New climate innovations accelerator launches in Boulder

BOULDER — The Rocky Mountain Institute, a Boulder-based sustainability think tank, and clean-energy entrepreneurship support nonprofit organization New Energy Nexus have partnered to form Third Derivative, a startup accelerator for climate innovation firms. 

The nearly 50 participants in the accelerator, also known as D3, come from a variety of industries, “including electricity, transportation, buildings, industry, energy access, food and agriculture, and financial and business model innovation,” according to a news release.

“Startups hoping to transform our energy future face enormous challenges. Many succumb to a gauntlet of multiple valleys of death,” D3 CEO Bryan Guido Hassin said in a prepared statement. “Yet the world needs climate innovation startups to succeed. That’s why we’ve assembled the best-resourced accelerator in clean energy and climate tech ever.”

Funds including Chrysalix Ventures, CRCM Ventures, Emerald Technology Ventures, Factor[e] Ventures, Imperative Ventures, Social Alpha, Skyview Ventures, Tsing Capital, and Volo Earth Ventures have committed capital to the accelerator.

The 18-month program will kick off Tuesday with a two-day inaugural summit. Participating startups will be announced during that event. 

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