Communities of color are most impacted by climate change and least likely to benefit from solutions. As the green economy grows, these communities should have increased access to sustainable technologies and be empowered to innovate and scale new climate solutions.
That’s why Dream.Org is teaming up with Village Capital to help Black- and Latinx-led climate tech startups take their cutting-edge ideas to the next level through the Dream Climate Tech Launchpad. More than 40 startups from 13 states applied to be a part of the program. 10 startups from eight states were selected to be a part of the final cohort, with 70% headquartered outside of major tech hubs and 70% female-led. With support from the Salesforce Foundation, the San Francisco 49ers, and Wells Fargo, finalists are receiving training, mentorship, and monetary investment from participating in the 3-month program. The top two participants will be selected by their peers to each receive $25,000 from Dream.Org to grow their businesses.
On October 24th through 26th, the final cohort will showcase their solutions at VERGE 23 – a national climate tech conference. Join us for a demo day at VERGE in San Jose, California to meet these inspiring Black and Brown entrepreneurs in the climate tech sector. Use code V23DREAM at registration for 20% off the All-Access Pass! These are the 10 innovative startups that comprise the final cohort:
DrinKicks (Houston, TX) is a sneaker themed consumer packaged goods company focusing on repurposing food waste and recycled materials into sustainable goods such as shoes, sports equipment, and clothing all while educating consumers on the power of the circular economy. ECGO (Cumming, GA) is a recycling solutions company that creates tech-based solutions to help universities, municipalities, and corporate offices reach their zero-waste goals. Eco Rescue (San Marcos, TX) takes waste and transforms it into a resource, breeding Black Soldier fly larvae on food waste. Edenic Energy (Portsmouth, VA) makes outdated buildings better in underserved communities through an Internet of Things infrastructure network to save wasted energy and operation costs. Frontline Gig (Baltimore, MD) powers on-demand green workforce programs that standardize environmental data collection and amplify social impact. Generation Conscious (New York, NY) makes sustainable detergent more affordable and convenient by eliminating 500k tons of plastic per year. Kadeya (Chicago, IL) has developed a patent-pending kiosk that washes, sanitizes, inspects, and refills bottles to eliminate the need for single-use beverage containers, starting with industrial workers most in need of low-cost, high-quality, convenient hydration. Olokun Minerals (Los Angeles, CA) extracts valuable metals and minerals from salty, mineral-rich wastewater streams and creates products that can be used in concrete to build infrastructure, fertilizers for agriculture, and batteries for electronics and vehicles. Rebundle (St. Louis, MO) is the first US-made plant-based hair extensions brand, revolutionizing hair extensions with more comfort and less waste. WAJU Water (Richmond, CA) is a BIPOC-owned beverage company revolutionizing hydration by sustainably upcycling water from fruit, merging exceptional taste and nutrient-rich benefits in an eco-friendly beverage that caters to the health of both consumers and the planet. We hope you’ll join us at VERGE 23 and get to know these amazing innovators! 
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Inspiring entrepreneurs
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Superb solutions.
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Remarkable
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💚
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You could send climate love to each of them 💚 for these incredible solutions
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Super cool list! Thanks for sharing, I will definitely look them up.