California Clean Energy Fund

What California Clean Energy Fund does

California Clean Energy Fund, doing business as New Energy Nexus, is a US-based global non-profit organization founded in 2000 and headquartered in Oakland, California. The organization operates as a network of funds and accelerators supporting diverse clean energy entrepreneurs, structured around four program pillars: Launch (bootcamps, hackathons, educational courses to form startup teams), Accelerate (accelerators, incubators, commercial partnerships for growth), Fund (impact funds, grants, vouchers, loans for capital deployment), and Connect (activities linking entrepreneurs with corporations, educational institutions, civil society, and financial organizations). It runs named programs including CalSEED and CalTestBed in California, The Clean Fight in New York, Women in Energy, and NEX Ventures as its venture arm, and operates chapters or partner programs across 13 or more countries including Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Thailand, UAE, Uganda, Vietnam, and the United States.

The organization's business model is grant- and donation-funded: it does not charge entrepreneurs for program participation and instead receives institutional funding from state agencies such as the California Energy Commission and NYSERDA, philanthropic foundations including the Hewlett Foundation, Woka Foundation, and IKEA Foundation, and bilateral/international funders such as GIZ and the Energy Foundation. A specific $10,999,701 award from the California Energy Commission in December 2018 is disclosed. The organization monetizes impact indirectly by mobilizing external capital on behalf of portfolio companies, claiming $5.44B in funding mobilized and $107M distributed directly in grants, investments, loans, and vouchers across 1,700+ supported businesses and 11,500 entrepreneurs, supported by 573 strategic partners globally.

New Energy Nexus serves two primary customer segments: (1) early-stage clean energy entrepreneurs seeking capital, mentorship, and networks, and (2) corporate and institutional partners seeking access to a vetted innovation pipeline and climate-aligned deal flow. The core "technology" is the network and program infrastructure itself rather than proprietary software or hardware, with no disclosed API, patents, or AI/ML capabilities in the input data. The organization markets through its global chapter network, portfolio showcases, impact reporting, news content, an entrepreneur application portal, and donor/partner newsletters.

Name

California Clean Energy Fund

Legal name

New Energy Nexus

Website

https://calcef.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

New Energy Nexus is a global non-profit accelerator network supporting diverse clean energy entrepreneurs with capital, mentorship, and connections across 13+ countries through Launch, Accelerate, Fund, and Connect programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Clean Energy Entrepreneurship Support / Non-profit Accelerator Network

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH), Renewable Energy & Clean Tech Access (Off-grid, Energy Poverty Solutions) (BPAGALAE), Climate / Clean Tech & Decarbonization Funds (FSANAJAA), Climate Finance Strategy (CapEx planning, green finance, incentives & grants) (EUABAKAG)

Keywords

• Clean energy accelerators
• Clean energy funding
• Entrepreneur support programs
• Climate tech incubation
• Clean energy grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding & Donations: As a global non-profit organization, New Energy Nexus operates primarily through grant funding and donations from institutional partners including IKEA Foundation, GIZ, Energy Foundation, Hewlett Foundation, Woka Foundation, California Energy Commission, and NYSERDA.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

California Clean Energy Fund (operating as New Energy Nexus) runs a global non-profit accelerator and fund network that supports clean energy entrepreneurs with capital, training, mentorship, and market connections. Its offering is organized into four program pillars — Launch (bootcamps, hackathons, educational courses), Accelerate (accelerators, incubators, commercial partnerships), Fund (impact funds, grants, vouchers, loans), and Connect (corporate, academic, civil society, and financial linkages) — delivered through chapters and partner organizations across 13+ countries.

