NY Climate Tech: June 10 - June 17

HAHApocalypse, data in power, DERs, "energy week", Tribeca Film Fest, and more upcoming events

Alec Turnbull

Sonam Velani

, and

Streetlife Ventures

Jun 10, 2025

Hi friends,

The NYC Mayoral primary is Tuesday, June 24, with early voting starting this Saturday! As a New Yorker, this is the most consequential vote you’ll have, so be sure to take it. Remember, the last mayoral election was decided by just 7,197 votes.

NYC uses to ranked choice voting. But just because you can rank multiple candidates doesn’t mean you should. Leaving a candidate off your ballot can matter just as much as who you vote for. Ranking someone low can still turn into a vote for them in the final stages. Don’t rank anyone you don’t want to see as mayor.

Looking for ways to mobilize? Head to the ⏰ Brooklyn Hour of Action this Wednesday to get out the vote for climate-friendly candidates.

Want to learn more about the candidates? The City x Gothamist have a great “Meet Your Mayor” quiz.

— Alec, Sonam, and the Climate Tech Cities team

Tonight, laugh it off at the 😂 HAHApocalypse variety show at Caveat on the LES tonight, or go meet other climate professionals at the 🍻 June Climate Tech Mixer.

Nerd out about energy at 📊 Data In Power tonight and the ⚡ DERTF NYC Meetup on Wednesday, both in lower Manhattan.

Get creative this weekend at the 🎬 NYC Creative Sustainability Summit taking place in parallel with the Tribeca Film Festival.

PICKS THIS WEEK

😂 HAHApocalypse: Tue, Jun 10
🍻 June Climate Tech Mixer: Tue, Jun 10
⚡ DERTF NYC Meetup: Wed, Jun 11
⏰ Brooklyn Hour of Action: Wed, Jun 11
☀️ Beyond The Frontier: Pioneering the Future Summit in NYC: Wed, Jun 11
🌐 World Sustainability Leadership Forum: Thu, Jun 12
🎬 NYC Creative Sustainability Summit: Sat, Jun 14

ONLY IN NYC

🦪 RETI Center's Annual Infinite Mussel Party

RETI Center is an amazing local organization that trains, educates and collaborates with local youth, industry experts, and community members to promote a balance of equity, ecology, and economy as we reimagine and adapt our waterfront communities to the new climate reality. The Infinite Mussel Party is their summer fundraiser, with fresh mussels and delicious New York State beer, wine, and cider, and your excuse for ferry ride to Red Hook.

SUPERLATIVES

Best for investors: ☀️ Beyond The Frontier: Pioneering the Future Summit (Wed, Jun 11)
Best to make international friends: 🇺🇳 UN TECH OVER Hackathon: Ahead of the Storm (Mon, Jun 10)
Best for human-octopus relations: 🦑 PORTALS: Closing for the Institute for Transhuman Cephalopod Evolution (Sat, Jun 14)

COMMUNITY SHOUTOUT

🌿 New report out! A new report released by the NYC Biodiversity Task Force urges city leaders to recognize, protect, & invest in the extraordinary wildness that lives across the 5 boroughs - from the endangered Seabeach Amaranth to the Monarch Butterfly. “Oaks, Our City and Us” lays out a bold vision for a New York where people and nature thrive together. ➤ https://bit.ly/NYCbiodiversity

OPPORTUNITIES

🔥 Verizon Disaster Resilience Prize: Due Jun. 13

The Prize seeks exceptional solutions that strengthen disaster resilience in the United States. The Verizon Disaster Resilience Prize has a particular interest in solutions that: Enhance early warning systems and disaster preparedness; Improve emergency response and resource coordination; Strengthen infrastructure and protect vulnerable communities; Support long-term recovery and community resilience after weather-related disasters.

⚡️ Google AI for Energy: Due Jun. 30

This program focuses on grid optimization, demand flexibility and energy solutions for customers, including utilities and commercial entities. By supporting advancements in areas such as interconnection queues and carbon-aware infrastructure, the Accelerator aims to drive innovation, sustainability, and reliability in the energy landscape.

🧶 The Mills Fabrica Innovation Challenge: Due Jun. 30

The Mills Fabrica is partnering with a renowned American retail corporation to explore innovative uses for cellulose-based textile waste obtained from upcycling cotton-polyester blended garments. We welcome early-stage ideas from around the world that can leverage cellulosic powder for applications beyond the textile sector. The winning idea will be awarded USD $20,000 by the American retail corporation to advance their solution.

🏙️ Building Cleaner Communities: Due Jul. 31

NYSERDA’s Building Cleaner Communities Competition supports the design and construction of carbon neutral or net zero energy performance in two categories. Category A provides funding at the facility level, supporting building-specific measures for efficiency, all-electric heating and cooling, renewable energy, storage and electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Category B provides funding at the community and campus level supporting planning, energy modeling, design, technical analysis needed for carbon neutral or net zero performance of the large-scale project. The program is open to existing and new construction buildings to achieve carbon neutral or net zero energy performance.

CONFERENCE RADAR

📈 The Economist’s Sustainability Week US & Energy Transition Summit (Thu, Jun 12. NYC): A deceptively-named one-day forum with major corporates & NY energy leaders

🤖 Latitude Media’s Transition-AI (Thu, Jun 12. Boston): Energy infrastructure with your favorite podcast hosts turned LPO officers turned podcast hosts.

Tuesday, June 10

Wednesday, June 11

Thursday, June 12

Friday, June 13

Saturday, June 14