NY Climate Tech: May 19 - May 26

Up to $200k for immersive climate art, CDR, EVs, food systems investing, sustainable architecture & AI, climate nightlife, and more upcoming events

Alec Turnbull, Sonam Velani, and Streetlife Ventures

May 19, 2026

Hi all,

Climate solutions require more than just technology. We have a few upcoming opportunities for you to flex your creative muscles in the next few weeks:

Next Tuesday, May 26, swing by the West Village for a locally anchored story workshop: 🌇 The City as Commons: New Stories of Climate Justice, hosted by the Climate Film Festival and Global Rise.
Apply by June 12th for a $25K–$200K grant to work on a climate project in immersive media from Agog. Artists, organizers, researchers, technologists, impact-focused orgs, and studios working on climate projects all eligible. No XR experience required.

Here are our picks for the week:

Today, Tuesday talk biochar, sorbents, and all things carbon at 🍻 RAISING THE BAR in CDR Happy Hour! or plug into the transportation community at the ⚡ Women in EV NYC Happy Hour
Wednesday head to Prime Produce for 🌱 Impact for Breakfast - Investing in Scaling, Food Systems, and Catastrophe Bonds
Thursday hear about architecture, climate, and AI at 🏛️ Shaping Sustainability of Tomorrow or meet up at the 🍺 Climate Pints May Gathering
Sunday head to Silence Please for the 🌙 Sustainabile Nightlife Salon

And finally don’t forget that NY Tech Week is around the corner, the first week of June. We won’t be doing a deep dive, but you can find the climate events here.

As always, scroll down for the full list of upcoming events.

Til next week!
Alec, Sonam, and the Climate Tech Cities team

Tuesday, May 19

Wednesday, May 20

Thursday, May 21

Friday, May 22

Saturday, May 23

Sunday, May 24

🌙 Sustainability Salon Sunday @Silence Please Volume 2

🕶️ Climate Futures + Immersive Media Grant: Due June 12

Agog: The Immersive Media Institute has just launched its first open call: Climate Futures + Immersive Media. This $1 million open call offers grants of $25,000–$200,000 for innovators, technologists, artists, organizers, researchers, impact-focused organizations, studios, and creative teams with an immersive climate project. Importantly: no extended reality (XR) experience required.
Applications close June 12. https://agog.org/opencall2026

Opportunities

🌇 Urban Future Competition: Due 4/27

Celebrating its 10th year, the Urban Future Prize Competition is open for startup applications, awarding $50,000 in non-dilutive funding to two winners, $10,000 to two runner-up teams, and admission into the ACRE Incubator for leading climatetech startups across Climate Mitigation and Climate Adaptation tracks.

🚀 Entrepreneur Roundtable Accelerator: Due 5/4

ERANYC is where founders build, connect, and grow their companies with the help of our team and deep network of mentors and investors. ERA provides a unique advantage to founders—NYC’s largest mentor network, with 1,000+ expert mentors and 700+ alumni founders across all major industries. $150K investment on a 6% Post-Money SAFE, $600K+ in perks & cloud credits (AWS, Google Cloud, OpenAI & more).

🔌 EPRI Incubatenergy Labs (May 31)

EPRI Incubatenergy Labs is EPRI's flagship innovation program that connects early-stage startups with leading electric utilities for paid proof-of-concept demonstration projects. The paid POC structure means startups can fund development while building crucial utility relationships.

⚡️ Joules Accelerator (June 15)

The Joules Accelerator is a 90-day, equity-free program designed specifically for advanced grid technology startups looking to accelerate their commercial traction. Based in Charlotte, NC, this nonprofit runs a highly curated cohort model for pre-seed through Series A companies, backed by an impressive network of 500+ industry advisors and partners including Duke Energy, Honeywell, Southern Company, and more. Applications are due June 15.

Upcoming Opportunities

ConEd Nonprofit Grants: Due June 30
🤖 Google for Startups Accelerator: AI for Energy : Due June 30

Upcoming Events

🌎 Climate Tech Cities and Streetlife Ventres Startup and Talent Platforms

Climate Tech Cities and Streetlife Ventures are launching new platforms to support climate founders, funders, and career transitioners! There is no shortage of great companies raising money for their groundbreaking ideas, great investors looking to support with capital, and great talent living the mantra that every job is a climate job. We can’t wait to hear from you!

🧵 WAREHOUSE TOUR

When: Tuesday, May 19

Where: FABSCRAP Brooklyn Warehouse, Brooklyn

FABSCRAP’s warehouse tour offers an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at how the organization has diverted over 2 million pounds of textile waste from landfills through innovative reuse and recycling initiatives. This hands-on experience provides direct insight into circular economy practices and sustainable fashion solutions in action. The free tour is ideal for sustainability professionals, fashion industry stakeholders, and anyone interested in waste reduction and environmental impact.

