NY Climate Tech: May 28 - June 6
Our Tech Week Guide: AI everywhere, buildings & energy, ocean tech, the climate imaginarium, deep tech, financing, and more
Hi friends,
Next week, founders and VCs have their calendars stacked for NY Tech Week. Climate isn’t center stage here—more events feature pickleball (5) than climate (4) in their titles.
Still, you might assume that there would be plenty of panels on futuristic tech, new materials, innovative manufacturing, and the energy to power it all. Unfortunately, if it’s not another AI wrapper, it’s going to be hard to find.
One of the most exciting things about climate tech is that it’s full of people working on ambitious solutions to hard problems. We’re rebuilding the infrastructure of the 20th Century for the 21st: the miracle of solar + storage, wild new materials and chemistries, a manufacturing renaissance, carbon removal, fusion, and whole new ways of building and thinking about everything from business models to the ways we live.
The tech industry used to proudly carry the mantle of innovation and a better future. Tech Week feels tired. If anyone really thinks “It’s Time to Build” and that it’s time for an era “American Dynamism,” they should come to a Climate Week and see what the real innovators are working on.
There are a few deep tech gems this week, and yes, also some great events around climate and AI (including our quarterly demo night). Scroll on down for our picks.
— Alec, Sonam, and the Climate Tech Cities team
THE TECH WEEK GUIDE
Our big event is next Monday! We run these quarterly with Streetlife Ventures, AWS, and NYU. Sign up at the NY Climate Tech Demo Night - NY Tech Week Edition. It’s AI, yes, but AI for climate-resilient insurance, new enzymes, green infrastructure, physics, and crops. For our regulars: we’re at a new venue this time at NYU. Join us next week.
So. Much. AI. On Tuesday, check out AI for Energy, Infrastructure, & Deep Tech, and on Thursday learn about European Market Pathways for AI, Climate & Emerging Tech, and finish up on Friday at Decoded Futures+Tech: NYC Social Impact AI Showcase.
Get building at the Urban Future Forum: Building Blueprints for Advanced Energy Implementation on Thursday at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Plan on a packed day of networking, panels, and partnerships on building with communities.
Dive in on Friday at the second annual 🌊 NYC OceanTech Summit 2025, a must-attend for anyone in NYC interested in blue tech, with innovator pitches, fireside chats, demos, and panels.
TECH WEEK PICKS
🗽 Climate Tech Demo Night - NY Tech Week Edition: Mon, Jun 2
🌎 Planet Positive Pitch Competition: Mon, Jun 2
🤖 AI for Energy, Infrastructure, & Deep Tech: Tue, Jun 3
♻️ Tech-Enabled Circularity: The Fashion Value Chain: Tue, Jun 3
🤿 Deep Dive into Deep Tech Startups: Wed, Jun 4
💸 Inside Deeptech Investing: Wed, Jun 4
🍻 NY ClimateTech Happy Hour: Wed, Jun 4
🇪🇺 European Market Pathways for AI, Climate & Emerging Tech: Thu, Jun 5
💵 Preseed + Seed Fundraising in Deep Tech: Thu, Jun 5
🦾 AI for Impact Networking Event: Thu, Jun 5
👊 Tech for Impact: Startup Pitch Night: Thu, Jun 5
🌆 Urban Future Forum: Building Blueprints for Advanced Energy Implementation: Thu, Jun 5
🥕 Food & Ag Tech Happy Hour: Thu, Jun 5
⚗️ Catalyst for Change: Tech Founders Tackling Tough Challenges: Thu, Jun 5
🐝 Polli-Tech: Innovation Nestwork & Native Footprint: Thu, Jun 5
🔮 Decoded Futures+Tech: NYC Social Impact AI Showcase: Fri, Jun 6
💻 Hack For Impact NYC: Fri, Jun 6
🧪 DeepTech Tonic: Fri, Jun 6
🌊 NYC OceanTech Summit 2025: Fri, Jun 6
🍽️ Impact Investment Lunch: Sun, Jun 8
ONLY IN NYC
Climate Imaginarium Opening Party on Governor’s Island
The Climate Imaginarium is a center for climate, community, and culture, operated by a coalition of universities, cultural institutions, media organizations, and arts nonprofits. Last summer, they welcomed nearly 5,000 visitors through 100+ events, exhibitions, performances, and film screenings that responded to the climate crisis with solutions and visions for hope and justice. Swing by Saturday, May 31 for the opening party.
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.
🏙️ 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
🌆 Urban Future Forum: Building Blueprints for Advanced Energy Implementation (Thu, Jun 5. NYC): Full-day forum from NYC’s longest-running climate accelerator
🌊 Hamptons Tech Week (Jun 4 - 6, East Hampton): Apply-to-attend conference with panels on sustainability, finance, media, tech, and more.
📈 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
Thursday, May 29
🧶 VC Co-Working Day + Panel: Textiles & Materials Innovation
🎥 FOUR PAWS x CFF Screening @ Endangered Species Month: Presenting DETHRONED and Two Climate Shorts
Saturday, May 31
Monday, June 2
Tuesday, June 3
Wednesday, June 4
Thursday, June 5
🌆 Urban Future Forum: Building Blueprints for Advanced Energy Implementation
⚗️ Catalyst for Change: Tech Founders Tackling Tough Challenges
🌱 2025 National GrowTogether Conference: Planting Seeds of Resilience
Friday, June 6
Sunday, June 8
Coming Up
🏢 Let’s Decarbonize! A Hands-on Building Decarbonization Workshop: Tue, Jun 10
🌍 Quantifying Climate Risk in Business Transition Registration: 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
🍏 Green Apple Trivia: 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
🦪 RETI Center's Annual Infinite Mussel Party: Thu, Jun 12
🌞 A Sustainable Summer Social: Thu, Jun 12
🌱 4WARD NYC Climate & Sustainability Networking Meetup: Thu, Jun 12
🌾 Volunteering Untapped NYC: Battery Urban Farm: Fri, Jun 13
🎬 NYC Creative Sustainability Summit: Sat, Jun 14
🦑 PORTALS: Closing for the Institute for Transhuman Cephalopod Evolution: Sat, Jun 14
🌱 Master Composter Course: Compost Advocacy & Community-Building: Sun, Jun 15
⚖️ Perrin Conferences Environmental Risk and PFAS Litigation Conference: Tue, Jun 17
🏙️ LL97 Compliance: Service Provider Expo: Tue, Jun 17
🌆 2025 Rebuilding New York Summit: Tue, Jun 17
🌞 Enact Solar Summit - New York: Tue, Jun 17
🌿 Greenhouse Gang: Tue, Jun 17
🍻 NEW - SJC SpeakEASY Salon Series: Tue, Jun 17
📚 BOOK CLUB: "Consumed" 6/18/25: Wed, Jun 18
☀️ YPE Presents: The State of Solar Power: Wed, Jun 18
🌱 Private Sunset Tour @ Brooklyn Grange, World's Largest Soil Rooftop Farm: Fri, Jun 20
☕️ Climate Cafe at The Brooklyn Public Library: Sat, Jun 21
⚡ 2025 Energy Summit & Expo: Thu, Jun 26
🌍 LEAP ML Journal Club: "CLIMATE IN A BOTTLE ....": Thu, Jun 26
☕ The First Sip: A CoSee Community Preview: Thu, Jun 26
🌱 Intro to Bioplastics: Sun, Jun 29
Love the hard bars in the intro.
Well said.