The Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship has announced the 12 startups chosen for Class 5 of its Clean Energy Accelerator, a program designed to propel early stage ventures advancing the global energy transition. These companies from both the Houston-region and across the U.S. and Canada are developing new solutions in advanced materials, energy-efficient processes, sustainable chemistries, energy storage, wind energy, biomass energy, hydrogen, circular economy and corrosion mitigation.
The accelerator offers 10 weeks of rigorous training and facilitated connections aimed at enhancing fundraising capabilities, fast-tracking market adoption and expanding networks for potential pilots, partnerships and sales. The hybrid program takes place in the Ion, Houston’s innovation hub powered by Rice University. Since its inception, the accelerator has supported 55 ventures across four classes, collectively raising over $250 million in funding.
The Class 5 startups include:
- Aqua-Cell Energy provides utility customers with large-scale, saltwater-based flow batteries to strengthen electric grids and enable more low-cost renewable power.
- Arculus helps pipeline operators reduce costs and future-proof their infrastructure by providing a multilayer internal coating that lowers friction, extends pipeline life and enables both carbon dioxide transport and hydrogen blending, including pure hydrogen.
- AtmoSpark provides an electric field-driven air separation system that reduces dehumidification energy costs by up to 70% for data centers and industrial facilities that require precise humidity control.
- AtoMe delivers durable metallic composites to energy and aerospace companies meeting extreme performance demands, using a scalable, eco-friendly dry blade method that eliminates harmful chemicals.
- ConceptLoop produces a low-carbon aggregate from plastic waste that decarbonizes building projects, supports plastic credit compliance and advances circular manufacturing.
- Fathom Storage solves floating wind anchoring challenges by providing a more solidly embedded and steel-efficient anchoring solution that reduces vessel quantity, complexity and installation time.
- GeoKiln helps energy producers overcome the risk and uncertainty of subsurface hydrogen extraction by applying proven oil and gas techniques to accelerate natural hydrogen reactions, enabling scalable, domestic and sustainable hydrogen production.
- Innowind provides nonintrusive, active flow control devices that boost energy production and extend turbine lifespan for wind turbine asset owners and original equipment manufacturers.
- Lukera helps maritime and industrial customers affordably decarbonize by providing low-cost, carbon-negative methanol fuel made from methane emissions using a breakthrough nanobubble technology that is 10 times more energy efficient than traditional methods and requires no new infrastructure.
- Metal Light Inc. provides heavy industries such as utilities and maritime shipping with a scalable, cost-effective Metal-Air generator that replaces diesel generators to reduce emissions and improve worker safety.
- Moonshot Hydrogen converts food and agricultural waste into clean hydrogen and bioethanol, providing sustainable, low-carbon fuels to sustainable aviation fuel producers and hydrogen users.
- Resollant addresses decarbonization challenges for refineries, petrochemical plants, steel and cement manufacturers and fuel producers by delivering compact, zero-emission hydrogen and carbon reactors that provide low-cost, scalable clean hydrogen and high-purity carbon.
Class 5 will be led by executive director Kerri Smith and program director Matthew Peña with support from executives-in-residence Lynn Frostman, John Jeffers, David Horsup and Dev Motiram. These industry veterans will provide tailored mentorship, strategic guidance and connections to corporate partners and investors.
The program commences July 8 and culminates with a Demo Day Sept. 18, where startups will showcase their solutions to investors and industry leaders at the Rice Alliance Energy Tech Venture Forum during the Houston Energy and Climate Startup Week.
For more information about the Rice Alliance Clean Energy Accelerator and its portfolio of companies, visit ricecleanenergy.org.