🌿 Climate-Resilient Communities in Chile

When: Tuesday, May 19

Where: The Forum at Columbia University, New York

Columbia World Projects presents findings from their climate resilience initiative in Chile, focusing on community capacity-building and civic participation strategies. This event shares practical results and lessons learned from strengthening climate-resilient communities, offering insights applicable to similar efforts across Latin America and beyond. The session provides an opportunity to understand how institutional partnerships can drive meaningful climate adaptation at the community level.

🏝️ Case Study: Art, Earth, Purpose – Reimagining Wilderness on Ossabaw Island

When: Tuesday, May 19

Where: 526 Hudson St, New York

This event explores Ossabaw Island’s pioneering model of environmental stewardship and creative flourishing through a case study discussion and film screening. Speakers Beryl Gilothwest and Megan Mayhew Bergman examine how Eleanor West’s vision of centering contemplation over exploitation created a unique “ecological workshop” that preserved an undeveloped island while fostering intellectual and artistic innovation. The conversation addresses urgent questions about shifting humanity’s relationship with land from ownership to stewardship in an era of environmental crisis.

🍻 RAISING THE BAR in CDR Happy Hour!

When: Tuesday, May 19

Where: New York

This is a networking happy hour celebrating achievements in carbon dioxide removal (CDR) and climate change mitigation, hosted by a coalition of leading climate tech companies including Cowboy Clean Fuels, Climate Vault Solutions, and Absolute Climate. The event brings together world-class partners in the climate solutions space for an evening of celebration and relationship-building in New York. With sponsorship from established players in carbon management and climate technology, this offers valuable networking opportunities within the rapidly growing CDR industry.

⚡ WEV NYC Happy Hour

When: Tuesday, May 19

Where: New York, NY, New York

Women of EVs NYC is hosting a casual after-work happy hour at Little Rebel on May 19th to bring together professionals in the electric vehicles and clean transportation sectors. This no-host networking event provides an informal setting for industry professionals to connect and share insights ahead of major fleet and clean transportation events happening in NYC. The event welcomes anyone working in or interested in EVs and clean transportation, making it an accessible entry point for community building.

🛖 Casa IED presents Julia Watson

When: Tuesday, May 19

Where: 84 Withers Street, Brooklyn, New York, Brooklyn

Landscape design often forgets about the impact of Indigenous technology and architecture, and their experience in finding sustainable, zero-impact solutions for living. Centuries of knowledge are often left at the margins due to the imposition of a Western, colonizer view on design. Julia Watson will be in conversation with writer and teacher Clara Ramazzotti, leading us through nature-based Indigenous discoveries, intersecting with anthropology, ecology, and urban design, in a talk about the past, present, and future of architecture.

🐧 Lectures on Tap -”Antarctica: Governance, Penguins, and Politics Explained”

When: Tuesday, May 19

Where: NoHo, New York

This Lectures on Tap event features an engaging discussion on Antarctica’s governance, wildlife, and geopolitical significance, delivered by experts in an accessible bar setting in Manhattan. The format combines educational content with casual networking, making complex polar and political topics approachable for a general audience. This unique blend of intellectual discourse and social atmosphere offers attendees an opportunity to learn from knowledgeable speakers while connecting with fellow curious minds in an informal environment.

🌱 Impact for Breakfast - Investing in Scaling, Food Systems, and Catastrophe Bonds

When: Wednesday, May 20

Where: Prime Produce, New York

This breakfast networking event convenes investors, sustainability leaders, and ecosystem builders to explore emerging opportunities in the green economy, with particular focus on scaling Latin American startups into the U.S. market, advancing sustainable food systems, and leveraging innovative financial instruments like catastrophe bonds for climate resilience. The program features YLAI Fellows and accomplished entrepreneurs sharing insights on circular economy innovation, food waste reduction, and climate adaptation strategies. Attendees will gain direct access to founders, venture leaders, and financial experts working at the intersection of impact investing and climate action.

🏗️ Spring Seminar Session 1 - AI in Engineering + Brandywine Museum

When: Wednesday, May 20

Where: 1 Penn Plaza New York, NY, New York

ASCE SEI Metropolitan Section presents a Spring Seminar combining AI in Engineering with a cultural component at the Brandywine Museum. This hybrid professional development event brings together structural engineering professionals for an evening of technical learning and networking in New York City. The seminar addresses the growing intersection of artificial intelligence and engineering practice, a timely topic for the structural engineering community.

