Applications Open Now for the EPIC Buildings Accelerator

Entering into its third year, the EPIC (Energy Program for Innovation Clusters) Buildings Accelerator is currently accepting applications through Jan. 31, 2024, for the 2024 cohort. 

The EPIC Buildings Accelerator is a six-month, cohort-based program offered by CenterState CEO’s The Tech Garden in collaboration with the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems (SyracuseCoE), with support from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Technology Transitions and the Energy Program for Innovation Clusters (EPIC), as well as DOE’s Building Technology Office.​ 

Buildings account for more than 70% of U.S. electricity consumption and power sector carbon dioxide emissions. Companies participating in the EPIC Buildings Program help turn buildings into clean, flexible energy resources by combining energy efficiency and demand flexibility with communications and smart technologies. Through innovative products, American homes and buildings can be more affordable, comfortable and productive, while reducing power system costs, carbon emissions and stress on the grid, saving billions.  

This accelerator provides a suite of business incubation supports to early-mid stage companies targeting energy hardware innovations in Grid-interactive and Energy-efficient Building (GEB) technologies. The goals are to strengthen the cluster of companies engaged with the GEB market, while promoting equity and public health in the built environment and supporting the nation’s transition to net-zero emissions. 

There are multiple benefits provided to participants in the accelerator, including workshops pitching and coaching, sales training, DEI-related workshops as a best business practice, industry and investor events with travel support, access to more than 100 climate entrepreneurs-in-residence (EIRs), subject matter experts (SMEs), grant finding and grant-writing support and C-level mentors and investor deck development and creation support. 

EPIC Building Accelerator cohort companies may also apply by Jan. 31, 2024 for other EPIC Buildings program offerings, including Innovation Law Center Intellectual Property Landscape Survey research projects offered in collaboration with students and faculty from Syracuse University’s Innovation Law Center and small-scale prototype development projects.  

In 2023, 22 companies were selected to participate in the EPIC Buildings Accelerator Cohort 2. Out of those teams, six were selected to receive assistance with intellectual property landscape patent assessments, and five were selected for the small-scall prototype projects. One of those companies, Hydronic Shell Technologies has just been awarded a $3 million grant from the Housing Affordability Breakthrough Challenge, with collaborators from other EPIC Buildings Accelerator participant companies.  

EPIC Buildings is an important program that helps New York state companies accelerate development and commercialization of innovations for energy hardware to create grid-interactive and energy efficient buildings.

Learn more about the EPIC Buildings Accelerator and apply by Jan. 31, 2024 at: https://www.thetechgarden.com/epic-buildings-program.