New York Climate Exchange Climate Tech Fellowship 2026 in United States | Fully Funded — The New York Climate Exchange, NYSERDA

A $10,000 non-dilutive stipend, a spot at Climate Week NYC, and no requirement to have a company, a patent, or even a university affiliation. The New York Climate Exchange Climate Tech Fellowship is built for climate innovators still at the earliest, messiest stage of turning an idea into something real.

Backed by NYSERDA, the six-month hybrid program focuses specifically on innovations that help cities better withstand and adapt to climate change.

About the Scholarship

The Climate Tech Fellowship exists to bridge the gap between promising climate research and an actual commercializable product. Rather than funding academic research for its own sake, the program specifically targets innovations at the intersection of energy and urban resilience, helping participants build solutions that let cities prepare for and adapt to a changing climate more effectively.

The six-month program, running roughly from September 2026 through February 2027, is structured as a hybrid experience: mostly virtual, with concentrated in-person participation during Climate Week NYC in September 2026. Fellows receive a structured go-to-market commercialization curriculum alongside one-on-one mentorship from industry experts, giving early-stage innovators the kind of practical business guidance that pure research funding rarely includes.

Each selected team, not just each individual, receives a $10,000 non-dilutive stipend to support their innovation’s development, along with fully covered travel and accommodation for one team member during Climate Week NYC. That in-person week gives fellows a genuine platform to showcase their work directly to investors and strategic partners, rather than leaving commercialization efforts to happen entirely after the fellowship ends.

Notably, the program does not require university affiliation, company incorporation, or even a formed team. It is explicitly built for innovators at the pre-company formation and pre-seed stage, whether working solo or as part of a small team. Applicants exploring other paid, innovation-focused US fellowships sometimes also compare this program against the GovAI Research Fellowship, though that program centers on AI governance policy research on a much longer, full-time contract rather than early-stage climate technology commercialization. Researchers already working within an academic postdoctoral track might also compare this fellowship to the Cornell Atkinson Postdoctoral Fellowship, which funds sustainability research more broadly across a three-year academic appointment rather than a six-month commercialization sprint.

The Climate Week NYC component deserves particular attention when weighing whether this fellowship fits a given applicant’s stage and goals. Climate Week is one of the largest annual gatherings of climate investors, policymakers, and industry leaders in the world, and getting a fellow-funded platform to showcase a project there is a meaningfully different opportunity than most early-stage grants offer. For a founder or researcher without an existing network of climate investors, that single week of concentrated access can matter more than the $10,000 stipend itself.

Because the program explicitly targets pre-seed, pre-incorporation innovators, it occupies a specific niche in the climate funding ecosystem: too early for most venture funding, but further along than a typical academic research grant. That positioning shapes who tends to apply, drawing researchers ready to step outside a lab setting, engineers with a working prototype but no business plan, and early founders who have validated a concept but not yet built a company around it.

Scholarship Benefits

The fellowship’s funding is structured specifically to support commercialization, not just further research.

• A $10,000 non-dilutive stipend per team to support innovation development
• Fully covered travel and accommodation for one team member during Climate Week NYC
• A structured go-to-market commercialization curriculum
• Expert sessions covering fundraising, intellectual property strategy, communications, and climate equity
• Dedicated one-on-one mentorship from industry experts
• A personalized commercialization roadmap and fellowship blueprint
• Monthly check-ins to help fellows track progress throughout the program
• A platform to showcase innovations to investors and strategic partners during Climate Week NYC
• Access to The Exchange’s international network of investors, policymakers, and industry leaders
• Membership in a global community of climate innovators
• A structured framework for turning promising research into an investable, market-ready venture

