Uptake Alliance is pleased to announce the first round of awards for demonstration and commercialization grants. These grants will support tech validation and go-to-market efforts, helping startups advance their technical and commercial readiness while addressing critical needs for development and growth.

New York, [October, 15, 2024] — Uptake Alliance, a climate venture development program administered by ADL Ventures and supported by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) announced the grant recipients from its inaugural collective of innovative startups. Through a competitive selection process, four companies were chosen for their potential to commercialize and scale their innovative climate technology solutions in New York State. The awarded startup companies will receive a total of $483,000 in grant funding to accelerate critical pilot projects, aimed at decarbonization, energy efficiency and energy cost reductions, in partnership with corporate collaborators.

Uptake Alliance aims to build a statewide platform for market-demand-led venture development, and to foster regional climate technology innovation ecosystems across New York State. Uptake Alliance issues grants designed to help startups secure non-dilutive funding and private capital necessary to advance their pilots, scale solutions, and strengthen corporate partnerships, to help deploy clean energy and climate technology solutions.

By providing non-dilutive funds, the program minimizes risk and strategically aligns each grant with market conditions, driving significant impact. These grants will support decarbonization initiatives with key corporate partners, helping move New York State closer to its ambitious climate goals.

The inaugural Uptake Alliance grant will support four innovative companies: Edgecom Energy (partnering with Raymond Hadley Corporation) to optimize facility energy usage with AI and IoT solutions; EnergyGuard, previously known as Hub Controls (with Greater Opportunities, INC.) to expand their energy-saving HubLite tech across low-income housing agencies; Itselectric (in collaboration with the City of Yonkers) to scale EV charging infrastructure for urban residents; and Voltpost (working with the Metropolitan Transit Authority) to deploy lamppost EV chargers using existing city infrastructure.

Sander Dolder, Managing Director of Uptake Alliance, expressed excitement about the awardees: "The companies selected for our inaugural grant program are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in climate tech. Their projects are designed to deliver impactful, scalable solutions that meet real-world market demands, positioning them to make a significant contribution to New York’s climate goals. The quality and innovation of the applicants were impressive, and we’re excited to see how these awardees will leverage the support from Uptake Alliance to accelerate progress."'

Brandon Owens, NYSERDA Vice President, Innovation said, “Congratulations to the Uptake Alliance awardees on receiving these demonstration and commercialization grants. NYSERDA is proud to support this initiative, which will help move these climate tech companies closer to launching their innovative solutions across New York State.”

This marks a significant milestone for Uptake Alliance, as these startups continue to pioneer climate tech innovations in sectors ranging from transportation to energy management. By aligning corporate commitments with innovative solutions, Uptake Alliance is fostering a collaborative ecosystem to meet the critical challenge of climate change.

About Uptake Alliance
Uptake Alliance (“Uptake”) is a market demand-inspired venture development program designed to accelerate the market adoption of innovative climate tech solutions by establishing stronger product/market fit with private and public offtake partners. The program supports climate technology startups in key sectors essential to New York’s climate and energy goals. Uptake fosters collaboration within the climate tech ecosystem to coordinate efforts and advance the collective mission of achieving New York’s emission reduction targets. For more information, visit www.uptakealliance.com.

About ADL Ventures
ADL Ventures develops and launches clean infrastructure innovations. By bridging the gap between industry incumbents and the entrepreneurial ecosystem, ADL delivers the full innovation life cycle from strategy to development to launch. For more information, visit www.adlventures.com.