What VertueLab does

VertueLab is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit climate impact accelerator founded in 2007 and headquartered in Portland, Oregon, with a second office in downtown Seattle. Self-described as the first organization in the United States to make direct, program-related investments in climate tech startups, VertueLab funds and supports Pacific Northwest entrepreneurs building climate technologies — spanning renewable energy, water remediation, sustainable agriculture, energy storage, EV infrastructure, and the built environment — with an explicit equity-centered focus on BIPOC and other underrepresented founders who receive less than 3% of climate-focused investments.

Its product surface is an interlocking platform rather than a single product. The flagship financial vehicle is Climate Impact Fund I, which has raised $1,000,000 to deploy as direct investments. Programming includes the 45Camp pre-accelerator and accelerator (co-created with Tabor 100 and Prosper Portland), the Cascadia Cleantech Accelerator (delivered via NWCIN), the Bedrock Mentoring Program, the BizLite online learning platform, the Federal Funding Assistance service for SBIR/STTR navigation, and the experimental Just Future Climate Labs (JFC Labs). The Seattle Climate Innovation Hub, launched in partnership with the City of Seattle, UW CoMotion, and 9Zero, adds physical incubation space and had 170+ business members and 680+ event attendees in 2025.

VertueLab's revenue model is nonprofit contribution-based: philanthropic donations, foundation grants (Lemelson, Collins, Healy), federal awards (SBA Growth Accelerator Fund Competition, DOE EPIC), and impact-investor capital into the Climate Impact Fund. All entrepreneur-facing programs are free, with grant funding awarded to accelerator graduates. To date, VertueLab has invested $9.5M+ directly into 80+ companies, which have in turn raised $600M+ in follow-on funding, created 690+ jobs, and represent 6.4 gigatons of potential emissions removal or abatement.

Name

VertueLab

Legal name

VertueLab

Website

https://vertuelab.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

VertueLab is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit climate tech accelerator that funds and supports Pacific Northwest entrepreneurs developing climate solutions, prioritizing underrepresented founders through grants, mentoring, federal funding assistance, impact investments, and a physical innovation hub in Seattle.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Contributions: VertueLab operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization funded by individual donors, foundations, and government grants. EIN: 26-1652936. They accept tax-deductible donations, stock donations, and donor-advised fund contributions.
2. Climate Impact Fund Investments: VertueLab manages the Climate Impact Fund I, which has raised $1,000,000 to support climate tech entrepreneurs. They provide direct investments as the first organization in the country to make direct, program-related investments in climate tech startups.
3. Federal Funding Assistance Services: Free services to help entrepreneurs identify, navigate, and apply for federal funding opportunities including SBIR/STTR grants. Helped secure over $300,000 Phase I NSF SBIR grant for DayZero Water.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

VertueLab is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit climate impact accelerator that provides direct investments, mentorship, business acceleration programs, federal funding assistance, and physical incubator space to climate tech entrepreneurs across the Pacific Northwest. Its flagship offering is the Climate Impact Fund I, which makes direct, program-related investments in climate tech startups, complemented by the 45Camp accelerator program, Bedrock Mentoring Program, BizLite Online Learning, and the Seattle Climate Innovation Hub coworking space.

Product overview

VertueLab operates as a nonprofit climate tech accelerator and impact investor offering a portfolio of interconnected programs and funds. The core offering includes the Climate Impact Fund I for direct investments, accelerator programs (45Camp, Cascadia Cleantech Accelerator) for entrepreneur support, mentoring (Bedrock Mentoring Program) and education (BizLite Online Learning) platforms, the Seattle Climate Innovation Hub as physical incubator space, Federal Funding Assistance for grant support, and Just Future Climate Labs as an innovation lab—all designed to support Pacific Northwest entrepreneurs at every stage from ideation to commercialization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Climate Impact Fund I Direct, program-related investment fund providing capital to early-stage climate tech startups in the Pacific Northwest, with VertueLab serving as the first organization in the country to make such direct investments in climate tech.
• 45Camp Climate Tech Accelerator A climate tech startup accelerator featuring a three-day Jumpstart Weekend, ten-week pre-accelerator, and ten-week accelerator, including mentorship and grant funding, designed for underrepresented entrepreneurs in Oregon and Washington.
• Bedrock Mentoring Program A mentoring program connecting climate tech entrepreneurs with experienced mentors who provide guidance and feedback throughout their startup journey.
• BizLite Online Learning A self-paced virtual learning platform providing business education and resources for climate tech entrepreneurs at various stages of development.
• Seattle Climate Innovation Hub A physical coworking and event space in downtown Seattle dedicated to supporting and incubating climate tech innovation, serving as a collaboration hub between entrepreneurs, investors, and support organizations.
• Federal Funding Assistance Free assistance program helping underrepresented communities and entrepreneurs identify, navigate, and apply for federal funding opportunities including SBIR/STTR grants, with proposal management and grant process guidance.
• Cascadia Cleantech Accelerator An 18-week mentoring and networking program designed to help cleantech startups in early stages of development, operated as part of the Northwest Cleantech Innovation Network (NWCIN).
• Just Future Climate Labs An experimental innovation program focused on radically inclusive climate tech innovation, engaging community voices through open dialogue, strategic working groups, and focus groups to support historically underserved entrepreneurs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 690+ jobs created by portfolio companies
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and supporting.

