The National Science Foundation (NSF), established in 1950 and located in Alexandria, Virginia, is an independent federal agency dedicated to advancing fundamental research and education across all scientific and engineering disciplines. With an annual budget of approximately $7.8 billion, the NSF operates America's Seed Fund, which allocates nearly $200 million each year to support startups and small businesses through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. This initiative provides non-dilutive funding of up to $1.5 million to assist in research and development efforts, thereby facilitating the transformation of scientific discoveries into commercially viable products and services. By helping to de-risk technology, the NSF plays a crucial role in fostering innovation and addressing societal challenges through scientific advancements.

US Department of Energy is a government agency that regulates energy policy, research, and development. The Energy Department's mission is to ensure America’s security and prosperity by addressing its energy, environmental, and nuclear challenges through transformative science and technology solutions.

MassChallenge is a non-equity startup accelerator headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, with additional locations in Israel, Mexico, Switzerland, Texas, and the UK. Founded in 2009, it focuses on fostering innovation and entrepreneurship by supporting high-potential startups across various industries globally. MassChallenge provides expert mentorship, a tailored curriculum, and access to corporate partners without taking any equity from the startups. Its programs, including specialized initiatives like MassChallenge FinTech and MassChallenge HealthTech, aim to facilitate partnerships between startups and established companies to drive innovation and growth. To date, MassChallenge has helped over 1,200 alumni raise more than $2 billion in funding and create over 65,000 jobs, demonstrating its significant impact on the global innovation ecosystem.

SOSV is a global venture capital firm that focuses on deep tech investments through the HAX and IndieBio startup development programs aimed at human and planetary health. The firm invests in startups at their inception, providing support to accelerate their next institutional funding round. HAX offers facilities and engineering resources, while IndieBio provides services and lab equipment for founders. The firm targets deep technology innovations in the health and environmental sectors.

The EIC pilot supports top-class innovators, entrepreneurs, small companies and scientists with bright ideas and the ambition to scale up internationally. It brings together the parts of Horizon 2020 that provide funding, advice and networking opportunities for those at cutting edge of innovation.

Elemental fills two gaps that are fundamental to tackling climate change: funding first-of-a-kind projects for climate technologies in real communities, and embedding equity and access into climate solutions.

Bpifrance Financement S.A. is a French financial institution that provides a wide range of financing solutions and support services for businesses at various stages of their development. Established in 1980 and based in Maisons-Alfort, France, the company offers medium to long-term loans, export insurance, real estate and equipment leasing, and working capital loans. Bpifrance also invests in startups, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and mid-cap companies through direct investments and fund management activities. Additionally, it provides consulting services for executives and training for CEOs, aiming to facilitate innovation and growth. Bpifrance was formed from the merger of several entities in July 2013, including OSEO, CDC Entreprises, and FSI, to enhance its role in supporting the financing of the French economy.

Technology will help solve our energy issues. The urgency of climate change and the energy needs in the poorest parts of the world require an aggressive global program for zero-emission energy innovation. The new model will be a public-private partnership between governments, research institutions, and investors. Scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs can invent and scale the innovative technologies that will limit the impact of climate change while providing affordable and reliable energy to everyone. The existing system of basic research, clean energy investment, regulatory frameworks, and subsidies fails to sufficiently mobilize investment in truly transformative energy solutions for the future. We can’t wait for the system to change through normal cycles.

Sequoia Capital, founded in 1972 and based in Menlo Park, California, is a prominent venture capital firm that invests in early to growth stage companies across various sectors, including technology, healthcare, financial services, and consumer services. The firm specializes in supporting startups and emerging growth companies, typically investing between $100,000 and $1 million in seed companies, $1 million to $10 million in early ventures, and $10 million to $100 million in growth investments. Sequoia Capital operates globally, with a presence in regions such as Israel, China, and Southeast Asia, and has built a diverse portfolio that includes notable companies like Airbnb, Alibaba, and JD.com. The firm emphasizes a partnership approach with entrepreneurs, leveraging decades of experience to guide them from initial concept through to public offering and beyond.

