Activate Updates: June 2024

As Activate Anywhere Managing Director Andrés Ochoa says in his Breaking Ground piece this month, “A virtual community is not only a nice-to-have but a must-have for supporting science entrepreneurship beyond traditional innovation hubs.”

Why? If there was ever a need for a community of connected but not necessarily co-located science entrepreneurs, it’s now. As we face some of our most pressing global challenges to date, we need all hands on deck from all corners of the globe to drive change, which means making innovation accessible beyond traditional hubs.

Activate Anywhere is advancing this necessary shift by enabling entrepreneurs across the United States to develop their ideas from concept to product through a primarily virtual platform. Quarterly in-person meetings enhance the virtual experience and enable the ability to leverage Activate’s in-residence programs in Berkeley, Boston, New York, and Houston. The program has proven that strong, effective networks can be forged online.

After a few years in action, Activate Anywhere has proven crucial for leveraging untapped potential, strengthening connections, and creating more opportunities for a diverse pool of scientists to work together and develop the solutions we need. For example, Claudia Hulbert (Geolabe, Cohort 2023) is dramatically advancing innovation in accurate methane tracking. Also, see Banyu Carbon’s Alex Gagnon and Julian Sachs (Cohort 2023), who have been recognized as Bloomberg Green’s Ones to Watch for figuring out how to remove atmospheric carbon dioxide using sunlight and seawater.

By connecting scientists facing similar challenges, Activate Anywhere creates a robust support system indispensable for turning groundbreaking ideas into reality. We’re excited to continue pioneering the development of democratized access to innovation and bolstering the science entrepreneurial ecosystem.

How Virtual Communities Support Science Entrepreneurs

By Andrés Ochoa, Managing Director of the Activate Anywhere Community

When I joined Activate a year ago as managing director for the Activate Anywhere Community, my initial question was: Can this truly be accomplished virtually? Moreover, can one genuinely forge robust connections with other entrepreneurs and establish a network of founders, investors, and supporters this way?

I’m pleased to report that the short answer is YES. I’ve seen it with my own eyes, and it’s happening right now with the current 18 fellow companies in the Activate Anywhere Community.

Read On

Geolabe's AI Satellite Tech: The Future of Accurate Methane Tracking

In a recent study published in Nature Communications, the U.S.-based remote sensing company Geolabe (Claudia Hulbert, Cohort 2023), in partnership with a research team from Kyoto University in Japan, developed an AI algorithm capable of sifting through massive amounts of data produced by a powerful European Space Agency satellite constellation. This algorithm is the first ever to automatically detect individual methane emissions at a global scale, anywhere on Earth, every few days. This offers a revolutionary, effective alternative for detecting methane in the future.

Read on

Activate Fellows and staff at Misselwood in Beverly, MA during the 2024 Activate Retreat

Activate's CEO, Cyrus Wadia, speaking at the 2024 Activate Reunion

Activate Fellows petting a stingray at the New England Aquarium

Activate Fellows eating dinner after concluding the second day of activities during the 2024 Activate Retreat

Celebrating Innovation and Community: Activate’s Annual Retreat

This month, we held our annual retreat and reunion in Boston to honor the Activate Fellows, staff, and alumni. It was fantastic to see everyone embodying the spirit of Activate, with infectious enthusiasm for science and innovation.

The standout moment was the fellow graduation ceremony, where we celebrated the exceptional Cohort 2022 fellows who had just completed their two-year journey with Activate. Their dedication and passion are truly inspiring, and we eagerly anticipate their continued impact into the future. They will always remain a part of the Activate family!

Reflecting on the retreat, we are reminded of the immense power of collaboration within our community. The connections forged and ideas shared during this event are invaluable to our mission of tackling the world's greatest challenges. Congratulations once more to our new Activate alumni, and a sincere thank you to everyone who participated and made this retreat unforgettable.

In Our Ecosystem

Upcoming events, relevant opportunities, and what we're reading.

Upcoming Events

We’re going to camp! Join us and other top incubators and accelerators for Camp Cleantech, a startups-only event for climate-tech and clean-tech entrepreneurs. It will offer a series of workshops (two led by Activate!) designed to help startups thrive AND some campy community activities inspired by Colorado’s innovative spirit. Camp Cleantech is hosted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Wells Fargo from August 12-14 at CSU Spur in Denver. Camp signup is now open.
The New York Venture Summit on September 4-5 brings together investors and innovators for a series of networking opportunities and talks about the issues facing investors and startup CEOs alike. A select group of innovators will be chosen to showcase their technologies to an exclusive audience of venture capitalists, corporate investors, private investors, and more.

Relevant Opportunities

Hosted by Cemex Ventures, the Construction Startup Competition 24 will provide winners with networking opportunities, equity-free cash prizes, visibility for piloting technologies, and a pitch day with the biggest stage for construction investors. Applications are due June 30.
The Hello Tomorrow Global Challenge has opened applications for its 10th edition. This is a world-renowned competition designed to unearth early-stage startups that are developing cutting-edge, ‘deep’ technologies to tackle worldwide challenges. Selected participants will have the chance to win equity-free prize money of up to €100K, customized coaching sessions, and personal introductions with investors and corporates. They also get access to a dedicated Investor Day for one-on-one meetings with investors on March 12, 2025, as well as opportunities to pitch and showcase in front of an exclusive audience of investors and industry leaders at the annual Hello Tomorrow Global Summit, the biggest gathering of the deep-tech ecosystem, which will be held on March 13-14, 2025, in Paris. Applications are now open until September 22.

Activate Voices

Banyu Carbon (Julian Sachs and Alex Gagnon, Cohort 2023) was named to Bloomberg Green’s 2024 Ones to Watch list for its unique technology, which removes atmospheric carbon dioxide that harms marine life.
Aepnus Technology (Bilen Akuzum and Lukas Hackl, Cohort 2022) was featured in TechCrunch for its groundbreaking solution of recycling wastewater instead of disposing of it. This approach focuses on reclaiming sodium sulfate, a by-product from essential chemicals used in battery manufacturing, copper refining, and other industries. "We can totally create a circular economy around these reagent chemicals," Akuzum said. Aepnus recently raised an $8M Seed round to expand pilot-scale electrolyzer shipments and develop a commercial-scale version.
Antonio Baclig (Inlyte Energy, Cohort 2021) was a guest on the Climate Tech Coffee podcast, discussing how Inlyte is transforming the energy sector with novel grid-scale storage solutions, and how he successfully shifted from scientist to entrepreneur. He even gave Activate a shoutout, saying how being a fellow helped him “start the company and transform as a leader.”
Pascal (Adam Slavney and Jinyoung Seo, Cohort 2023) was highlighted in Axios Pro for receiving an investment of $8M to develop a novel class of solid refrigerants poised to transform the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning industry. With this new funding, Pascal is now entirely focused on delivering a solid refrigerant-based cooling system that meets commercial specs—meaning it is more powerful and efficient than ever before.
SiTration, Inc. (Brendan Smith, Cohort 2020) announced receiving $11.8M to advance its groundbreaking work in critical metals recovery. This funding will accelerate the company’s efforts to reclaim valuable minerals from mining waste, addressing both resource scarcity and environmental impact.
Tandem PV (Chris Eberspacher and Colin Bailie, Cohort 2016) was awarded its 10th grant from the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office. The company has been awarded $4.7M to commercialize its innovative thin-film solar photovoltaic technology. This funding will enable Tandem PV to validate its groundbreaking combination of conventional silicon solar with perovskite materials, potentially creating panels that are up to 40 percent more powerful than current models.