Support our Work
Accelerating Market-Ready Solutions.
Your donation to the Urban Future Lab at NYU Tandon School of Engineering will help us provide critical support to programs driving innovation in climatetech, sustainability, and entrepreneurship. By giving, you help foster the next generation of impactful solutions and ensure that our startups have the resources, mentorship, and community they need to thrive and create lasting change.
Our mission
Our mission.
Through our 5 programs, we support innovators on their journey to scaling up and commercializing climate solutions.
We are proud to champion the brightest minds in climatetech innovation, providing them with the necessary support and resources to scale up their transformative solutions while leveraging New York’s built environment and access to climate finance.
What makes us different.
1
First pioneer in the sector
ACRE is the longest existing climatetech incubator in New York State
2
We don’t take equity
Founder-first culture that focuses on the startup’s growth
3
We support hard tech + soft tech
Wide range of innovations across programs
4
Deep network connections in New York
Government, corporate, non-profits
5
Full suite of programs
Incubator, accelerators, professional development
6
An unmatched range of services
From legal, design, marketing, and capital raising
Our history
2009
ACRE created
NYU Polytechnic (later NYU Tandon School of Engineering) and NYSERDA established the NYC Accelerator for a Clean and Resilient Economy (NYC ACRE), NYC's first climatetech incubator.
2012
Urban Future Lab formed
ACRE received grant funding from New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) to establish the innovation hub now known as the Urban Future Lab.
2014
Clean Start launched
CleanStart, an educational certificate program to assist entrepreneurs and professionals in transitioning to the climatetech industry, was created.
2016
Urban Future Prize Competition launch
The competition was created to attract climatetech startups for a chance to win cash awards, gain exposure, and strategic advice to accelerate business growth and impact.
2018
H2 Refuel launch
The first technology-themed accelerator at UFL, which later became the model for the C2V Initiative, was launched.
2019
NYPA Innovation Challenge launch
UFL collaborated with New York Power Authority (NYPA) to source and select startups for piloting innovative technologies in Electric Vehicle (EV) charging and energy storage.
2020
C2V Initiative & Innovate UK launch
The C2V Initiative was established as a carbontech-focused accelerator. We also partnered with the UK government to support international startups with market penetration.
2022
ACRE companies raise $1B in capital
A milestone showcasing the success of public funds as a catalyst for private sector investment in climatetech startups.
2023
Offshore Wind Innovation Hub launch
OWIH was announced as a multi-year initiative. The accelerator’s goal is to support offshore wind startups and contribute to New York State's renewable energy targets.
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