DEIC Accelerate 2023

A Launchpad For Energy and Sustainability Startups

DEIC Accelerate is a virtual business development accelerator focused on connecting advanced energy and sustainability startups to their next major customer.

Our accelerator program enables the growth of high-potential companies with a focus on energy and sustainability solutions. The four-month program runs from June 12 to October 12, 2023 and provides 6-8 startup companies with business development mentorship to help increase sales pipelines and decrease time-to-close. Companies will receive a dedicated mentor from Dominion Energy as well as DEIC staff. Startups can also receive additional help from subject matter experts in areas such as technical development, sales, marketing, fundraising, operations, talent development and more.

Dominion Energy or our corporate advisory partners may select specific companies for additional mentorship, pilots or post-program investment.

Our program has three focus areas:
1- Building relationships with potential customers, so that startups can learn in a low-pressure situation how a customer's procurement process actually works.
2- Connecting to potential funding sources, from federal grants to venture capital.
3- Connecting to mentors in areas like product development, accounting, or digital marketing, depending on what each cohort company's needs are.

We anticipate that the program will be almost fully virtual again in 2023, and that each cohort company should be able devote 2-4 hours a week to the program.

Previous Cohort Companies

2022 Cohort: C-Zero, TS Conductor, Ai Dash, Noteworthy AI, ElectricFish, Wildgrid, Grow Oyster Reefs

2021 Cohort: WeaveGrid | GridCure | Dynamhex | Advanced Aircraft Company | Sabreez | Criticality Sciences | ATP-VA | GridFruit

2020 Cohort: LineBird | Asoleyo | Ecountabl | Ario | Lumin | Mova Technologies | Longleaf Finance


About Dominion Energy Innovation Center

The Dominion Energy Innovation Center, located in Ashland, is an affiliated innovation
center of Activation Capital that supports early-stage advanced technology companies by providing them with the collaborative space, guidance, and resources needed to accelerate their growth.

Founded in November 2009, the Dominion Energy Innovation Center supports great
ideas across a wide spectrum of industry sectors in addition to its focus on building the alternative, renewable energy sector in Central Virginia. Founding partners of this program include the signature sponsor, Dominion Energy, as well as Activation Capital, the Town of Ashland and Hanover County.

DEIC’s main programs include DEIC Accelerate program for energy-focused startups, SPARK VIRGINIA advanced energy innovation challenges, and the DEIC Greentech Network, a virtual incubator providing opportunities for startups around the United States. DEIC is proud of our partnerships with several other leading entrepreneurial resource organizations, including the Virginia Capital Region SBDC, the Virginia Accelerator Network, the American Made Challenge Connector Program, and the Wells Fargo-NREL IN2 Incubator program.