Emerging Climate Tech RFI: Summary Report

1. Create Municipal Pilot Opportunities for real world testing and validation

Provide Avenues to Participate in City-Led Pilot Programs

Establish climate tech pilot opportunities that offer startups a structured pathway to showcase their technology and conduct real-world testing. The program would match startups with interested City Departments, provide funding support, and facilitate technology validation.

Participate in External Pilot-Matching Programs

Identify and engage in external pilot-matching programs to position the City as a hub for testing and deploying innovative climate solutions.

2. Ease Procurement and Permitting Challenges to integrate innovative solutions

Develop Educational Materials and Resources

Create synchronous and asynchronous opportunities and resources for startups to better understand public procurement and technology deployment permitting requirements.

Identify and Address Key Regulatory Hurdles

Engage all applicable stakeholders involved in procurement processes to identify mechanisms to increase adoption. Create pathways to streamline permitting processes and reduce timeline challenges for specific technologies.

3. Increase Awareness, Networking, and strategic partnerships

Facilitate Start-Up - Departmental Relationships

The Office of Emerging Technology serves as a point-person to bring new innovative ideas to the attention of City Departments and facilitate the connection of startups to relevant Departments and departmental resources.

Organize Public Events and Demonstrations

Host events and demonstrations, like Climate Tech on the Plaza, to highlight emerging technologies and their real-world applications and increase a startup's visibility and engagement with investors, potential customers, the broader community, and other stakeholders.

Create Opportunities for Startups to Engage with Local Leadership

Establish a cross-sector working group to support networking, knowledge sharing, and collaboration between startups, municipal leaders, and industry experts while also leveraging regional purchasing power to support startup growth and scaling.