Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI)

🌟 Announcing Innovators Cohort 9 at LACI! 🌍 We're thrilled to introduce the newest group of changemakers in the Innovators Program at LACI—Cohort 9! These visionary startups are tackling some of the most pressing challenges in the circular economy (43% of cohort), clean energy (36%), and zero-emissions transportation (21%). The Innovators Program is a 12-month journey tailored for early-stage cleantech startups in Southern California (Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Orange counties). Designed for ventures at the pre-seed or pre-prototype stage, the program empowers startups by providing: ✅ Guidance to refine and validate their business model and product offerings ✅ Tools and resources to explore funding and financing opportunities ✅ Connections to grow networks and build partnerships in new markets ✅ Opportunities to test and pilot their technologies ✅ Support to build a strong foundation for long-term growth We're proud to highlight the diversity of this cohort: ✨ 50% have women founders ✨ 43% are BIPOC-founded ✨ 14% have LGBTQ+ founders 💡 Meet the Cohort 9 Innovators: 2 Birds Logistics: Green delivery and return solutions for e-commerce AquaSense: Smart-tape technology for real-time leak detection CityGreens: Urban hydroponic farming for sustainable produce EyeClimate: Methane emissions detection through deep-tech intelligence Electrifyze: EV purchasing journey platform for organizations IlatStudios: Circular luxury knits with no-waste technology InfinityTrace: Blockchain-enabled product lifecycle traceability Set Zero: Clean energy solutions for film, TV, and live productions Moon Scuba: Sustainable wetsuits designed for women Project K: Fast-charging potassium-ion batteries TASSERACT: Innovative clean energy storage solutions for EVs Elective: Renewable energy deployment for municipal/non-profits Thread Haus : Education and job creation for sustainable fashion Yggdrasil Trees: Multi-purpose DAC technology to capture CO2 Each of these startups is making a bold impact, redefining what's possible in cleantech innovation. Together, we're building a sustainable, inclusive future. 🌟 Want to learn more about these incredible companies or the Innovators Program at LACI? Visit: https://laincubator.org/ #Cleantech #LACIInnovators #GreenEconomy #Sustainability #Startups #CircularEconomy #CleanEnergy #ZeroEmissionsTransportation

Please join us in welcoming 15 new portfolio companies to our Incubation Program! We are excited to support the visionary leaders of these inspiring companies as they develop bold solutions to today's most pressing environmental challenges and work toward building a brighter, more #sustainable future. Read all about the new cohort and our founder-friendly LACI Incubation Program in our latest blog by LACI Senior Vice President of Unlocking Innovation Adrienne Lindgren ⤵️ https://lnkd.in/gTfZCk5E Aris Hydronics | Atrium Energy | BlueUrbn | ChargeWonder | Kiosk | Cryo X CO | Dashboard.Earth | Lola Vision Systems | Pando Electric | SkyThermal | Strut Motors, Inc. | Thermal Smart Aerogel | Uplift | WHISPER Energy | WattsUp

Miss the launch of our Going for Gold blueprint to catalyze charging infrastructure investments ahead of the 2028 Games? Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/gJD3g_fk

Electrifying heavy-duty vehicles--and building out the infrastructure to support them--is a critical component to reaching our 2028 Transportation Electrification Partnership goals. That's a big part of the reason why we were excited to collaborate with our JETSI project partners to develop the California Battery-Electric Truck Fleet Toolkit. The toolkit serves as a valuable resource for fleet operators to navigate the transition to zero-emission vehicles with confidence. Included in the toolkit: ✅ Info on public funding opportunities to reduce electrification costs ✅ Insights to BET market options ✅ Strategies for planning and implementing charging infrastructure ✅ Proven workforce development practices ✅ Real-world insight from JETSI project partners Download: https://lnkd.in/gTyNkUeK #JETSIProject

🏆 The 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games present an incredible opportunity for the Greater Los Angeles region to maximize electric transportation and clean energy utilization during the Games, while also demonstrating climate leadership on a global stage and creating lasting benefits for the people of Los Angeles. Hear about the Road to 2028 from our President and CEO, Matt Petersen, and other LACI leaders: laci.la/GoingforGoldVideo

