NY Climate Tech: May 20 - May 27
Urban planning strategies that work, the state of the grid, Gowanus concerts, climate tech happy hours, and more upcoming events
Hi friends,
Offshore wind spins back up. ICYMI, Trump’s notorious vendetta against offshore wind led to a stop-work order on Equinor’s Empire Wind project, set to power 500,000 NYC homes with renewable energy and empowering the local economy at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal. Sure to be a hot topic at Thursday’s ⚡ The State of the Grid. Let’s hope it sticks! More at NYT.
— Alec, Sonam, and the Climate Tech Cities team
THE WEEK AHEAD
Mix it up this Wednesday catch Net Zero Insights’ ☀️ May Climate Tech Mixer to meet startups, founders, operators, and investors or head to the 🍹 NYC Happy Hour with Clean Creatives to talk impact in marketing and agencies.
Show your work at next week’s 🌍 Climate Rise: 3rd Edition 2025 (we’re proud partners!) and share what you’re working on and learn about other impressive projects. Get hands-on at the 🔌 Hackathon: Electrical Grid, where you can work with a team on a creative solutions to real problems.
Get dinner and a movie next Thursday at Climate Film Festival’s (free!) 🎥 screening @ Endangered Species Month with FOUR PAWS featuring three short films on animals at risk in earth, air, and sea, followed by an expert panel and reception with wine and vegan bites.
Mark your calendars for the next 🗽Climate Tech Demo Night with Streetlife Ventures, Climate Tech Cities, Amazon, and NYU on June 2, kicking off NY Tech Week with some flare! We’ve got a great lineup of companies using AI to solve our biggest climate challenges.
PICKS FOR THIS WEEK AND NEXT
⏱️ Manhattan Climate Changemakers Hour of Action: Tue, May 20
☀️ May Climate Tech Mixer: Wed, May 21
🍹 NYC Happy Hour with Clean Creatives: Wed, May 21
🏙️ Monthly Forum: Urban Planning Strategies that Work: Wed, May 21
⚡ The State of the Grid: Thu, May 22
🛶 Unheard-of + The Gowanus Dredgers Present: Summoning You Feat. Leila Adu: Sat, May 24
🔌 Hackathon: Electrical Grid: Tue, May 27
🌍 Climate Rise: 3rd Edition 2025: Tue, May 27
🧶 VC Co-Working Day + Panel: Textiles & Materials Innovation: Thu, May 29
🎥 Climate Film Fest x FOUR PAWS Screening @ Endangered Species Month: Thu, May 29
ONLY IN NYC
🎥 Climate Film Fest @ Endangered Species Month
Cats, bats, and coral. Whether land, air, or sea, animals are under threat. Join the Climate Film Festival and FOUR PAWS for a free endangered species month screening and wine & vegan bites reception at Quad Cinema next Thursday, May 29.
SUPERLATIVES
Best for Investors: 🧶 VC Co-Working Day + Panel: Textiles & Materials Innovation (Next Week)
Best for Startups: ☀️ May Climate Tech Mixer (Wednesday)
Best for Job Seekers: 🔌 Hackathon: Electrical Grid (Next Week)
Best to Meet a Friend: 🌍 Climate Rise: 3rd Edition 2025 (Next Week)
OPPORTUNITIES
🚀 Calling All Climate and Health innovators in New York: Due Jun. 1
Our friends at Impact Hub New York Metropolitan Area and Swiss Re Foundation are kicking off Shine USA, an initiative to support Climate and Health innovators with learning, mentorship, networks, and capital! What’s in it for you? A four-month immersive learning journey with mentorship, coaching, and up to $40,000 dollars to take your work to the next level!
🔥 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.
CONFERENCE RADAR
🏝️ Rhode Island Stocktake (Thu, May 22. Providence): A who’s-who of state power players, with a focus on climate tech, CDR, and more
💻 NY Tech Week (Jun 2 - 8. NYC): Founder socializing, AI everything, and some gems like our 🗽Climate Tech Demo Night and EU Market Pathways for AI, Climate & Emerging Tech
🌆 Urban Future Forum: Building Blueprints for Advanced Energy Implementation (Thu, Jun 5. NYC): Full-day forum from NYC’s longest-running climate accelerator
📈 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.
EVENTS THIS WEEK
Tuesday, May 20
Wednesday, May 21
🔬 ClimART Cafe w/ SubtleFlux: into the microVerse - Micrographia
🧶 PANEL - Sewing Circles & System Change: Make, Mend, & Mobilize
Thursday, May 22
Friday, May 23
Saturday, May 18
Monday, May 19
UPCOMING EVENTS
Next Week
🔌 Hackathon: Electrical Grid: Tue, May 27
🌍 Climate Rise: 3rd Edition 2025: Tue, May 27
🎊 NYC ClimateTech.connect: Wed, May 28
🧶 VC Co-Working Day + Panel: Textiles & Materials Innovation: Thu, May 29
🍹 Ecosystem Builders & Leaders in Impact: Happy Hour: Thu, May 29
🎨 Light, Sand, and Sea: Hamptons Artists and Their Studios: Thu, May 29
🎥 Climate Film Fest x FOUR PAWS Screening @ Endangered Species Month: Thu, May 29
🌬️ Breathe Easy: Cleaner Air & Lower Energy Bills: Fri, May 30
🎨 Climate Imaginarium 2025 Opening Party on Governors Island: Sat, May 31
🔧 A Repair Cafe at the Old Stone House: Sun, Jun 1
Coming Up
🗽Climate Tech Demo Night: Mon, Jun 2
🍽️ Lunch with the League: Bridging the Climate Conversation: Tue, Jun 3
🌍 Inside deeptech investing for angels & VC: Wed, Jun 4
🌃 Urban Future Forum: Building Blueprints for Advanced Energy Implementation: Thu, Jun 5
🌱 2025 National GrowTogether Conference: Planting Seeds of Resilience: Thu, Jun 5
♦️ Climate Game Night at Eat Offbeat (Chelsea Market): Thu, Jun 5
🍹 SJC Green Drinks - First Drink on Us!: Thu, Jun 5
🌱 Environs IV: Thu, Jun 5
🌊 NYC OceanTech Summit 2025: Fri, Jun 6
🍄 'Fungi' - Art Exhibition & Reception - 40 fungi multimedia Artists: Sat, Jun 7
🍄 All Fungi Art Exhibition –Opening Reception: Sat, Jun 7
🌱 Sustainability is for People Too!: Sun, Jun 8
🏢 Let’s Decarbonize! A Hands-on Building Decarbonization Workshop: Tue, Jun 10
🌾 Farm Community Volunteer Days 2025: Tue, Jun 10
🐘 Sarara Salon in NYC | Back to the Wild 🐘: Tue, Jun 10
🤝 SOCIAL IMPACT SUMMER CONNECTOR (In-Person in NYC): Tue, Jun 10
🌍 Monthly Climate Science and Energy Engineering Dinner: Tue, Jun 10
🌍😂 HAHApocalypse: Tue, Jun 10
🌍 Learning & Climate Xchange - Happy Hour & Open House: Wed, Jun 11
⚡ DERTF NYC Meetup: Wed, Jun 11
🌍 World Sustainability Leadership Forum: Thu, Jun 12
🌱 4WARD NYC Climate & Sustainability Networking Meetup: Thu, Jun 12
🌞 A Sustainable Summer Social: Thu, Jun 12
🌾 Volunteering Untapped NYC: Battery Urban Farm: Fri, Jun 13
🎬 NYC Creative Sustainability Summit: Sat, Jun 14