• University of Washington's CoMotion LabscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Co-founder of Seattle Climate Innovation Hub. CoMotion Labs provides the climate tech incubator component, with companies achieving $3.5B funding in last five years. The collaboration creates physical space for climate innovation in downtown Seattle.
• City of Seattle Office of Economic DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Key government partner in Seattle Climate Innovation Hub. Supports entrepreneurial ecosystem development and downtown Seattle revitalization through climate tech innovation.
• 9ZerocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Climate network partner in Seattle Climate Innovation Hub collaboration. Part of cross-sector approach to climate innovation in Pacific Northwest.
• Station FminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025Paris-based startup campus. Nimbus Aerospace (SCIH portfolio company) partnered with Station F through hub network for aerospace innovation.
• Sustainable NorthwestsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2024Partnership for 'Communities Lead in Building a Sustainable Future' white paper and joint webinar. Sustainable Northwest works with communities on smart water use, clean energy, and healthy forests.
• Tabor 100coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Collaborated to create 45Camp climate tech startup program. Tabor 100's Business Development Center in Tukwila, WA hosts Jumpstart Weekend Washington events. Partnership focuses on supporting underrepresented entrepreneurs.
• Prosper PortlandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Portland partner in 45Camp program creation. Supports Oregon-based climate tech entrepreneurship through the accelerator with funding and resources.
• Saghani ConsultingminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2024Cole Hoover of Saghani Consulting led webinar on communities building sustainable future, collaborating with VertueLab on white paper dissemination.
• Northwest Cleantech Innovation Network (NWCIN)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Coalition including CleanTech Alliance and Washington Clean Energy Testbeds. Three consecutive EPIC awards won through NWCIN. Provides comprehensive entrepreneurial support for cleantech startups across Pacific Northwest region.
• CleanTech AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Member of NWCIN coalition providing entrepreneurial support for early-stage cleantech startups in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Alaska, Western Canada.
• Washington Clean Energy TestbedscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Part of NWCIN, provides hardware-oriented entrepreneur support. Clean Energy TestBeds at University of Washington offers early-stage support facilities.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Greentown Labs: Largest climatetech incubator in North America, operating physical hubs and providing prototyping space, mentorship, and investor connections. Directly comparable to VertueLab as a nonprofit climate tech accelerator serving early-stage hardware startups, though at significantly larger scale.
• Elemental Excelerator: Nonprofit climate impact investor and accelerator funding startups deploying solutions in communities, with a focus on equity-centered climate innovation. Closely comparable to VertueLab's mission-driven, place-based approach to climate tech funding and portfolio company support.
• Activate (formerly Cyclotron Road): Nonprofit fellowship supporting science entrepreneurs building breakthrough climate and hard-tech ventures. Comparable as a structured, cohort-based program providing funding, mentorship, and lab resources to early-stage climate innovators.
• NYC ACRE (Accelerator for a Clean and Resilient Economy): New York City-based cleantech accelerator supporting early-stage startups with mentorship, workspace, and connections. Comparable as a place-based urban climate tech accelerator, though serving the Northeast rather than Pacific Northwest.
• CleanTech Open: National cleantech startup accelerator running annual cohorts and business competitions. Comparable as a nonprofit supporting early-stage clean technology entrepreneurs through structured programs and mentor networks.

Broad incumbents

• Impact Hub: Global network of impact-focused coworking spaces, incubators, and accelerators. Comparable as a nonprofit providing physical workspace and entrepreneur support services, though focused across multiple impact themes beyond climate.
• MIT Solve: MIT-affiliated initiative driving innovation to address world challenges through open calls, prizes, and community support. Comparable as a high-credibility accelerator brand supporting impact entrepreneurs, with climate as one of several focus areas.
• Echoing Green: Nonprofit providing fellowships and seed funding to emerging social entrepreneurs, including those working on climate. Comparable as a grantmaking nonprofit supporting underrepresented founders building mission-driven ventures.

Regional players

• Clean Energy Incubator (Houston): Houston-based cleantech and clean energy startup incubator. Comparable as a regional cleantech incubator supporting energy startups, but operates in Texas with different energy industry mix and partner ecosystem.

Others

• Sustainable Northwest: Pacific Northwest nonprofit working with communities on smart water use, clean energy, and healthy forests. Comparable as a regional sustainability partner organization that has collaborated with VertueLab on white papers and webinars.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/vertuelab
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vertuelab
• Instagraminstagram.com/vertuelab
• Xx.com/vertuelab

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments6 records

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

Frequently asked questions about VertueLab