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9 innovative startups you need to see at Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Demo Day—Dec. 7
BySharron Swain
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It’s not every day you get to see the founders of innovative energy tech companies up close and personal, but on December 7 at 4PM, at Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Demo Day, you can. Each company will present their progress on energytech, cleantech, and sustainability solutions to investors and supporters. This means you can get an inside look at startups that will change the energy game. Plus, there’s a reception afterwards, and you’re invited.
What’s happening at Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Demo Day
- What: Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator—a live, in-person pitch event
- Location: Red Mountain Theatre’s Arts Campus, 1600 3rd Ave. S, Birmingham, AL
- When: Tuesday, December 7, 4-7PM
- 4PM: Doors open—cocktails 🍷
- 5PM: Programming—pitches
- 6PM: Reception with food + drink 🥂
- Who: open to the public
- Get tickets
What’s the Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator?
A spinoff from Boulder-based Techstars—known as “the worldwide network that helps entrepreneurs succeed”—the Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator is the only energy-focused startup program in the world. It attracts startups that are building technologies and business models to enhance the future of energy.
To grow their companies, Techstars founders connect with the following:
- Other entrepreneurs
- Experts
- Mentors
- Alumni
- Investors
- Community leaders
- Corporations
Through its corporate accelerators, Techstars develops partnerships with corporations. The goal is to add industry expertise through mentorships, business development opportunities and access to resources. Alabama Power is Techstars’ first electric utility partner.
The first cohort came through the program in 2020. Between them, they raised $30M in capital, and four companies now have an Alabama presence.
It’s time for the second cohort to shine at Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Demo Day
Now Techstars Alabama is looking forward to the first live, in-person Demo Day with its second cohort. (Last year’s event was virtual due to COVID.)
“I’m so proud of this year’s class. They joined us entirely from outside Alabama and have embraced our program, and city, in ways I would have never imagined. They spend long hours working, and then head out to experience all of Alabama’s wonders, from hiking and getting outdoors, to Saw’s BBQ, and everything in between. We’re lucky to have this class join us in Alabama, and I can’t wait to experience their success post program.”
Nate Schmidt, Managing Director
The nine companies hail from seven states and Canada. All have relocated to The Magic City for the 13-week program, and some have plans to stay when the program is over.
The companies specialize in technologies and business models to enhance the future of energy, including the following:
- Drone inspections of the power grid
- Wind power generation on commercial buildings
- Sustainable habit building app for climate-smart choices
- Weather prediction
There’s even a company that’s designing a hybrid car conversion kit for those of us who still drive gas guzzlers. 👏🏽
ICYMI, you can catch a replay of the full Demo Day pitches from all nine companies on the TechStars Alabama EnergyTech website later in the week.
Please note: masks are required for ages 2+. If you’re 18+, please bring proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test result from within 48 hours of the event.
Who’s who at Techstars Alabama
- Managing Director: Nate Schmidt, a Techstars alum himself
- Programs Manager: Brooke Gillis
Supporters include:
- Alabama Power
- Economic Development Partnership of Alabama (EDPA)
- Alabama Department of Commerce
- Altec
- PowerSouth
- University of Alabama
- Southern Research
Each of these supporters plays a key role in the accelerator process. Their goal? Grow Alabama’s startup ecosystem.
More than 120 Alabama corporate and community mentors have worked with the founders throughout the program.
Meet 9 teams taking part in this year’s Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Demo Day
“The second class of the Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator has brought some of the brightest minds and entrepreneurs to the state of Alabama this fall. We can already see the success of this year’s class and the investment they are making in the energy industry.”
Tony Smoke, Alabama Power’s senior vice president of Marketing and Economic Development
1. Noteworthy AI, Stamford, Connecticut
What: vehicle-mounted computer vision to inspect the electric grid.
Founder: Chris Ricciuti (CEO)
2. Accelerate Wind, St. Louis, Missouri
What: making wind energy generation affordable on commercial buildings.
Founder: Erika Boeing (CEO)
3. Khepra, San Francisco, California
What: getting petroleum out of the chemicals industry by electrifying the chemical reactors and replacing petrochemicals with waste-based alternatives.
Founder: Julie Kring (CEO)
4. Moduly, Montreal, Canada
What: smart energy-storage platform designed to address the issue between people and power utilities, such as greenhouse gas emissions, energy overproduction and peak consumption times.
Founders: Jonathan Lamer (CEO), Mario Leboeuf, Alvaro Macías Fernández, Alexandre Gibeault
5. Birdstop, San Francisco, California
What: automated inspection and monitoring for physical assets.
Founder: Keith Miao (CEO)
6. Sustaio, Telluride, Colorado
What: a sustainable habit-building app that makes adopting a climate-smart lifestyle easy and empowering.
Founder: Olivia Pedersen (CEO)
7. Sunairio, Baltimore, Maryland
What: weather simulation for renewable energy prediction.
Founder: Rob Cirincione (CEO), Mitch Walk
8. HData, Joliet, Illinois
What: automating energy regulatory data and business intelligence.
Founder: Hudson Hollister (CEO)
9. Flux Hybrids, Raleigh, North Carolina
What: a system to convert vehicles to plug-in hybrids at a price point that pays for itself.
Founders: Micah Ulrich, (CEO), Cody Biedermann, Clay Dowdey
See the future of sustainable energy unfold before your very eyes. Get tickets now for Techstars Alabama Energy Accelerator Demo Day, December 7, 4PM.
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