IndieBio is an accelerator firm established in 2014 and based in San Francisco, California, with an additional office in New York. It specializes in startups that utilize synthetic biology to address significant global challenges. IndieBio runs four-month accelerator programs aimed at both companies and teams with innovative ideas, focusing on seed-stage and early-stage investments. The firm typically invests $250,000, providing $50,000 in exchange for eight percent equity in biotech startups, with the possibility of an additional $25,000 as a convertible loan note. IndieBio prioritizes investments in businesses that leverage biology as the core of their technology, particularly in life sciences, biotechnology, and related fields. The firm favors teams with a minimum of two co-founders and is open to investing in startups from various geographical locations.

HAX is a venture capital program that accelerates hardware startups through an intensive support system, operating primarily in Shenzhen and San Francisco. Founders begin their journey in Shenzhen, focusing on rapid prototyping and the development of various aspects of their business, including marketing strategies and business plans. Once they refine their products, teams transition to San Francisco, where the emphasis shifts to business development, fundraising, and establishing connections with corporates, investors, and media. HAX also offers specialized programs like HAX Growth, a seven-week bootcamp for launching B2C and B2B hardware startups, and HAX Boost, which helps selected teams enhance their sales and marketing strategies over six weeks. Founded in 2012, HAX is part of SOSV and targets technology companies that aim to create meaningful advancements in sustainability, industrial automation, and human health. The program continues to support startups beyond the initial phases, providing resources and guidance as they grow.

Founded in 2010, EIT InnoEnergy is the leading innovation engine in Sustainable Energy. With offices in Europe and US, the firm seeks to make equity minority investments in early-stage companies and through added value services make the business case bigger, sooner and safer (de-risking). Investment scope: climate tech and energy sectors.

At Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC), they fund Canadian cleantech projects and coach the companies that lead them as they move their ground-breaking technologies to market. SDTC’s support of cleantech translates into jobs, growth, and export opportunities for Canadian companies, as well as economic, environmental and health benefits for all Canadians. They are independent but don’t work alone. A big part of their role is building and sustaining networks of partners and stakeholders from private industry, academia and governments, at home and abroad. They operate at arm’s length and receive funding from the Government of Canada.

SVG Ventures is an investment and advisory firm based in Los Gatos, California, founded in 2010. The firm focuses on early-stage technology companies, particularly in the agrifood, supply chain, sustainability, and climate sectors. It operates the Thrive Agtech Accelerator, an innovation platform dedicated to supporting sustainable agri-food companies through acceleration, mentorship, and venture-building services. SVG Ventures collaborates with public and private organizations to foster strategy, innovation, and global expansion. The firm is known for its extensive network and hands-on approach, providing multi-stage investments and resources to help startups at all stages of development succeed in the agtech and food tech industries.

Innovate U.K. is a NPO that offers funding services to support science and technology innovations. The organization offers services and information on births, deaths, marriages, business, self-employed, childcare, parenting, citizenship, law, disabled persons, transportation, education, environment, housing, money, tax, travel, immigration, and jobs. Innovate U.K. is based in Swindon.

Lowercarbon Capital funds research and invests in technologies to reduce CO2 in the atmosphere. The world has ignored the scientists, inventors, and entrepreneurs who are pursuing solutions to lower emissions, remove carbon, actively cool the planet, and save human, animal, and plant life.

Khosla Ventures invests in companies that are bold, early, and impactful. The firm was started in 2004 by Vinod Khosla, co-founder of Sun Microsystems, to provide venture assistance to entrepreneurs. Khosla Ventures invests in a range of areas including AI, climate, sustainability, enterprise, consumer, fintech, digital health, medtech and diagnostics, therapeutics, and frontier technology.

Energy Impact Partners LP (EIP) is a global venture capital firm leading the transition to a sustainable future. EIP brings together entrepreneurs and the world's most forward-looking energy and industrial companies to advance innovation. With over $2.5 billion in assets under management, EIP invests globally across venture, growth, credit, and infrastructure.

Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) is a no-fee/no-equity organization that delivers an objectives-based mentoring program for massively scalable, pre-seed stage, science- and technology-based companies. Its nine-month program allows founders to learn from experienced entrepreneurs, increasing their likelihood of success. Founded in 2012 by Professor Ajay Agrawal at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management, the program has expanded to thirteen sites across seven countries: Seattle, Oxford, Paris, Atlanta, Estonia, Wisconsin, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, Berlin, Melbourne and Halifax.

Temasek Holdings is a lender provider. The company offers debt financing and focuses on transforming economies, increasing middle-income populations, developing comparative advantages, and emerging champions. Financial services, transportation, industrial, consumer, real estate, telecommunications, media, technology, and life sciences are among the industries served by the firm.

Shenzhen Capital Group Co., Ltd (“SCGC”) is a limited venture capital company established by the Shenzhen Government in 1999. Since its establishment, SCGC has focused on cultivating national industries, shaping national brands, promoting economic transformation, and emerging industries developing. SCGC has registered capital of 5.42 billion RMB, and a total AUM of 338.99 billion RMB. SCGC primarily invests in SMEs, innovative high-tech enterprises, enterprises in emerging industries, and enterprises in start-up period, growth period and in transformation, covering industries supported by national policies, including IT, internet, new media, biopharma, new energy, environmental protection, chemical engineering, new material, high-end equipment manufacturing, consumption goods, modern service, etc. By the end of April 2019, SCGC ranked the first based on the number of portfolio companies and the number of listed portfolio companies: 994 portfolio companies, investments totaling 43.9 billion RMB, 145 of which have been listed in 16 capital markets worldwide.

work with private equity and venture capital fund managers, investment advisors and business entities from around the world.

Rockstart is an accelerator and venture capital firm based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, founded in 2011. It focuses on incubating and investing in early-stage startups, particularly in the sectors of energy, health, agrifood, and emerging technologies. Rockstart aims to empower purpose-driven founders by providing access to capital, mentorship, and a robust network of partners and investors. The firm has established itself as a global player in startup acceleration, offering customized programs that foster collaboration between startups and corporates. With additional offices in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Bogotá, Colombia, Rockstart has invested in more than 230 startups, helping them raise over €90 million and create over 700 jobs. The firm also manages specialized funds, such as Rockstart Emerging Tech, which targets innovative sectors including artificial intelligence and blockchain.

MassVentures meets critical capital needs in the Massachusetts innovation economy, providing seed and early-stage venture funding to high growth startups as they move from concept to commercialization. The Boston-based venture firm was formed in 1978 as a quasi-public corporation by the Legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, governed by an independent Board of Directors, and managed by experienced venture capitalists. Leveraging the entrepreneurial spirit, educated workforce, and centers of innovation in Massachusetts, MassVentures has a track record of success with early-stage ventures.

Qiming Venture Partners is a prominent venture capital firm based in Shanghai, China, with additional offices in Beijing, Suzhou, and Hong Kong. Founded in 2006, the firm specializes in investing in early to growth-stage companies across various sectors, including healthcare, information technology, consumer products, media, and clean technology. Qiming has established itself as a leading investment firm in China, managing multiple funds with over $1 billion in assets. The firm focuses on supporting innovative entrepreneurs and companies that demonstrate high growth potential, particularly in the technology and healthcare landscapes. Through its strategic investments, Qiming aims to foster the development of new business models and technologies, contributing to the dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem in China.

Antler is a global early-stage venture capital firm founded in Singapore in 2017, focused on identifying and investing in exceptional individuals and early-stage technology companies with the potential to become defining businesses of tomorrow. With a presence in major entrepreneurial hubs across six continents, Antler supports startups from inception through to growth, providing assistance in team formation, business model validation, and capital investment at the pre-seed stage and beyond. Since its inception, Antler has invested in over 200 companies, with a notable emphasis on diversity; 40% of these companies have at least one female co-founder and founders represent 70 different nationalities. The firm has established multiple funds targeting various regions, including Southeast Asia and East Africa, and aims to build long-term relationships with its portfolio companies as a committed investor and supporter.