🎉 Congrats to Spark Innovation Center at the UT Research Park, a Phase 2 winner of EPIC Round 3 funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Office of Technology Transitions--and to all recipients of EPIC funding during 2024. A win for one member of the National Coalition of Clean Energy Incubators (NCCEI) is a win for the coalition at large and the thousands of startups the coalition collectively serves. In addition to Spark, we're proud that 5 other NCEEI members organizations also received Round 3, Phase 1 funding earlier this year: Launch Alaska Elemental Impact mHUB BRITE Energy Innovators Urban Future Lab at NYU Tandon School of Engineering. Here's to securing more critical funding to continue this important work in the new year! https://lnkd.in/gYQj6PtW

🍎🔋 Food Revolution LA is making a significant impact in the South Central community by tackling food insecurity and reducing emissions through our Penske E-Cargo Van pilot program. Since joining our partnership this past summer, Food Revolution LA has recovered and redistributed 1,200 pounds of fresh produce and other food items every week from Sprouts, Trader Joe's, and Whole Foods to families in need in Leimert Park. Over this time, they've driven more than 3,000 zero-emission miles across the LA area in their Penske E-Cargo Van. We are proud to support Food Revolution LA in their ongoing efforts to nourish South LA families while promoting sustainability.  This program is made possible with funding from the California Air Resources Board and is a part of the Los Angeles Department of Transportation's Universal Basic Mobility program bringing clean affordable transportation to all Angelenos. If you are a small business owner in South LA who is interested in learning more about our Penske E-Cargo Van pilot program, we encourage you to reach out to the program manager. DM us for the info!

Thanks to grant funding from the California Energy Commission and support from LA28 Olympic & Paralympic Games and other partners, we recently launched the "Going for Gold" blueprint to catalyze investments in charging infrastructure ahead of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. If you're not familiar with LACI's robust plans to accelerate transportation electrification and clean energy by the time of the Games, this is a great entry point. We often discuss why we are hoping to use the spotlight of the Games to drive progress for our region. This Blueprint helps to answer the how--providing specific recommendations on locations where the LA region can deploy ZE solutions to support the transportation operations of the Games and to serve Angelenos for decades to come. Recommendations focus on items like school bus and transit bus depot electrification, creating energy and transportation hubs at municipal airports, and much more. Take a look at the executive summary or dive into the full report to learn more about these recommendations and the road to a nearly zero-emission 2028 Games. ⤵️ https://lnkd.in/gJD3g_fk

Last week, we held our 5th annual TEP Summit. Many of our TEP members, along with government officials, industry professionals, and utility companies joined us for engaging panels centered around our 2028 transportation electrification goals. The day featured panels and keynote addresses from a host of distinguished speakers, including U.S. Senator Adam Schiff, Senior Director for Transportation at the The White House Climate Policy Office Alycia Gilde, California State Senator Ben Allen, Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur, Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez, Director of Transportation & Fuels at the California Energy Commission Hannon Rasool, Long Beach Vice Mayor Cindy Allen, Los Angeles Councilmember Nithya Raman, Senior Advisor at Los Angeles Unified School District JAIME TORRENS, City of Los Angeles Director of Environmental Justice Lizzeth Rosales, Deputy Chief Operations Officer of Los Angeles Metro Matthew Dake, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs at Southern California Edison (SCE) Mike Backstrom, Chair at California Air Resources Board & TEP Co-Chair Liane Randolph, Director of Efficiency Solutions at Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) David Jacot, P.E., and LADWP 2028 Games Program Manager Greg Sarvas, P.E.. During such a critical moment in time, we are so proud to lead Greater Los Angeles toward our transportation electrification 2028 goals. 🛣️ Check out our progress on the Road to 2028: https://lnkd.in/gn7EnxQg

☀️ ThermoShade, a LACI Portfolio Company from our Incubation program, has launched an equity crowdfunding campaign to raise $100,000. ThermoShade develops passive cooling shade panels, which was piloted at LACI's campus last summer. Check out their campaign: https://lnkd.in/gcUnrvRU