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants from all countries are eligible to apply
• Researchers, scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, and founders can all apply
• Applicants must be working on innovations related to energy and urban resilience
• Projects should be at the prototype, early pilot, research, or early commercialization stage
• Applicants should be genuinely interested in commercializing their innovation
• University or institutional affiliation is not required
• Company incorporation is not required
• The fellowship is open to innovators at the pre-company formation and pre-seed stages
• Both individuals and teams are eligible to apply
• Applicants should be able to commit several hours each week throughout the six-month fellowship
• Fellows must participate in the in-person activities during Climate Week NYC in September 2026
• The fellowship particularly encourages applications from innovators from underrepresented backgrounds
• Applicants should be prepared to actively engage with mentors and structured curriculum rather than treating the fellowship as passive funding

Fields of Study Covered

The fellowship funds innovations across several specific focus areas connected to energy and urban resilience, including:

• End-use energy innovation
• Power generation and storage
• Grid modernization
• Natural carbon solutions
• Intelligent buildings
• Green infrastructure
• Distributed energy systems
• Cross-cutting innovations spanning energy and urban resilience more broadly

Required Documents

• Details about the innovation or technology
• Information about the applicant or team
• Goals for joining the fellowship
• Completed online application form
• Any supplementary materials, such as prototype images or early pilot data, that strengthen the application

How to Apply (Step-by-Step)

1. Confirm your innovation fits within the energy and urban resilience focus areas the fellowship supports.
2. Visit the official application portal and begin the online application form.
3. Provide clear details about your innovation or climate technology, including its current development stage.
4. Explain your specific goals for joining the fellowship and what you hope to gain from the commercialization support.
5. Submit information about yourself or your team, including relevant background.
6. Review your application carefully before submission.
7. Submit before the deadline, keeping in mind applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so early submission is strongly encouraged.

Selection Process

Because applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, timing matters as much as content here. Reviewers look for innovations genuinely aligned with the energy and urban resilience focus areas, evidence that the applicant is seriously committed to commercialization rather than treating the fellowship as a research grant, and realistic expectations about the project’s current development stage.

Shortlisted applicants move to virtual interviews, giving the selection team a chance to assess both the technical merit of the innovation and the applicant’s readiness to commit meaningfully to the six-month program, including the required in-person participation during Climate Week NYC.

Tips to Improve Your Chances

• Apply as early as possible, since applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and later submissions compete against an increasingly filled cohort
• Be specific about which focus area your innovation fits into, rather than describing your project in broad climate terms
• Show genuine commercialization intent in your application, since the program is explicitly built around go-to-market support rather than pure research funding
• If applying as an individual without a formed team, be clear about your plan for building capacity as the project develops
• Highlight your availability and commitment to the several-hours-per-week time requirement, since this signals genuine readiness for the program’s pace
• Describe your intended use of the $10,000 stipend concretely in the application, since a clear, credible spending plan signals commercialization readiness

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a university affiliation or incorporated company to apply?

No. The fellowship explicitly does not require university affiliation or company incorporation, and it is specifically designed for innovators at the pre-company formation and pre-seed stage.

Is this fellowship open to applicants outside the United States?

Yes. Applicants from all countries are eligible to apply, though fellows must be able to travel to New York for the in-person Climate Week NYC component.

Can I apply as an individual, or do I need a team?

Both individuals and teams are eligible. The $10,000 stipend is awarded per team, whether that team consists of one person or several.

What stage does my project need to be at?

Projects should be at the prototype, early pilot, research, or early commercialization stage, rather than a fully developed, market-ready product.

Is attendance at Climate Week NYC mandatory?

Yes. Fellows must participate in the in-person activities during Climate Week NYC in September 2026 as part of the program’s required components.

How is the fellowship funded?

The program is supported by NYSERDA and provides a $10,000 non-dilutive stipend per team, meaning fellows do not give up equity or ownership in exchange for the funding.

What happens after the six-month fellowship ends?

Fellows leave with a personalized commercialization roadmap, direct connections made through Climate Week NYC and The Exchange’s network, and a stronger fundraising foundation, positioning them to pursue seed funding or further development well beyond the program itself.