These Organizations Are Focused On CleanTech Innovation In The Southeast
Despite national headwinds, Southeast CleanTech is growing—driven by new programs, funding wins, and a collaborative ecosystem across Atlanta and beyond
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Nervous. Defeated. Energized to keep the work going.
We heard a mixed of responses when asking people how they are feeling about the CleanTech ecosystem in 2025. The national investment numbers are generally subdued, with VC funding into the industry down 46% year-over-year. Part of the dropoff certainly comes from national uncertainty, as federal programs related to climate, sustainable energy work, and electric vehicles have been slashed under the Trump administration.
But it isn’t all doom and gloom. 16 Southeast-based companies building in the CleanTech and sustainable energy-related spaces raised venture capital rounds this year to date, bringing in just under $200 million, according to available Crunchbase data. Some rounds to note include Tennessee’s Silicon Ranch’s $500 million private equity round this spring, Charleston-based Zero Industrial’s $10 million Series A in April, and Atlanta-based Wattch’s recent $6 million seed round from lead investor Spero Ventures.
And on a national level, there is one very positive thing going for the CleanTech industry. The reality is that power demands are only growing in our ever-increasingly AI-driven world, which means that energy-related startups are seeing more opportunities to grow.
A GROWING COMMUNITY
There are more than a dozen organizations across the Southeast focused on building up the region’s CleanTech and energy-related business. A few to know include:
BoldImpact ATL, spearheaded by founder and CEO Marianne Faloni, is a new sustainability initiative working to turn global climate into “bold, measurable local action across Metro Atlanta.” BoldImpact had its kickoff event earlier this month, and has set its sights on making the 2025 FIFA World Cup games in Atlanta more sustainable with SustainTheGame™ ATL.
Research Triangle Cleantech Cluster in Raleigh works to advance the cluster of over 1,800 cleantech companies, agencies, and organizations in RTP.
Cox Cleantech Accelerator powered by gener8tor, recently launched its second cohort in Atlanta. The program brings startups from across the globe to build for 12-weeks in Atlanta and introduces them to commercial and enterprise-level pilot opportunities.
NC Clean Energy Technology Center, headquartered on the campus of North Carolina State University, sustainable energy economy by educating, demonstrating, and providing support for clean energy technologies, practices, and policies.
The Spark Innovation Center, founded in 2020, is an entrepreneurial initiative of the UT Research Park in Knoxville, Tennessee. It runs an accelerator program for CleanTech businesses.
gALPHA Earth Accelerator, newly launched in East Alabama, is a free, four-week venture-creation workshop designed to help entrepreneurially minded students and technologists create high-growth startups.
SuperSouth, a climate conference in Atlanta that had its inaugural year in 2025. The conference focused on topics like clean energy, smart communities, regenerative agriculture, watershed restoration, and sustainable manufacturing.
ATDC's Sustainability Tech Program champions Georgia's emerging sustainability and climate technology startups. The program is run by Jennifer Singh.
Drawdown Georgia, a research-based initiative launched in 2020. Drawdown Georgia works as a statewide initiative working to catalyze a Georgia beyond carbon.
Technology Association of Georgia (TAG)’s Smart Communities & Sustainability Society launched in 2021 to create “connection, content, and collaboration” throughout the State of Georgia.
Sustain-X, a program hosted by Georgia Tech but serves the state of Georgia and is open to Students, Staff, Faculty, Alum and Community members. Sustain-X is a partnership between the Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business and CREATE-X, and is a Sustainability Next Institute Strategic Plan project.
Georgia Cleantech Innovation Hub, which focuses on speed and scale for cleantech innovation for the State of Georgia.
Joules Accelerator, a CleanTech accelerator located in Charlotte, North Carolina. Partners in the program include Duke Energy, Honeywell, S&C Electric Company, Advanced Energy, GE Vernova, and EY.
Infocast’s 10th annual Southeast Renewable Energy, a conference in Atlanta. This year’s event is happening in November and will bring together policy makers, utilities, and renewable players.
ATL Cleantech Connect meets quarterly to educate and collaborate on efforts designed to build one, integrated, and impactful cleantech launch ecosystem across greater Atlanta.
AI x New Energy Tech Startup Bootcamp, a virtual program run out of New Orleans, is a 10-week virtual program supports early-stage founders using AI to tackle climate and energy challenges.
