Irving and Magnuson Welcome Nine Startups to Campus for Greenshot, an Accelerator for Climate Solutions

Impact Across Multiple Industries 

Low-emissions regional cargo air transport. A sustainable, energy-efficient, wood-based alternative to sheetrock developed in partnership with a regional forest. A nutrient-enhancing, CO2-sequestering soil additive. An AI-driven energy management system for buildings.  More sustainable medical packaging. These are just some of the climate solutions-focused products and services being developed for market by the entrepreneurs comprising Greenshot’s inaugural cohort. 

The Greenshot accelerator was founded and is being led by the Arthur L. Irving Institute for Energy and Society and the Magnuson Center for Entrepreneurship. “Building out this partnership and inaugural program has been an important entrepreneurial endeavor within Dartmouth. It activates the resources and networks of both Irving and Magnuson to solve a major challenge of our time. I couldn’t be more impressed by the progress and impact the initiative is already having,” said Jamie Coughlin, Executive Director of the Magnuson Center for Entrepreneurship.

Greenshot entrepreneurs benefit from exclusive access to Dartmouth’s reach and resources: engaged alumni in climate fields, expert mentorship, customer development, working and lab space, and student consulting teams. The 14-week program is designed to help entrepreneurs build and scale their startups before seeking seed and Series A funding. The nine teams were chosen from a pool of 33 applicants, and represent a wide cross-section of climate solutions. Seven teams have close ties to Dartmouth, including a graduate student team and a team advised by faculty. Opening weekend will take place in January in Hanover and the program will culminate with a Demo Day at the Magnuson Center’s Dartmouth Entrepreneurs Forum in New York City, where selected finalists will pitch to top climate venture capitalists. The rest of the program is virtual, so participants can be involved from anywhere in the world.

Building a Dartmouth Climate Community 

In addition to the entrepreneurs, there is an experienced group of mentors representing a wide range of skill sets and expertise — from the former CEO of Gorton’s seafood to a materials engineer-turned-venture-capitalist to a current Breakthrough Ventures Business Fellow. Mentors will meet with entrepreneurs weekly to act as a sounding board for program participants.

There is also a seasoned group of climate venture capitalists from leading firms such as Obvious Ventures, Lower Carbon Capital, and Powerhouse Ventures, who have committed to supporting the program as advisors.  Greenshot taps into the deep network of experts from the Magnuson Center of Entrepreneurship and the Irving Institute’s connections with energy and climate leaders. Tuck School of Business faculty are teaching parts of the curriculum. Additionally, Greenshot has partnered with the CleanTech Open to leverage the CleanTech Open’s environmental experts, who are teaching several sessions during the program.  

While the accelerator is flexibly designed in a hybrid format, requiring participants to be in person only on opening weekend and Demo Day in New York City, about half of the teams will utilize the Irving Institute’s comfortable and light-filled workspaces during the program, giving them additional opportunities to interact with students, faculty, and staff. Many of the participating startups, whether onsite or off, will also work with student consulting teams from the Tuck School of Business to help assist them with market research, customer development, and more. 

“Many of us who attend or attended Dartmouth love the outdoors,” said Irving Institute Senior Fellow and Greenshot Program Director Liana Frey, “so Dartmouth is the perfect place for a program like this. We’re excited to launch Greenshot to help protect the planet, bring together the talent and resources of the Dartmouth community, and use business as a tool for good.”  

Meet the Inaugural Greenshot Cohort

Block Carbon    
Unlocks global market for climate assets 

Greener    
Sustainable residential landscaping services platform.

Green Golf Carbon     
Carbon sequestration for golf courses and managed turf

Mach Electric    
Sustainable aviation and materials technologies
    
NET Offset    
Transforming biomass residues into carbon credits
    
Pacto Medical    
Sustainable medical packaging
    
Rune Aero    
Sustainable autonomous aircraft for regional cargo transport
    
Vybe Energy    
AI-assisted and optimized building energy management
    
Woodwall    
Natural wood walls in partnership with regional forests

For more information about Greenshot, visit the website.