Announced last week at the COP26 climate talks in Glasgow, Columbia University was awarded $10 million in seed funding under New York State’s Carbontech Development Initiative.
“The dangers posed by climate change become more apparent and urgent with each passing day,” said Columbia University President Lee C.
As part of the Carbontech Development Initiative, administered through the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority , $9.1 million was also awarded to the nonprofit Activate to establish a fellowship program for New York-based entrepreneurs.
NYSERDA President and CEO Doreen M.
“Columbia has already shown how serious it is about trying to solve the climate crisis,” said Jason Bordoff, co-founding dean of the Columbia Climate School and founding director of Columbia’s Center on Global Energy Policy.
Other startups, including AdvanceH20 and Trident Desalination, offer more efficient ways to treat sewage and generate clean water, respectively, while lowering carbon emissions in the process.
The program will also focus on the commercialization process, with an emphasis on analyzing markets and policies so that carbontech entrepreneurs across New York can position their companies for success.