Impact Sponsorships

Energy, Innovation, and Impact

Sponsorship Opportunities

Grid Catalyst is committed to providing opportunity and impact to transform energy and climate solutions for Minnesota and the Midwest. Our programming is working across the innovation spectrum to support and advance students, entrepreneurs, and startups.

  • Innovation and entrepreneurship programming for high schoolers and higher education students, with a focus on diverse student access and experiences. 
  • Establishing our Energy Innovation Hub to connect and support our most promising innovators and strengthen our ecosystem.
  • Startup programs focused on northern climate challenges, including incubator partnerships with Minnesota companies and one of the country’s only demonstration accelerator programs. 

This work is made possible through our multi-sector partnerships and the generous support of our program sponsors. We are seeking additional sponsors to support the development and implementation of our 2023 programs.

Reach out to nina@gridcatalyst.org for more information about sponsorship and partnership opportunities. All benefit packages are customized, but will include recognition for partners in Grid Catalyst communications, promotions, and events. 

Sponsor Benefits

Impact
Your organization’s support will prioritize opportunities for diverse founders to participate in this groundbreaking program to accelerate clean energy innovation.

Talent & Workforce
This work will elevate the strength of this region’s talent and workforce capacity, while also enabling the diverse talent and innovation that is so critical to solving our climate challenges.

Visibility
Our sponsors will receive acknowledgement on the program website, in related Equity and Access programming and communications, during 2023 events, and in our social and digital media campaigns.

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Wells Fargo is a founding sponsor of our Impact Program, providing support for the development of our Equity and Access program and enabling the development of our Energy Innovation Hub.

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The McKnight Foundation has selected Grid Catalyst, and fiscal sponsor Clean Energy Economy Minnesota, as a grantee for 2023-2024 to develop the Energy Innovation Hub.

Sponsorship Levels

With unprecedented investment being considered for clean energy and climate tech, we need to make sure the next wave of innovation addresses cold-climate challenges and makes more room at the table for innovators. We can build on our region’s momentum in clean energy and entrepreneurism by advancing programs, partnerships, and resources for energy and climate entrepreneurs and startups.
 
VISIONARY – $50,000 
This sponsorship will be supporting the development of our comprehensive impact program, including the accelerator program and startup demonstrations, the development of a cold-climate regional Innovation Hub, and strengthening pathways for diverse founders through our Equity and Access program.
 
FOUNDER – $25,000 
Community-builder investments will be dedicated to establishing our Energy Innovation Hub, which will provides resources and connections to support entrepreneurs, establish new businesses, develop market transforming technologies, attract new investors to the region, create trade opportunities, and diversify and bolster our clean energy workforce. Read more about the Hub.
 

COMMUNITY-BUILDER – $10,000
Community-builder investments will be dedicated to supporting outreach and collaboration with community-based organizations who will enable our program to reach underserved and underrepresented communities and individuals. This work also establishes programming with other statewide programs working to support entrepreneurship and energy research and development, which strengthens our regional startup community. 

PATHWAYS PARTNER – $5,000
Pathways Partners will directly support our coaching and outreach programs to early-stage innovators, students, and workforce programs.  In particular, these investments will help our program address the challenges facing diverse students in STEM pathways, which intersects with our Equity and Access program.

INNOVATOR – $1,500-$2500
The Innovator partners will be investing directly in our accelerator and demonstration project programming. Resources will be used to identify high-potential startups, match them with demonstration hosts, and facilitate project due diligence and implementation.

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