Building Momentum for Climate Innovation Across the Pacific Northwest
Written by Leo Ochoa, Managing Director
From supporting promising climate startups in Washington state to building new opportunities for entrepreneurs in Oregon, we're working to strengthen the connections that help innovation move forward.
Earlier this month, we had the opportunity to bring together an incredible group of climate tech founders, investors, partners, and community leaders for VertueLab's Opalene Climate Challenge at the Seattle Climate Innovation Hub.
It was an exciting moment to celebrate six innovative Washington startups; Airbuild, Azotera, Climate Solutions International, Emerald Battery Labs, Ocean, and ZILA BioWorks—and the entrepreneurs working to bring meaningful climate solutions to market.
Selected from nearly 40 applicants, these companies received a combined $375,000 in catalytic investments, with an additional $5,000 Audience Choice Award going to Airbuild.
One of the event highlights was hearing directly from the founders. Each shared an overview of their technology, followed by a conversation with a selection committee member about their journey, the roadblocks they've encountered, and the lessons they've learned along the way.
What stood out was the determination behind each company and the importance of having the right support at the right time.
Building a climate tech company isn't easy. Even the most promising technologies face challenges accessing capital, building industry relationships, and finding opportunities to demonstrate their value in the market and impact in the world.
That's why the work of building a stronger regional innovation ecosystem matters.
Connecting the Work Across Oregon and Washington
The momentum we saw at Opalene reflects the broader opportunities we're working to advance across the Pacific Northwest.
In Oregon, we've been focused on bringing the right people together, identifying where the biggest opportunities exist, and creating pathways that help entrepreneurs and emerging technologies succeed.
Mid year, we partnered with Prosper Portland to host the Portland Urban Mobility Innovation Summit, bringing together entrepreneurs, industry leaders, public agencies, and community partners to explore opportunities in sustainable transportation and urban mobility.
The conversations reinforced the potential for stronger collaboration between emerging technologies, industry needs, and the communities these innovations are meant to serve.
We're also exploring new opportunities through the upcoming launch of TerraForge, an emerging initiative focused on Oregon's mass timber industry. Our goal is to better understand where innovation and entrepreneurship can help strengthen local supply chains, create new business opportunities, and support the growth of sustainable building materials.
Alongside these efforts, we're continuing to work with regional partners to strengthen climate technology commercialization, connect entrepreneurs with industry and investment opportunities, and explore new approaches to supporting innovation across Oregon and Southwest Washington.
Looking Ahead
Whether we're supporting climate startups through catalytic investment in Washington or building new partnerships and programs in Oregon, the goal is the same: help entrepreneurs turn promising innovations into real-world solutions that benefit our economy, communities, and environment.
The Pacific Northwest has incredible talent, innovative companies, research institutions, and industry expertise. The opportunity ahead is finding better ways to connect these strengths and make it easier for promising technologies and entrepreneurs to succeed.
And that work doesn't happen alone.
A special thank you to the founders who shared their stories at Opalene, the philanthropic supporters who made the investments possible, our selection committee, and the investors, partners, and VertueLab Board members who joined us.
Congratulations again to all six companies! We're excited to see where their journeys take them.
There's a lot of important work ahead, and we're looking forward to continuing to build on this momentum with our partners across the region.
Learn more: Opalene Climate Challenge | GeekWire event coverage