5Y Capital is a firm engaged in providing early-stage venture investments. It was formerly known as Morningside Venture Capital. The investment firm manages USD 5bn in dual-currency funds in USD and RMB, backed by world-renowned sovereign wealth funds, family offices, fund of funds, university endowments, pensions, and foundations. It was headquartered in Xuhui, Shanghai, China in 2008 by Ken Shi and Richard Liu.

The seed investor High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) finances tech start-ups with growth potential and has supported more than 700 start-ups since 2005. With the launch of its fourth fund, HTGF now has about 1.4 billion euros under management. Its team of experienced investment managers and start-up experts support young companies with expertise, entrepreneurial spirit and passion. HTGF’s focus is on high-tech start-ups in the fields of digital tech, industrial tech, life sciences, chemistry and related business areas. To date, external investors have injected about 5 billion euros of capital into the HTGF portfolio via more than 2,000 follow-on financing rounds. In addition, HTGF has already successfully sold shares in more than 170 companies. Fund investors in this public-private partnership include the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, KfW Capital and 45 companies from a wide range of industries. Fund investors in this public-private partnership include the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, KfW Capital and 45 companies from a wide range of industries.

Prelude Ventures invests in and supports early-stage startups with the greatest potential to mitigate climate change. Our goal is to help build the next generation of category-defining businesses.

Founded in 1999, Enhanced Capital Partners is a national investment firm with over $400 million under management specializing in investments in small and mid-size companies. Enhanced Capital provides a range of investment options to promote the growth and expansion of businesses. Our flexibility and practical investment approach can make the difference in maximizing the growth potential of a company poised for rapid growth.

Investissement Québec, established in 1998 and headquartered in Montreal, Canada, serves as a financial institution and economic development agency dedicated to supporting businesses looking to establish operations in the province. The organization provides a range of services, including site identification, business assistance, and the formation of strategic alliances across various industries. Its financial offerings encompass loans, equity financing, tax credits, development capital, project financing, loan guarantees, and equity investments. Investissement Québec focuses on key sectors such as aerospace, agri-food, transportation, information and communication technologies, life sciences, and microelectronics, positioning itself as a vital partner for corporations aiming to expand in Québec.

S2G Investments is a multi-stage investment firm that targets venture and growth-stage businesses in food and agriculture, oceans, and energy sectors. The firm provides capital to businesses shaping the future of food systems and energy resources, aiming for significant sector transitions. S2G Investments assist entrepreneurs and leadership groups in seeking innovative, market-driven solutions aimed at providing increased value, better results, and superior performance compared to conventional options.

AgFunder invests in impactful companies that can positively transform the world's food system. Founded in 2013, AgFunder manages a portfolio of over 50 companies across four funds from offices in Silicon Valley and Singapore. Through its media platform AFN, it has built a global ecosystem of over 90,000 subscribers.

Mitsubishi UFJ Capital is a venture capital firm focusing on life science, ICT, and high technology investments.

Demeter Partners is a private equity and venture capital firm based in Paris, France, founded in 2005. It focuses on investments that support the ecological transition, targeting companies across various stages of development, including seed, start-up, early-stage, and growth. The firm primarily invests in sectors such as eco-industries, eco-energies, green technology, and alternative energy resources. Specific areas of interest include water, air, and waste treatment, energy efficiency, and renewable energies, as well as infrastructure projects related to sustainable energy. Demeter typically invests between €0.5 million and €30 million in small to medium-sized enterprises and prefers to take minority stakes while seeking board representation in its portfolio companies. While the firm predominantly operates in Europe, particularly in France, it also explores opportunities in North America and other regions. Demeter is recognized as a significant player in the European private equity landscape, particularly following its merger with Emertec Gestion in 2016, which enhanced its focus on the energy transition and environmental sectors.

