Greentown Labs and MassChallenge Form Strategic Partnership to Support Early-Stage Climate Entrepreneurs

The organizations will collaborate to provide industry expertise and resources for program participants while strengthening the startup ecosystem.

BOSTON and HOUSTON, May 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Greentown Labs, the largest climatetech and energy startup incubator in the world, and MassChallenge, the global network for innovators solving massive challenges, today announced a collaborative partnership to amplify the impact of early-stage climatetech startups by expanding their access to specialized support, expert mentorship, and high-value commercialization networks.

Through this strategic partnership, MassChallenge and Greentown Labs will nurture more climate startups, broaden their networks of expert mentors and judges, and build a stronger bridge between their respective communities of entrepreneurs, partners, investors, philanthropists, and other champions. MassChallenge recently debuted its first climate-specific program, complementing its programs in healthcare, security and resiliency, fintech, and sustainable food systems. This strategic partnership will bring Greentown Labs' complementary network, expertise, and unique facilities to bear to serve as a force multiplier for the 23 startups in the 2025 MassChallenge Early Stage Climate program.

To date, more than 1,000 climate startups have received support from MassChallenge and Greentown Labs. This new effort will increase overlap between the two communities and further accelerate the path to market for breakthrough climate solutions.

"At MassChallenge, we believe bold ideas need equally bold support systems to succeed," shared Caitlin Brumme, CEO, MassChallenge. "Partnering with Greentown Labs enables us to deepen our impact in climate innovation by uniting two world-class communities that share a mission to remove barriers for founders. Together, we are creating an ecosystem where climate entrepreneurs can thrive from concept to commercialization."

Both organizations have deep, founding roots in Massachusetts and expansive national and international reach via MassChallenge Dallas and Greentown Houston, along with MassChallenge hubs in Israel, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Collectively, the organizations have nearly 30 years of experience supporting more than 4,500 founders and their entrepreneurial journeys. 

"There are so many synergies and shared values between MassChallenge and Greentown that launching a collaboration like this feels like a natural next step for our organizations as we strive to support as many early-stage climate founders as possible," said Greentown Labs CEO Georgina Campbell Flatter. "We want to reduce the friction and barriers to market for these climate entrepreneurs and ultimately increase their opportunity for success—ecosystem collaboration is an essential part of solving these challenges together."

About MassChallenge

MassChallenge is the global network for innovators. Headquartered in Massachusetts with four locations worldwide, the non-profit's mission is to help bold entrepreneurs disrupt the status quo and create sustainable change. Since launching in 2009, MassChallenge has run programs in 24 countries, supported more than 4,500 startups worldwide, and awarded over $18M in equity-free grants to startups that have raised more than $15B in follow-on funding. Startups participating in MassChallenge programs have come from more than 65 countries worldwide. Learn more about MassChallenge at masschallenge.org.

MassChallenge Media Contact

Jenn Jones

Fractional CMO

media@masschallenge.org

About Greentown Labs

Greentown Labs is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit accelerating climatetech innovation and commercialization by empowering entrepreneurs and enabling collaboration. As the largest climatetech and energy startup incubator in the world—with locations in Somerville, Mass. and Houston, Texas—Greentown convenes the climatetech ecosystem to provide entrepreneurs the community, connections, labs, and resources they need to thrive. Greentown is home to more than 200 startups and has supported more than 575 since its founding in 2011; these startups have collectively created more than 13,500 jobs and raised more than $8.2 billion in funding. For more information, visit www.greentownlabs.com or follow Greentown on LinkedIn.

Greentown Media Contact

Julia Travaglini

SVP of Marketing & Communications

julia@greentownlabs.com

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SOURCE Greentown Labs