CSIT Reminds NJ Clean Tech Startups of April 5 Clean Tech Seed Grant Program Deadline

Up to $75,000 Available Per Company to Further Clean Technology R&D

TRENTON, N.J. (March 31, 2021) – The New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology (CSIT) today reminded New Jersey clean technology startups that the deadline to apply to its Clean Tech Seed Grant Program is Monday, April 5. The program helps accelerate development and innovation of clean technologies by furthering research and development (R&D) within the Garden State’s clean technology startup community. CSIT developed the program in coordination with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA). The application is available at https://application.njeda.com/csit.

The Clean Tech Seed Grant Program, which is funded by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU),  provides grants for R&D activities to very early-stage, New Jersey-based clean technology companies. Specifically, the program will fund projects that are developing or testing clean technologies intended to recapture or avoid emissions of greenhouse gases and/or criteria pollutants, or to enable such avoidance or recapture. The following technology areas are eligible under the program: Chemicals/Advance Materials, Energy Distribution/Storage, Energy Efficiency, Energy Generation, Green Buildings, Transportation, Waste Processing, and Water and Agriculture. Complete program eligibility requirements can be found at https://www.njeda.gov/clean-tech-grant.

Qualified applicants can receive up to $75,000 in grants through the Clean Tech Seed Grant Program and the total funding for this initial pilot program is $750,000. Funding through the program will help businesses continue their work toward the proof of concept and prototyping stages, at which point they can more readily attract outside investors and, in some cases, begin to generate revenue. The funding is being provided through NJBPU’s Clean Energy Program.

CSIT previously hosted an informational webinar about the Clean Tech Seed Grant Program. During the webinar, CSIT Executive Director Judith Sheft offered tips and advice to entrepreneurs that were considering applying to the program. A recording of the webinar can be found here. 

The application will be open until April 5, 2021 at 4:00 p.m. or until the program receives 50 completed applications, whichever comes first.

Applications from businesses located in an Opportunity Zone-eligible census tract, minority- or woman-owned businesses or businesses with technology coming out of New Jersey universities are all eligible for bonus points with respect to the scoring criteria.

About CSIT

In August 2018, Governor Murphy signed legislation re-establishing the former New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology as the CSIT. Comprised of representatives from the public and private sectors, as well as academia, the Commission is tasked with leading the way in promoting the state as a home for academic and technological research, development, and commercialization.

###