The Carbontech Development Initiative (CDI) is pleased to announce the opening of its fourth solicitation round welcoming applications for two Research Programs (Leap & Propel) to accelerate technology from labs toward commercialization and one Commercialization Program (Bridge) which supports startups at mid- and late-stage development through project funding and training support

The Carbontech Development Initiative is designed to fund both internal and external R&D and through a commercialization grant-making and training program support acceleration of a technical ecosystem that can achieve synergistic impacts by bringing together regional carbontech expertise, stakeholders, innovators, and industry.

Applicants focused in the following technology topic areas will be considered for funding:

- CO2 Capture Technology (e.g., direct air capture, point source CO2 capture, direct air capture, point source capture, and utilization)
- CO2-to-Building Materials (e.g., carbon mineralization of waste, CO2 curing of concretes, low carbon replacement materials)
- CO2-to-Chemicals/ Fuels and Dual-Functional Materials (e.g., electrochemical conversion of CO2, dual-functional materials)

For more information, please visit our website and join us for our information sessions above.

The Carbontech Development Initiative is designed to fund both internal and external R&D and through a commercialization grant-making and training program support acceleration of a technical ecosystem that can achieve synergistic impacts by bringing together regional carbontech expertise, stakeholders, innovators, and industry.

CDI has three programs, two Research Programs and one Commercialization Program:

Research Programs: 

CDI's research programs will advance the research needed to underpin development of technologies that enable harvesting of carbon from the environment and from waste streams and converting it for use in widely-used products. CDI will focus on accelerating technology from benchtop to commercialization through competitive research programs. 

1. Propel Carbontech (External to Columbia)

- Technology Readiness Level: 2 – 3

- Individual project awards: $50,000 - $150,000

- Project Duration: Complete by June 30, 2027

- Open to applicants who are external to Columbia University

2. Carbontech Leap (Columbia University only)

- Technology Readiness Level: 2 – 3

- Individual project awards: up to $250,000

- Project Duration: Complete by June 30, 2027

- Open to applicants who are faculty at Columbia University

Commercialization Program

Bridge Carbontech (Startups only)

- Technology Readiness Level: 4 – 9

- Individual project awards: $287,500 - $375,000

- Project Duration: Complete by June 30, 2027

- Open to startups at mid – late stages of technology development

The Carbontech Development Initiative is designed to fund both internal and external R&D and through a commercialization grant-making and training program support acceleration of a technical ecosystem that can achieve synergistic impacts by bringing together regional carbontech expertise, stakeholders, innovators, and industry.

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The Carbontech Development Initiative (CDI) at Columbia Technology Ventures is a first-of-its-kind, large-scale carbontech market transformation grant-seeding and commercialization initiative for carbontech science and technology. CDI aims to position New York State as a global carbontech hub by supporting research and development, facilitating technology transfer, and commercializing innovation. The program funds research and development (R&D) both within Columbia University and the broader carbontech space to create a technical ecosystem that can achieve durable market impacts. By leveraging the deep bench of technical expertise at Columbia University and the entrepreneurial dynamism of New York State, CDI will promote the decarbonization solutions required to address the climate crisis and catalyze economic development. 

With support from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), CDI will encourage international participation from entrepreneurs and researchers, work to scale-up the demand-side market (investors, buyers, customers,) and enrich state, federal, and international policy ecosystems. CDI aims to catalyze decades-long carbontech market transformation, locking in an upward trajectory for the sector.

The Carbontech Development Initiative is designed to fund both internal and external R&D and through a commercialization grant-making and training program support acceleration of a technical ecosystem that can achieve synergistic impacts by bringing together regional carbontech expertise, stakeholders, innovators, and industry.

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