California Sustainable Energy Entrepreneurial Development (CalSEED) Initiative

Bridging the gap for clean energy entrepreneurs with non-dilutive funding up to $600k.

California Clean Energy Fund dba CalCEF Ventures

Recipient

Oakland, CA

Recipient Location

9th

Senate District

18th

Assembly District

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$28,412,116

Amount Spent

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Active

Project Status

Project Update

In 2022, CalSEED awarded over $6.6 million to 30 startups throughout the state for a range of projects including startup Horizon PV’s innovative film solar cells to Electric Fish’s DC microgrid technology that can support agnostic EV charging.

Since CalSEED’s inception in 2016, 116 startups have been awarded $150,000 Concept Award grants - constituting $17.4 million awarded in total. CalSEED’s Concept Award winners are eligible to compete in Cleantech Open’s Business Plan Competition for an additional $450,000 to continue to develop their technologies. Thus far 25 startups have received Prototype Awards of $450,000 for a total of $11.3 million. CalSEED seeks to support innovators and entrepreneurs from diverse socio-economic and geographic backgrounds in California and is proud to have awarded $17.3 million to companies with underrepresented groups in leadership, including women.

The Issue

Clean energy entrepreneurs have trouble securing very early stage funding for potential breakthrough technologies even if those technologies would merit significant follow-on funding after the proof-of-concept is completed. Additionally, entrepreneurs with technology concepts often do not have adequate access to the mentoring, technical consulting, and business services that they need to successfully bring their technology to market.

Project Innovation

The CalSEED Initiative helps develop California's next generation of clean energy entrepreneurs, providing seed funding as well as mentoring, technical consulting, and business development services to support energy entrepreneurs and research teams in their quest to develop breakthrough solutions that will benefit electric ratepayers in Pacific Gas and Electric, Southern California Edison, and San Diego Gas & Electric service territories. Entrepreneurs receive funding in two stages. Concept Awards provide funding of up to $150,000 and are conducted through open solicitations; Prototype Awards provide funding of up to $450,000, but are only available to companies who have received a Concept Award.

Project Goals

Award 25 startups / year to advance promising technologies that will result in benefits to ratepayers California.
For all grant recipients track metrics for technology advancement and business development.
Work with startups to start building Justice, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion into their business plans as they scale.

Project Benefits

CalSEED addresses a critical gap in the early technology development phase where small amounts of funding can have a significant impact in bringing new ratepayer-beneficial innovations to market by providing seed funding as well as mentoring, technical consulting, and business development services to support energy entrepreneurs and research teams in their quest to develop breakthrough clean energy solutions.

Economic Development

Economic Development

The CalSEED Initiative fills important niche in the energy innovation space by providing initial small grant funding to energy entrepreneurs to prove out their technology concept. The results can be used to attract private sector funding.

Key Project Members

Joy Larson

Joy Larson

Program Manager
Sarah Chester

Sarah Chester

Compliance Manager
New Energy Nexus

Subrecipients

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Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

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The Regents of the University of California on behalf of the Davis Campus

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The Regents of the University of California, San Diego

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Center for Sustainable Energy

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Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator

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Elemental Excelerator

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Umberg Zipser LLP

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Greenlining Institute

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Build Momentum (d.b.a. Momentum)

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Match Partners

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Regents of the University of California, Davis

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California Clean Energy Fund dba CalCEF Ventures

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Umberg Zipser LLP

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Greenlining Institute

Rocket

Build Momentum (d.b.a. Momentum)

Rocket

Contact the Team

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