Los Angeles Regional Energy Innovation Cluster
Los Angeles' entrpereneurial hub for clean energy technologies.
Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator
Recipient
Los Angeles, CA
Recipient Location
24th
Senate District
53rd
Assembly District
$6,655,509
Amount Spent
Active
Project Status
Project Update
In 2023, the Los Angeles Regional Energy Innovation Cluster (LA REIC) continued to provide important technical and business services such as speaking and networking opportunities, access to business development resources, awareness of funding opportunities, and connections to local energy stakeholders. As of December 2023, startups in all of its cleantech programs receiving services have received over $536 million in follow-on funding with 36 startups moving into more advanced programs and maintaining the 5 of the startups that were acquired by larger organizations.
The Issue
The Los Angeles region lacks the necessary coordination of technical, business, and social support services for clean energy researchers and entrepreneurs to develop clean energy innovations and the business opportunities resulting from them. This lack of organizational support prevents the Los Angeles region from clearly understanding the best direction for its clean energy economy. A coordinated effort is needed to determine regional energy needs, foster the size and strength of its current clean energy ecosystem, and provide a full, curated range of technical and commercialization services that are currently not available for clean energy entrepreneurs.
Project Innovation
This project establishes the Los Angeles Regional Energy Innovation Cluster to act as a regional hub of the clean energy ecosystem and to give promising clean energy entrepreneurs in Los Angeles, Orange, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties direct access to the region's top technical, business, outreach, and commercialization support services. This project assesses and addresses the region's energy needs by making use of and expanding resources for entrepreneurs and startups, including facilities, coaching, business support, speaking and networking engagements, and information about funding opportunities, all through connections facilitated by the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator.
Project Goals
Project Benefits
This project will benefit California IOU electricity ratepayers through the increased probability of commercialization and deployment of a portfolio of technologies that can reduce electricity costs, decrease peak demand, and improve system reliability and safety. This project will also support technologies based on the regional energy market needs and engage a diverse group of clean energy stakeholders to provide the support, network, and resources needed for accelerated clean energy commercialization.
Affordability
This project will reduce the time and cost of new energy technology development by providing entrepreneurs with access to facilities, resources, and services needed to commercialize their innovation.
Economic Development
The services provided by this cluster will support the development of local companies and job creation, and further develop the clean energy economy throughout the Los Angeles region. To date, a total of over 200 startup companies employed and hired staff in Southern California
Key Project Members
Lauren Harper
Mayte Sanchez
Subrecipients
California State University, Long Beach Research Foundation
Southern California Edison
The Regents of the University of California on behalf of the Los Angeles Campus
Community Environmental Council
California State University, Northridge
Los Angeles County Office of Sustainability
Sustain Southern California
CSU Dominguez Hills
CSU Water Resources and Policy Initiatives
California Institute of Technology (First Look West)
PitchBook
E&E News
Build Momentum (d.b.a. Momentum)
Survey Monkey
California Energy Markets
Foundersuite
Udemy
Ahmed Mirza
Proper Sustainability
Shepard Consulting Group
Sustainable Law Group
Match Partners
California State University, Long Beach Research Foundation
Southern California Edison
Community Environmental Council
California State University, Northridge
Economic Development Corporation of Los Angeles County
California State Polytechnic University Pomona
Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator
The Clean Tech Open
Los Angeles County Office of Sustainability
Sustain Southern California
CSU Dominguez Hills
CSU Los Angeles
CSU Channel Islands
LA Business Technology Center
CSU Water Resources and Policy Initiatives