🚌 Empire Clean Cities 17th Annual Stakeholder Meeting

When: Thursday, May 21

Where: Flushing Meadows Corona Park by the Unisphere, New York

The Empire Clean Cities 17th Annual Stakeholder Meeting brings together industry leaders to discuss the future of clean transportation. Held at the iconic Unisphere in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, this free event offers valuable networking opportunities with key stakeholders in the clean transportation sector. The long-standing annual gathering demonstrates the organization’s established credibility and commitment to advancing sustainable mobility solutions.

⛵ NYC 520 - WindScape Brooklyn

When: Thursday, May 21

Where: 34 35th St Side A, Floor 6, Brooklyn, NY 11232, Brooklyn

WindScape Brooklyn is New York’s first dedicated learning center for offshore wind education, offering an evening experience focused on renewable energy innovation. Hosted by NYC DCP’s Climate & Sustainability division, this free event provides direct access to cutting-edge offshore wind expertise in an interactive setting. The venue location in Brooklyn positions attendees at the heart of New York’s emerging clean energy infrastructure, making it ideal for professionals, policymakers, and sustainability advocates seeking hands-on learning opportunities.

♻️ IIDA NY Pioneering Design® | Adaptive Reuse in NYC

When: Thursday, May 21

Where: Mohawk Group, New York

IIDA NY presents a Pioneering Design event focused on adaptive reuse strategies in New York City, exploring how historic buildings are being transformed for contemporary use. This evening session brings together design professionals to discuss preservation practices and innovative approaches to urban development. The event offers direct networking opportunities with industry leaders in the design and real estate sectors within an intimate venue setting.

🌱 Climate Cafe By Earth Stewards NYC

When: Thursday, May 21

Where: Brooklyn Public Library - Gerritsen Beach Branch, Brooklyn

Climate Cafe by Earth Stewards NYC offers an intimate, community-focused gathering designed for reflection and connection around environmental and climate issues. Led by Jade Banham, founder of Earth Stewards NYC, the event creates a supportive space rooted in listening and care rather than debate or lectures. Attendees will connect with like-minded community members while enjoying complimentary refreshments in a welcoming Brooklyn library setting.

🧵 Sustainable Fashion Networking Experience

When: Thursday, May 21

Where: Walker Hotel Tribeca, New York

This exclusive NYC mixer brings together sustainable fashion professionals and enthusiasts for an evening of networking and artisan showcases. Featuring presentations by Cris Miranda and heritage brand Chomba, the event offers direct access to innovators in sustainable fashion. Held at the prestigious Walker Hotel Tribeca, this free networking experience provides valuable opportunities to connect with industry peers and discover emerging sustainable fashion brands.

🌳 Fort Defiance Park: Where Open Space and Climate Resilience Meets History

When: Thursday, May 21

Where: Waterfront Museum, Brooklyn

This event explores Fort Defiance Park’s dual significance as a Revolutionary War fortification and a modern climate resilience initiative in Brooklyn. Hosted by Resilient Red Hook at the Waterfront Museum, the evening program examines how historical preservation intersects with contemporary environmental sustainability efforts. The free event offers insights into local history while addressing the critical challenge of adapting urban waterfront spaces to climate impacts.

🏛️ The New Enlightenment: Shaping Sustainability of Tomorrow.

When: Thursday, May 21

Where: Austrian Cultural Forum New York, New York

This panel explores the intersection of AI, architecture, and culture to redefine sustainability as a cultural force shaping future environments. Hosted by the Austrian Cultural Forum New York, the event brings together thought leaders to discuss how cultural perspectives can drive sustainable design and development. The discussion bridges technology and humanities, offering insights into innovative approaches to environmental challenges. Free admission makes this an accessible opportunity for professionals interested in the convergence of design, technology, and sustainability.

🍺 Climate Pints May Gathering!

When: Thursday, May 21

Where: Prime Produce, New York

Climate Pints is a casual networking gathering for climate professionals and enthusiasts in New York City, blending social connection with environmental advocacy. The May event at Prime Produce brings together scientists, journalists, engineers, policymakers, and climate advocates for drinks, snacks, board games, and informal knowledge-sharing. With a $12 suggested donation supporting the venue and drinks (excess donated to GiveDirectly), the event emphasizes inclusivity and community-building across the climate sector while maintaining a fun, low-pressure atmosphere.

🌾 Fresh Picks: A Market to Transform How You Source Your Food

When: Friday, May 22

Where: Fabrik DUMBO, Brooklyn

Fresh Picks is a curated marketplace and panel event bringing together NYC’s leading local food makers and distributors to help attendees build sustainable eating habits that fit their lifestyle. Featuring founders from Farm to People, Seasonal, Local Roots NYC, and Groundcycle, the evening combines a networking marketplace with expert panel discussion on transforming New York’s food system. Attendees will sample seasonal products, connect directly with local food entrepreneurs, and leave with a curated market tote of seasonal produce and locally-made goods.

