California Sustainable Energy Entrepreneurial Development (CalSEED) Initiative
Bridging the gap for clean energy entrepreneurs with non-dilutive funding up to $600k.
California Clean Energy Fund dba CalCEF Ventures
Recipient
Berkeley, CA
Recipient Location
7th
Senate District
14th
Assembly District
$36,619,435
Amount Spent
Active
Project Status
Project Update
In 2025, CalSEED disbursed $6.9 million to 53 active companies statewide as they achieved program milestones, supporting projects advancing renewable energy generation, energy efficiency, energy storage, and grid reliability. In 2026, CalSEED anticipates that 12 new prototype awardees will begin their projects. The program also plans to produce documentaries highlighting companies across the portfolio. Finally, concept awardees are expected to complete their projects by the end of the year.
Funding amounts increased in 2023 to account for rising costs and inflation. Concept Awards are $200,000, up from $150,000, and Prototype Awards are $500,000, up from $450,000.
Since CalSEED’s inception in 2016, 153 startups have received a total of $27.45 million in concept awards, and 37 startups have received a total of $17.3 million in Prototype Awards. CalSEED seeks to support innovators and entrepreneurs from diverse socio-economic and geographic backgrounds in California and is proud to have awarded $18.9 million to companies with underrepresented groups in leadership, including women.
An updated list of all CalSEED concept and prototype awardees can be found here: https://calseed.fund/
The Issue
Clean energy entrepreneurs have trouble securing very early-stage funding for potential breakthrough technologies even if those technologies would merit significant follow-on funding after the proof-of-concept is completed. Additionally, entrepreneurs with technology concepts often do not have adequate access to the mentoring, technical consulting, and business services that they need to successfully bring their technology to market.
Project Innovation
The CalSEED Initiative helps develop California's next generation of clean energy entrepreneurs, providing seed funding as well as mentoring, technical consulting, and business development services to support energy entrepreneurs and research teams in their quest to develop breakthrough solutions that will benefit electric ratepayers in Pacific Gas and Electric, Southern California Edison, and San Diego Gas & Electric service territories. Entrepreneurs receive funding in two stages. Concept Awards provide funding of up to $200,000 and are conducted through open solicitations; Prototype Awards provide funding of up to $500,000 but are only available to companies that have received a Concept Award.
Project Goals
Project Benefits
CalSEED addresses a critical gap in the early technology development phase where small amounts of funding can have a significant impact in bringing new ratepayer-beneficial innovations to market by providing seed funding as well as mentoring, technical consulting, and business development services to support energy entrepreneurs and research teams in their quest to develop breakthrough clean energy solutions.
Economic Development
The CalSEED Initiative fills an important niche in the energy innovation space by providing initial small grant funding to energy entrepreneurs to prove out their technology concept. The results can be used to attract private sector funding.
Key Project Members
Joy Larson
Dem Ruthrauff
Roshni Nedungadi
Subrecipients
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
The Regents of the University of California, on behalf of the Davis Campus
The Regents of the University of California, on behalf of the San Diego campus
Center for Sustainable Energy
Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator
Elemental Excelerator
Umberg Zipser LLP
Greenlining Institute
Build Momentum (d.b.a. Momentum)
Match Partners
Regents of the University of California, Davis
California Clean Energy Fund dba CalCEF Ventures
Umberg Zipser LLP
Greenlining Institute
Build Momentum (d.b.a. Momentum)
