepreneurs through a combination of physical incubation space, workshops, accelerator programming, and access to the resources and networks that startups need to scale their climate technologies. Much has been happening since it identified its Chapel Street location this past spring.

With a grant from Connecticut’s Community Investment Program, ClimateHaven is building out its office, convening and prototyping space, transforming it into a vibrant environment for climate tech entrepreneurs to develop meaningful solutions and build their businesses. The first 10,000 square feet is nearing completion, with an additional 8,000 square feet to be complete in early 2024.

In June, ClimateHaven initiated its incubator membership application process and began accepting startups on a rolling basis. In the past month, members have been engaging in roundtables with each other, working with mentors, and beginning their move into the space.

In September and in partnership with Kaplak, ClimateHaven launched the ReGen Accelerator program—also housed at 770 Chapel Street—to support 20 climate tech companies across two programs in 2024. The first program, ReGen for Startups, will run from April – June 2024 and focus on pre-seed and seed-stage founders tackling the challenge of technology development. The second program, ReGen for Scaleups, will run from September – November 2024 and will support Seed and Series A companies aiming to commercialize their technologies.

Throughout the summer and fall, ClimateHaven has been building an impressive network of resource partners that can provide valuable support and targeted services to the startups, including Connecticut Innovations; Aon; FORGE Connecticut; MakeHaven; Marcum; Wiggin and Dana; and GSB.

“ClimateHaven and its community of climate tech startups are building upon such a vibrant creative and entrepreneurial spirit of New Haven," J.R. Logan, Executive Director of MakeHaven, a makerspace featuring an abundance of prototyping tools and equipment located two floors below ClimateHaven, said. "We see the talent of New Haven’s people on display every day in MakeHaven, and we’re so proud that our resources will be shared by entrepreneurs committing their efforts to building decarbonizing technologies.”

In addition to the support from the Connecticut Department of Economic Development through its Community Investment Program, the ClimateHaven community is benefiting from the generous support of the Community Foundation of Greater New Haven, the Seedlings Foundation, Wiggin and Dana, LLP, and Yale University. ClimateHaven will continue its capital raising campaign beyond its grand opening as it continues to build out its physical space and expand its resources for the startup community.

“The support of our funders has been exceptional. They recognize, like we do, the critical role that decarbonizing technologies will play in simultaneously addressing the moral imperative of climate change and creating an economic opportunity for a new generation of entrepreneurs," Dings said. "We are so proud to transform their financial support into this incredible climate community.”

For more information, visit https://www.climatehaven.tech.