The Prizes
Calling all climatetech innovators
Applications for the 2026 Urban Future Prize Competition are now open.
The Competition
The Prizes
The Urban Future Prize Competition seeks entrepreneurs who are building startups that contribute to a more resilient and sustainable planet. Two prizes of $50K each will be awarded to the two winning companies who embody the drive and mission needed to address the greatest challenge of our time. The runner-up in each track will also be awarded $10K.
Building on the record-breaking number of applications to the 2025 Urban Future Prize Competition—and the growing urgency for solutions to help us adapt to our new climate reality—we are excited to announce two distinct prize tracks for this year: the Climate Mitigation Prize and the Climate Adaptation Prize. These tracks reflect our commitment to addressing the climate crisis through both reducing emissions and building resilience to its impacts.
The Climate Mitigation Prize seeks startups developing technologies or business models to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat the root causes of climate change.
The Climate Adaptation Prize is for startups developing solutions that help communities and ecosystems adapt to the impacts of climate change.
All climatetech startups are eligible as long as they meet the following criteria:
Raised less than $5M in private capital investment.
Focusing on a solution that meets at least one of the prize tracks for 2026 (tracks found below).
Climate-sector Agnostic
The Climate Mitigation Prize
Sponsored by MUFG Bank and The New York Community Trust
The Climate Mitigation Prize focuses on solutions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the impacts of climate change. Startups with technologies or business models designed to mitigate climate impacts are encouraged to apply. We will also consider the impact of your solution on vulnerable communities.
Eligible solutions include, but are not limited to:
Renewable Energy (solar, wind, geothermal, hydro, tidal/wave, nuclear, hybrid, other)
Smart Grid and Grid Flexibility
Energy Distribution and Storage
Circular Economy
Transportation and Mobility
Buildings, Energy Efficiency, and Building Materials
Climate Finance
Industrial Decarbonization
Artificial Intelligence and Compute Infrastructure (AI energy impact, data center + edge)
Robotics, Automation, and Advanced Materials
Climate-Adaptation Focused
The Climate Adaptation Prize
Sponsored by MUFG Bank and The New York Community Trust
The Climate Adaptation Prize focuses on solutions that help communities and ecosystems adapt to and build resilience against the impacts of climate change. Startups with technologies or business models designed to strengthen adaptation and resilience are encouraged to apply. We will also consider the impact of your solution on vulnerable communities.
Eligible solutions include, but are not limited to:
Insurance Innovation
Risk Modeling and Analysis
Water Security
Heat Resistant Material Innovations
Urban Infrastructure and Resilience
Extreme Weather Vulnerability Solutions
Advanced Warning Solutions
Biodiversity and Natural Ecosystem Resilience
Public Health
Food Security
Adaptation Financing Solutions
The ACRE Incubator
New York’s leading climatetech incubator.
A $50,000 cash prize will be awarded to each of two grand prize winners and a $10,000 cash prize will be awarded to each of two runner-up winners. The Climate Mitigation Prize and Climate Adaptation Prize winners and runners-up will also join the ACRE Incubator and gain access to a community of expert advisors, mentors, and investors who will help to scale their businesses and accelerate their paths to success. ACRE companies have raised more than $3.2 billion in follow-on funding, created over 2,800+ green jobs, and have a survival rate of close to 90% since the program’s inception in 2009.
Urban Future Prize Winner Benefits
01.
$120K in Cash Prizes
Two $50,000 cash prizes for our first place winners and two $10,000 cash prizes for our runners-up with zero-equity stake, so you can focus on your company’s next steps.
02.
ACRE Incubator Membership
Acceptance and membership into New York City’s premier climatetech incubator, with incubator specific benefits and unmatched startup support.
03.
Recognition and Opportunities
Ecosystem recognition, media opportunities, and access to introductions to key partners in the public and private sectors.
Competition Timeline
Competition Sponsors
Join a community of innovators.
Past winners, competitors, and finalists - all changing the climatetech world, one innovation at a time.
“In the last year, millions of individuals in vulnerable communities have been stripped of their insurance policies or given outrageously high premiums that result in many losing their most valuable assets: their homes. Faura helps homeowners qualify for better and cheaper insurance by teaching them exactly what, when, and how they should reduce the risk on their properties, aligning incentives for both insurers and policyholders to close the transparency gap. We've begun to help thousands of homeowners make a difference and are working on expanding our team.” – Valkyrie Holmes, CEO & Co-Founder, Faura, 2024 Winner
“Right now, we're fully focused on developing our first product, which is a retrofit add-on system for air conditioners that will save half the energy that they use. We're running some pilots in the next 6-12 months, and then hopefully in the next 18-24 months we'll launch the product to market. The Urban Future Lab’s support will be incredibly helpful as we embark on this journey.” – Rawand Rasheed, PhD, CEO & Co-Founder, Helix Earth Technologies, 2024 Winner
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