Venture Catalyst

Aggie Climate action for Equity (ACE):

Innovation and Entrepreneurship for Climate Change Solutions

The Aggie Climate action for Equity (ACE): Innovation and Entrepreneurship for Climate Change Solutions grant is an initiative to spur UC Davis-based translational research, pilots, and commercialization aligned with California’s Climate Action Priorities. In collaboration with an established cadre of on- and off-campus stakeholders and InnovationAccess, Venture Catalyst will leverage existing infrastructure and form new partnerships to yield a climate innovation pathway that accelerates the translation of nascent technologies into applied projects aimed at addressing the effects of climate change.

Individuals and companies with a UC Davis affiliation (current faculty, staff, & students who can partner with a PI) are eligible to apply.

What is ACE?

The UC Davis Office of Research’s Venture Catalyst group was recently awarded a $1M grant. It is funded via the CA State Legislature AB 179 and administered by the UC Office of the President. University of California’s Climate Action Innovation & Entrepreneurship grant program’s goal is to amplify the number and quality of translational and proof-of-concept pilot projects emerging from the University of CA. Funds are dedicated for the purpose of nurturing technologies, policy interventions, and behavioral innovations that can play a meaningful role in climate change mitigation, resilience, and adaptation, with a specific attention to end-user engagement and a focus on positively impacting communities most vulnerable to the effects climate change.

The program seeks technologies and other behavior- or policy- based innovations that can be readily deployed in a pilot or proof-of-concept study that could lead to further scale-up within 2-5 years. Applicants must address one or more of the following categories in their project:

• Mitigation is an action or set of actions to reduce or capture emissions of greenhouse gases.
• Adaptation is an action or set of actions that reduce physical climate risk.
• Resilience describes a state of readiness to face climate risks.

ACE Proof-of-Concept Grants (ACE Grants) Information:

• Click here to download the request for proposals (RFP). The deadline for proposals is January 21, 2024, 11:59 pm PST.
• ACE is accepting proposals via the Office of Research’s InfoReady grant application platform. (Kerberos login required). There is no separate application required. Your proposal in InfoReady is all that’s needed to apply.
• You can download the one-page program announcement here if you’d like to share this information with your colleagues and help spread the word about this opportunity.
• Awardees will be announced in mid-March 2024 for the one-year grant term.
• Applicants can apply for up to $90,000 in funding.

Resources:

• https://www.climateresilience.ca.gov/priorities/ The California Natural Resources Agency. More on the six California Climate Adaptation Strategy Priorities.
• https://opr.ca.gov/docs/20180723-Vulnerable_Communities.pdf Governor’s Office of Planning and Research. Defining vulnerable communities in the context of climate adaptation, developed through the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program (ICARP).

Questions? Please email [email protected].