Venture For ClimateTech Accelerator Launches Applications For Cohort 6

Each Selected Startup Receives Up to $50,000 and High-Touch Support

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Jan. 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Venture For ClimateTech (V4C), a global accelerator supporting early-stage climate and deep-tech innovators, announced today that applications are now open for its sixth cohort through February 20, 2026. V4C, supported by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), invites ambitious pre-seed and seed-stage founders from around the world to apply for a program designed to deliver essential early capital, tailored mentorship, and direct pathways to investment and commercialization.

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Built to accelerate the world’s most promising climate technologies, the V4C program provides a reliable, non-dilutive foothold for founders to reach business and commercial readiness, simultaneously improving investor confidence in the technologies emerging from the program. Ten companies will be selected for Cohort 6, each receiving up to $50,000 in non-dilutive funding, intensive founder coaching, investor and corporate introductions, and a highly engaged peer community.

The five-month virtual program concludes with an in-person investor showcase during Climate Week NYC in September 2026, giving founders a prominent platform to demonstrate their progress and connect with partners who can advance their commercialization journey.

“Climate tech founders need early capital, expert guidance, and a strong support system to take on the world’s most urgent challenges,” said Jack Baron, Managing Director of V4C. “Cohort 6 will elevate the next wave of breakthrough innovations and give them the momentum they need to scale globally.”

Stephen Bravo, NYSERDA Director of Commercialization, said, “NYSERDA is proud to support the successful Venture For ClimateTech program and we are excited to see the innovative energy technologies as part of the next cohort. Entrepreneurs and startups are consistently bringing clean energy to the forefront of the industry to meet demand and improve affordability.”

Proven Impact: Alumni Breaking Barriers

Venture For ClimateTech’s model has demonstrated strong results since its launch. The program’s 78 alumni companies have collectively raised over $156 million in follow-on funding and created 128 jobs. The program continues to build a diverse and inclusive founder community, with 58% of companies led by founders of color and 45% by female founders.

“The reason I’d recommend this program to other founders is you're going to learn a lot that you typically would not come across. You're going to connect with individuals, organizations, and government entities that you never thought you were going to be able to reach,” said Patrick Michel, Co-Founder & Chief of Sales at Soarce and Cohort 5 participant. “You're going to come out of this program as a completely different founder. I kid you not—coming from someone that has gone through different accelerator programs, V4C is unlike any other.”

A few examples of recent alumni achievements:

• Holocene (Cohort 2), a direct air capture innovator, entered a landmark $10 million agreement with Google to deliver 100,000 carbon removal credits and was later acquired by Occidental Petroleum Corporation—marking a major milestone for carbon removal technologies.

• Mars Materials (Cohort 1) completed full validation with SNF, a global market leader in the $11B polyacrylamide and water-soluble polymers market, strengthening circularity in consumer and industrial goods.

• Hydronic Shell Technologies (Cohort 3) secured multi-level public funding to retrofit 418 Fabius St. in Syracuse, NY, with its façade-integrated HVAC technology, significantly improving energy performance and resident comfort.

Founders interested in applying for Cohort 6 can get started here and submit their applications by February 20, 2026.

About Venture For ClimateTech (V4C)

V4C is a non-dilutive accelerator dedicated to transforming early-stage climate technologies into scalable global companies. V4C provides pre-seed and seed founders with funding, hands-on mentorship, and access to a strong network of experts, investors, and partners to help drive commercialization and follow-on investment. V4C is funded by NYSERDA and administered by NextCorps.