Product overview

New Energy Nexus operates as a global non-profit organization and the world's leading network of funds and accelerators supporting diverse clean energy entrepreneurs. The organization offers a unified portfolio of programs structured around four pillars: Launch (bootcamps, hackathons, educational courses to inspire new solutions and form startup teams), Accelerate (accelerators, incubators, commercial partnerships for startup growth), Fund (impact funds, grant programs, voucher programs, loan programs for capital at various stages), and Connect (activities linking entrepreneurs with corporations, institutions, and financial organizations). The programs are delivered through chapters and partners in Australia, California, China, India, Indonesia, New York, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Thailand, UAE, Uganda, and Vietnam. Key regional programs include CalSEED and CalTestBed in California, The Clean Fight in New York, and NEX Ventures for investment activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Launch Programs Programs designed to inspire new clean energy solutions and form startup teams, including bootcamps, hackathons, and educational courses. Target audience: aspiring and early-stage clean energy entrepreneurs.
• Accelerate Programs Programs providing startups with training, mentorship, and networks to grow locally and internationally, including accelerators, incubators, and commercial partnerships. Target audience: growth-stage clean energy startups.
• Fund Programs Capital resources provided to clean energy startups at various stages of growth, including impact funds, grant programs, voucher programs, and loan programs. Target audience: clean energy startups at seed, early, and growth stages.
• Connect Programs Activities that connect entrepreneurs with corporations, educational institutions, civil society, and financial organizations to accelerate startups and remove barriers for entrepreneurs. Target audience: clean energy startups and ecosystem stakeholders.
• CalSEED California-based program supporting early-stage clean energy entrepreneurs with funding and technical assistance, including product–market fit and technical risk reduction support.
• CalTestBed California program that enables startups to test and validate their clean energy technologies through subsidized laboratory testing support.
• Women in Energy Program providing accelerator support to women entrepreneurs in the clean energy sector.
• The Clean Fight New York-based program supporting clean energy entrepreneurs and startups with programming, corporate introductions, and investor connections.
• NEX Ventures Venture arm of New Energy Nexus that provides investment and support to clean energy startups.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,700+ businesses and startups supported
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Energy Lab (Australia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnergy Lab is a key partner in Australia delivering launch and acceleration programs for clean energy entrepreneurs. New Energy Nexus co-brands and co-delivers programs through this partnership.
• AusTestBedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAusTestBed partnership provides testing and validation services for clean energy technologies as part of the acceleration ecosystem in Australia.
• Clean Technology Hub (Nigeria)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClean Technology Hub serves as the Nigeria chapter partner, delivering launch, accelerate, and fund programs for African clean energy entrepreneurs.
• Renewables First (Pakistan)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRenewables First is the Pakistan chapter partner providing regional program delivery for clean energy entrepreneurship support.
• Hub71 (UAE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHub71 partnership delivers Hub71 Plus ClimateTech program, providing support for climate technology startups in the UAE and Middle East region.
• Climate Collective (India)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClimate Collective serves as the India chapter partner, delivering programs including ElectronVibe for Indian clean energy entrepreneurs.
• Bright PowerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNation-wide leader in strategic energy solutions for building professionals. Portfolio company 75F completed installation with Bright Power in New York.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Elemental Excelerator: Non-profit climate impact accelerator and investor backing startups that address climate change. Most directly comparable as a mission-driven clean energy/cleantech accelerator with similar cohort and funding model.
• Greentown Labs: Largest cleantech startup incubator in North America, providing lab space, prototyping resources, and programming — directly comparable startup support infrastructure for clean energy entrepreneurs.
• Village Capital: Non-profit impact-driven accelerator supporting early-stage entrepreneurs in sustainability, energy, and other impact themes, with peer-selected cohort model analogous to NEX programs.
• Activate (formerly Cyclotron Road): Non-profit fellowship for entrepreneurs working on climate and hard-tech solutions, providing living stipend, lab space, and community — comparable deep-support model for science-based clean energy founders.
• Echoing Green: Non-profit fellowship and accelerator for social entrepreneurs including climate/clean energy — comparable mission-driven, founder-support model with global reach.

Broad incumbents

• Acumen: Large non-profit impact investment organization backing entrepreneurs tackling poverty including energy access — broader portfolio but directly comparable in deploying philanthropic capital to clean energy/energy poverty startups in emerging markets.
• Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI): Independent non-profit energy research and ecosystem-building organization with programs that incubate and accelerate clean energy innovation — broader think-tank-plus-do-tank model overlapping with NEX's mission.

Regional players

• The Clean Energy Incubator / CEI: State/regional clean energy incubators and accelerators across the US that provide overlapping startup support services in specific geographies similar to CalSEED and CalTestBed in California.
• EnergyLab: Australia-based clean energy accelerator and NEX's official Australia chapter partner — directly comparable in delivering bootcamps, accelerators, and founder support programs in a specific geography.

Emerging players

• Hub71: Abu Dhabi-based global tech ecosystem with a dedicated Hub71+ ClimateTech program — NEX is already a partner here, and the climate program is a peer in the climate accelerator space targeting similar emerging-market clean energy founders.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cal_cef

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments4 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about California Clean Energy Fund