Venture capital firm gener8tor, in partnership with U.S. Venture, announced the inaugural cohort of startups selected for investment through the U.S. Venture Sustainability Accelerator.
The U.S. Venture Sustainability Accelerator invests $100,000 into each of five startups per cohort that are solving problems in sustainability or mobility.
The U.S. Venture Sustainability Accelerator team reviewed more than 400 applications for its inaugural program. The five startups came from across North America to participate in this accelerator based in Appleton. The participating companies are: IN BOLD PRINT., Chicago; Nectar, Toronto; New Day Hydrogen, Denver; Sativa Building Systems, Wittenburg; and Torev Motors, Arlington.
“We’re thrilled to partner with U.S. Venture to invest in the future of sustainability and mobility technologies while also supporting Wisconsin’s entrepreneurial ecosystem,” said Andrew Schmitz, managing director of the U.S. Venture Sustainability Accelerator. “We’ve seen the incredible economic impact of corporate-backed investment accelerators in other parts of the country, and we’re excited to bring that same impact to Appleton.”
The companies not only receive investment and mentorship from Wisconsin-based gener8tor, but also develop a close relationship with one of the largest privately-held corporations in Wisconsin, Appleton-based U.S. Venture.
“U.S. Venture is proud to collaborate with these startups and help them grow through this accelerator. We feel this unique opportunity has the potential to make a significant impact on the future of sustainability and mobility and also Wisconsin’s startup ecosystem,” said Chuck Dauk, U.S. Venture’s chief innovation and transformation officer.
At the end of the accelerator, startup founders will pitch their companies to investors, community partners and the public at a showcase event at 5 p.m., June 13 in Appleton.
Company profiles are below:
- Nectar builds mobile EV chargers and software systems to increase the speed of fleet electrification and efficiency. Nectar’s batteries allow fleet owners to double or triple their fleet size, without time-consuming and costly grid upgrades. Nectar has over $1.3 million worth of deals in the pipeline.
- New Day Hydrogen develops micro-hub fueling systems that allow fleets to replace diesel with cost-effective, zero-emissions hydrogen – produced on site from water and electricity. New Day Hydrogen’s unique micro-hub solution delivers near-term return on capital and builds early market share with modest-scale, repeatable projects. New Day Hydrogen has received a $250,000 grant award for its first micro-hub from Colorado’s Office of Economic Development and International Trade.
- IN BOLD PRINT.’s technology platform helps small to mid-sized companies in the consumer goods space measure their carbon emissions and share their sustainability journey. Think of IN BOLD PRINT. as the TurboTax of carbon accounting. IN BOLD PRINT. has generated $150,000 in revenue and has over $625,000 in deals in the pipeline
- Sativa Building Systems manufactures the first-to-market precast hempcrete block panels for constructing walls. Benefits of Sativa’s sustainable, patented Z Panel include passive air filtration and resistance to mold, pests, rot and fire. Sativa Building Systems is a Wisconsin QNBV entity and has generated over $100,000 in revenue.
- Torev Motors develops next-generation electric motors for the transportation space. Its patented motor design uses 58% fewer rare earth metals while enabling vehicles to travel farther and recharge less. Torev is a Delaware C Corporation, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, that has two promising potential pilot customers with a combined deal value of over $10 million annually.
