VertueLab Wins Stage One of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2024 Growth Accelerator Fund Competition
PORTLAND, Ore. – Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced VertueLab as a Stage One winner for the 2024 Growth Accelerator Fund Competition (GAFC). VertueLab will receive a $50,000 cash prize for its impactful and inclusive approach to nurturing a collaborative national innovation ecosystem to advance small business research and development (R&D) from ideas to the market.
Video Recap - Jumpstart Weekend
Watch the video recaps of our two Jumpstart Weekends that took place in Washington and Oregon.
VertueLab Named Phase 1 Winner As Part of NWCIN for EPIC Round 3
VertueLab, a Pacific Northwest-based nonprofit addressing the causes and impacts of the climate crisis through funding and support of climate tech innovation, has just been announced as a Phase 1 winner of the Energy Program for Innovation Clusters (EPIC) Round 3 as part of the Northwest Cleantech Innovation Center Network (NWCIN).
Jumpstart Weekend Washington Recap
Jumpstart Weekend in Tukwila, Washington closed out 45Camp’s two workshop events on a high note. Held at Tabor 100’s Business Development Center the weekend after Jumpstart Oregon, attendees came together over three days to share their ideas, team up to collaborate, and pitch before a panel of judges.
Survey Results, Pt. 2 - The Hypotheses
A few weeks ago, we shared the results of the survey we sent out to get a better understanding of our community, stakeholders, and VertueLab’s existing strengths and weaknesses. We conducted additional research across the climate tech sector in the region, building upon the findings and feedback from the survey to shape an emerging organizational strategy. Here’s what we’ve discovered so far.
Jumpstart Weekend Oregon Recap
Jumpstart Weekend in Portland this last weekend was an incredible first event for 45Camp, a new program created in collaboration with Tabor 100 and with the support of Prosper Portland and PGE Foundation. Designed as a three day crash course for aspiring entrepreneurs from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds, the weekend was one of learning, mentorship, and connection within the community.
Survey Results, Pt. 1 - The Findings
As you know from our last post, the team at VertueLab has been hard at work listening and learning over the past few months. You may have seen and participated in the survey we sent out to get a better understanding of our community and stakeholders, getting a sense of VertueLab’s existing strengths and weaknesses. In this first of two posts, we share some of our learnings, what you told us and how we are taking this feedback in to help us steer how we work.
Portfolio Highlight: Harvest Thermal
In this installment of our Portfolio Highlight series, we take a closer look at Climate Impact Fund portfolio company, Harvest Thermal, a company on a mission to provide the cheapest, cleanest electricity possible to fight climate change without sacrificing superior comfort. Keep reading below to find out more about our chat with Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Jane Melia.
Introducing Just Future Climate Labs
If you’ve been following along on our journey, you’ll know that we recently announced the launch of Just Future Climate Labs (JFC Labs). Born from the urgency of the climate crisis as well as recognition that VertueLab needed to reaffirm and double down on our commitment to supporting historically underserved entrepreneurs, JFC Labs is our experimental space to grow a radically inclusive climate tech future rooted in place.
Portfolio Highlight: Re-Nuble
In this installment of our Portfolio Highlight series, we take a closer look at Climate Impact Fund portfolio company, Re-Nuble, an agricultural technology company that uses organic cycling science™ technology to transform unrecoverable vegetative food byproducts into a platform of sustainable technologies for indoor farms. Keep reading below to find out more about our chat with Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Tinia Pina.
Letter From The Lab - October 2023
To our community members,
I have had the pleasure of meeting so many of VertueLab’s stalwart supporters and friends since I took over in May as the new President and Executive Director. Some of you attended our September events in Portland and Seattle, where I shared our evolving vision. Since then, we’ve encountered some setbacks with our longstanding state funder, but are undaunted in our quest towards our vision of a just climate transition.
Portfolio Highlight: Focal Technologies, Inc.
Focal Technologies, Inc. created the Ray® Solar Remediation System. Ray® is a transportable and autonomous unit that harnesses the energy of the sun to remediate wastewater. The breakthrough combination of high heat, intense UV and photocatalysis allows Ray® to destroy a vast amount of pollutants on a molecular level.
Introducing Aina Abiodun, VertueLab's New President & Executive Director
On behalf of the VertueLab Board of Directors, it is my great pleasure to introduce Aina Abiodun, VertueLab's new President and Executive Director. When we kicked off the search process last fall, we pursued an equitable process through our partners at Good Citizen, to find a candidate who could lead at the intersection of climate, technology, entrepreneurship, and impact investing.
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