The California Energy Commission is the state's primary energy policy and planning agency. Created by the Legislature in 1974 and located in Sacramento, the Commission responsibilities include: Forecasting future energy needs and keeping historical energy data. Licensing thermal power plants 50 megawatts or larger. Promoting energy efficiency by setting the state's appliance and building efficiency standards and working with local government to enforce those standards. Supporting public interest energy research that advances energy science and technology through research, development, and demonstration programs. Supporting renewable energy by providing market support to existing, new, and emerging renewable technologies; providing incentives for small wind and fuel cell electricity systems; and providing incentives for solar electricity systems in new home construction. Implementing the state's Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program. Planning for and directing state response to energy emergencies. With energy challenges facing the state, the Commission and its dedicated staff of state employees stand ready to turn challenges into opportunities and help Californians continue to have energy choices that are affordable, reliable, diverse, safe, and environmentally acceptable.

Speedinvest is one of Europe’s most active early-stage investors, with more than €1bn AUM, 40 investors, and offices in Berlin, London, Munich, Paris, Vienna and San Francisco. Your success is our priority, so we don’t just send some money and "check in" at board meetings. Our mission is to empower you with game-changing support through every stage of your journey. Our focused investment teams know your industry inside and out. Their Deep Tech, Fintech, Industrial Tech, Network Effects, Digital Health and Subscriptions experience, know-how and deep networks are yours from day one. You also have full access to our in-house Platform+ team of operational experts who can provide tailored growth marketing, people (HR), US business development, and networking support throughout every stage of your journey.

SFC Capital, the UK's most active seed investor provides capital and support to British startups. By combining its Angel Network and Seed Funds, SFC has created a unique model that allows investors to get exposure to SEIS- and EIS-qualifying businesses, either directly or through a diversified portfolio curated and managed by SFC’s expert team.

Shell E4, established in 2017 and based in Bengaluru, India, is an accelerator focused on supporting innovative startups in the clean technology sector. The initiative targets various areas including sustainability, waste management, plastic circularity, and machine learning solutions aimed at achieving net zero emissions. Additionally, Shell E4 invests in technologies related to electronic vehicle charging, battery swapping, cost-effective carbon capture, supply chain decarbonization, and novel carbon dioxide conversion processes. By fostering energy entrepreneurs, Shell E4 plays a crucial role in advancing environmentally friendly technologies and practices, thereby contributing to global sustainability efforts.

Climate Capital is an investment firm that supports companies that directly or indirectly reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.

Legend Capital, a subsidiary of Legend Holdings Ltd., was founded in April 2001 and is based in Beijing, China. The firm manages private equity investments across four funds, totaling up to US$700 million, focusing primarily on early-stage ventures and mid-market growth companies. Its investment strategy targets sectors including information technology, telecommunications, media, healthcare, consumer goods, clean technology, and advanced manufacturing, with a strong emphasis on businesses that are either based in China or related to Chinese markets. Legend Capital is known for its active involvement with portfolio companies, providing them with essential business resources and tailored services to enhance development and optimize company performance in the Chinese market. The firm has built a diverse portfolio of over 60 companies, contributing to its reputation as a respected player in China's venture capital industry.

Matrix Partners is a venture capital firm established in 1977, with offices in San Francisco, Cambridge, Shanghai, Beijing, Mumbai, and Bangalore. The firm focuses on seed, early-stage, late-stage, and growth capital investments across various sectors, including software, communications, artificial intelligence, fintech, digital health, and clean technology. With a commitment to building long-term relationships with entrepreneurs, Matrix Partners aims to support visionary founders in developing significant, industry-leading companies. The firm has a strong track record, having participated in hundreds of investments, with many of its portfolio companies achieving successful IPOs or profitable mergers and acquisitions. The team at Matrix Partners combines local insights with global expertise, comprising both former entrepreneurs and seasoned investors.

Founded in 2005, Hillhouse is a leading global investment management firm, active across public equity, private equity, real estate and private credit. The firm invests over a long-term horizon and partners with exceptional entrepreneurs to deliver sustainable value creation for quality companies. Hillhouse is a full life-cycle private equity firm, investing for the long term across opportunities in the healthcare, business services, consumer, and industrials sectors. The firm manages capital on behalf of global institutions such as non-profit foundations, endowments, and pensions.