🌳 FREE OUTDOOR MUSICAL: “EcoDisaster in the Hundred Acre Wood”

When: Friday, May 22

Where: Old Stone House of Brooklyn, Brooklyn

This free outdoor musical reimagines classic Winnie the Pooh characters facing contemporary climate change and infrastructure challenges. The production combines children’s entertainment with environmental advocacy, presented by the Old Stone House of Brooklyn in partnership with Washington Park. The event offers a creative and accessible way for families to engage with urgent ecological and community issues through theatrical storytelling.

♻️ Recycled Tech Jewelry Workshop with Revise Robotics

When: Friday, May 22

Where: BrainStation, New York

This hands-on workshop combines education on robotics and sustainability with a creative DIY component, allowing participants to craft unique jewelry from recycled computer parts. Hosted by Women + TGX in Robotics New York at BrainStation in Manhattan, the event bridges technical learning with artistic expression. The three-hour session offers both knowledge-building and tangible takeaways, making it an engaging introduction to the intersection of technology, sustainability, and maker culture.

🔬 Notes From A Dark Laboratory: A Writing Workshop with Tao Leigh Goffe

When: Saturday, May 23

Where: King Manor Museum, Queens

This intimate writing workshop concludes a book club discussion of “Dark Laboratory: On Columbus, the Caribbean and the Origins of the Climate Crisis” with author Tao Leigh Goffe. The event combines literary discussion with hands-on writing instruction, offering participants direct engagement with a scholar examining the historical roots of contemporary climate challenges. Held at the historic King Manor Museum in Queens, this free event provides a unique opportunity to explore the intersection of colonial history, environmental science, and creative writing.

🎵 Composing with the Earth on Governors Island

When: Saturday, May 23

Where: The Climate Imaginarium, New York

This immersive workshop on Governors Island invites participants to explore the intersection of music, nature, and environmental consciousness by recording ambient sounds and creating original compositions. Led by musician Elise Silvestri and storyteller Elise Pricer, the event requires no prior musical experience and emphasizes reciprocal relationships with the earth through sonic art. Organized by Climate Cafe NYC as part of the Restorying Futures Fellowship, this experience bridges creative expression with ecological awareness in a unique island setting.

🌙 Ethical Night Rangers: ‘Our Companion: The Moon’

When: Saturday, May 23

Where: New York Society for Ethical Culture, New York

Ethical Night Rangers presents a monthly intergenerational gathering focused on combating light pollution and restoring natural night skies. Hosted by the New York Society for Ethical Culture, this May event centers on “Our Companion: The Moon,” offering practical education on environmental stewardship. The free event combines community engagement with actionable solutions for a pressing environmental concern.

🎵 Unheard-of + Dredgers Cultural Ecologies Series: Discocactus

When: Saturday, May 23

Where: Gowanus Bunker Boathouse, Brooklyn

Unheard-of Ensemble and the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club present the Cultural Ecologies season opener, featuring the innovative video game music band Discocactus. This unique event blends experimental music, environmental stewardship, and community engagement at the distinctive Gowanus Bunker Boathouse. The performance offers an unconventional cultural experience that bridges artistic expression with the local waterfront community.

🌙 Sustainability Salon Sunday @Silence Please Volume 2

When: Sunday, May 24

Where: Silence Please, New York

Sustainability Salon Sundays Volume 2 is an informal gathering at Silence Please vinyl cafe designed to connect climate-conscious New Yorkers with upcoming sustainability initiatives, events, and volunteer opportunities throughout the city. Founder Amer Jandali will present updates on Marketplace of the Future’s multi-city expansion and the NYC Nightlife Climate Constellation, a project funded through the city’s inaugural Office of Nightlife Grant. The free event combines networking, music, and learning in a relaxed listening room environment, offering attendees direct access to climate projects and community members working on sustainability in NYC’s nightlife ecosystem.

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NY Climate Tech: May 19 - May 26

Up to $200k for immersive climate art, CDR, EVs, food systems investing, sustainable architecture & AI, climate nightlife, and more upcoming events

This Week’s Events

Tuesday, May 19

Wednesday, May 20

Thursday, May 21

Friday, May 22

Saturday, May 23

Sunday, May 24

🕶️ Climate Futures + Immersive Media Grant: Due June 12

Opportunities

🌇 Urban Future Competition: Due 4/27

🚀 Entrepreneur Roundtable Accelerator: Due 5/4

🔌 EPRI Incubatenergy Labs (May 31)

⚡️ Joules Accelerator (June 15)

Upcoming Opportunities

Upcoming Events

🌎 Climate Tech Cities and Streetlife Ventres Startup and Talent Platforms

Events in Detail

Discussion about this post

Ready for more?