Katapult is an accelerator and venture capital firm based in Oslo, Norway, founded in 2016. It specializes in early-stage technology startups that aim to address environmental and societal challenges through exponential technologies. The firm focuses on areas such as clean energy, resource efficiency, food and water, education, health, and diversity, among others. Katapult offers a structured program lasting three months, with the possibility of a one-month follow-up, providing up to $100,000 in funding while taking an 8% equity stake in each startup. The firm actively invests in various regions, seeking to support innovative solutions that foster sustainability and societal progress.

BDC Capital Inc. is the private equity and venture capital arm of the Business Development Bank of Canada, focusing on direct and fund of funds investments. It specializes in various financing options, including subordinate, recapitalization, bridge, and venture capital, targeting middle market, later stage, and small to medium-sized businesses. BDC Capital engages in venture capital activities across all stages, from seed funding to pre-IPO financing, with a particular emphasis on technology and healthcare sectors. Its investment strategy includes a commitment to supporting women-led firms and spans industries such as life sciences, telecommunications, information technology, and advanced technologies. The firm typically invests between CAD 0.1 million and CAD 35 million, often seeking minority stakes and board representation in its portfolio companies. BDC Capital prefers to exit investments within three to five years, utilizing strategies such as initial public offerings and strategic sales. Established in 1975 and headquartered in Montreal, the firm also has offices in British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, and Alberta, focusing its investments primarily within Canada.

Global Brain is a Tokyo-based venture capital firm founded in 1998, specializing in early-stage investments across various sectors, including e-commerce, software, gaming, media, IoT, education, entertainment, and fintech. The firm has expanded its investment activities to the US and Asia, targeting series A-stage technology companies. Since its inception, Global Brain has invested in approximately 30 companies, achieving seven initial public offerings and seven mergers and acquisitions. The firm supports its portfolio companies by providing not only capital but also strategic guidance, partnerships, and team-building resources to help them reach their milestones. Global Brain is particularly adept in e-commerce, operating a platform called EC-PLANET, which encompasses several group companies, including a large online sports goods store and a logistics firm offering comprehensive fulfillment services. This network, along with Global Brain's connections to established Japanese companies, facilitates market entry for US and Asian businesses into Japan.

Established in 1995 as the first joint venture investment bank in China, China International Capital Corporation Limited (CICC) is a leader in providing comprehensive financial services including investment banking, capital markets, institutional and individual securities sales and trading, fixed income, asset management, private equity, individual wealth management and research.

Alumni Ventures Group provides high-quality, diversified venture portfolios to individual investors who previously haven't had access to VC. It helps accredited alums from top entrepreneurial schools invest together in the ventures of fellow alums. The firm backs companies with an alumni connection and an institutional lead investor with expertise in the space. AVG also offers focused funds that allow any accredited investor access to a venture portfolio, diversified by type, sector, stage, and geography. Beth Obermiller, Michael Madden, and Mike Collins co-founded the firm in Manchester, New Hampshire in 2013.

Founded in 2014, Red Cedar Ventures (RCV) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the MSU Research Foundation and the first venture fund in mid-Michigan. RCV makes early-stage investments in high-tech startups commercializing intellectual property created at Michigan State University. Red Cedar Ventures supports for funds: Pre-Seed Fund, Opportunity Fund, Opportunity II Fund, and Michigan Rise Pre-Seed Fund III.

NOM Finance, the private equity and venture capital branch of NV NOM Investerings- En Ontwikkelingsmaatschappij voor Noord-Nederland, focuses on fostering the growth of businesses in Northern Netherlands, particularly in the provinces of Groningen, Friesland, and Drenthe. The firm specializes in investments across various sectors including agro and food, information technology, life sciences, cleantech, healthcare, and high-tech industries, while intentionally avoiding primary agriculture, retail, and regional services. NOM Finance provides funding for seed and startup ventures, expansion, restructuring, and management buy-outs, typically investing between €0.5 million and €2.5 million in equity and mezzanine financing, as well as offering deferred loans ranging from €0.05 million to €1.5 million. The firm usually seeks minority stakes in its portfolio companies and aims for exits within five to seven years. Established in 1974 and headquartered in Groningen, NOM Finance plays a vital role in supporting entrepreneurs throughout the various stages of their businesses.