Clean Energy Accelerator

Frequently Asked Questions

  • AWS is enabling new ideas to solve sustainability challenges to support our enterprise customers by investing in the CEA program since 2021, to spur co-innovation faster and further. We believe that startups are at the forefront of innovation, their knack for experimentation, iteration, and constant improvement is a natural fit for tackling climate change technology challenges. AWS has a network of tens of thousands of startups building solutions and scaling around the world, and the CEA program leverages that to bring our customer the most promising solutions.  

    The AWS Clean Energy Accelerator (CEA) is an enterprise level acceleration program, centered on the needs of enterprises who want to decarbonize their operations and introduce alternative energy solutions to their current customer offerings. The mission of the CEA program is to increase the adoption of clean energy technologies to increase supply, affordability, availability and cost of energy while reducing the negative environmental impact of energy usage. This is done through an open innovation model, whereby CEA works backward from the most challenging use cases of our customers, and leverages its global network of emerging climate tech startups to solve for these customer needs.  

  • The fourth edition of the program CEA 4.0 was launched at CERAWeek on March 18th, 2024. CEA 4.0 will have a targeted focus on 6 challenge areas: 1/Generative AI in Energy and Climate, 2/Water Technologies, 3/Grid Security and Modernization, 4/Energy Storage, 5/Alternative Fuels (see appendix for more details), and 6/Amazon sustainable operations. This year, Amazon will join the CEA program as a piloting partner and will use the CEA program as a platform to source innovative climate tech solutions to support the decarbonization of Amazon’s operations.
     
    Attendance to all of the sprints is mandatory for startups (c-level personas 1-2 individuals) selected into the program
    • Sprint 1: [In-person - 2 days] CEA Immersion, London/Paris – Oct. 22-23rd 2024
    • Sprint 2: [In-person – 1 day] Generative Ai Immersion Day – London/Paris – Oct. 24th 
    • Sprint 3: [In-person – ½ day] International Exchange Sprint - London/Paris – Oct. 25th 
    • Sprint 4: [Virtual] Foundational Mentorship – Nov. 2024 (startups only)
    • Sprint 5: [In-person – 1 day] Innovation Showcase – Location TBC – Q1 2025

  • AWS Clean Energy Accelerator 4.0 (CEA 4.0) program is a 8-weeks of content, spread over 8 months and divided into 5 sprints (4 in-person sprints, and 1 virtual). We offer expert-led workshops, mentorship, and network access to help startups advance digitally, co-innovate with energy companies, and facilitate potential pilots in clean energy with some of the biggest energy customers in the industry.

    Over the 8-week period, spread over 8 months, the chosen finalists will participate both in person and virtually. They will receive technical, business, and go-to-market mentorship from AWS; up to $100,000 each in AWS Promotional Credit (to eligible startups) through AWS Activate to kick-start their data and operations transformation in the cloud. Additionally, the selected startups will gain access to the AWS Digital Innovation team, who can guide startups in using Amazon’s Culture of innovation and Working backwards mechanism to achieve solution alignment and accelerate pilots. The finalists will also receive visibility and overall guidance from piloting partners, supporting partner (see CEA landing page for the latest list of partners and supporting partners). CEA Cohort members will also get international exposure opportunities at leading global industry events such as CERAWeek, ADIPEC, ONS to mention a few.

  • No. At a minimum, a member or two of the Executive Leadership team, which includes; Founder, Co-founder, Chief Technology Officer (CTO), and Chief Digital Officer (CDO), will need to attend the in-person and virtual sessions (detailed below). Additional team members are enouraged to attend any and all virtual and in-person sessions.

  • Visiting the CEA Landing Page and select APPLY NOW and you will be redirected to our 3rd
    party application page  F6S.com. You will need to log in or create a new account on F6s.com using your LinkedIn account, Facebook profile, or email address to start your application process.  

    Please note that partners will be able to review your application immediately once your application has been submitted. If you have any issue with your F6S account creation or application submission, please [email protected].

  • We will select a total of 20 startups to form the CEA 4.0 cohort, they will be distributed across the 6 challenge areas and sub challenge areas:

    1. Generative Ai
    2. Energy Storage
    3. Grid Security and Modernization
    4. Alternative Fuels
    5. Water Technology
    6. Amazon Sustainable Operations

  • In terms of programming, and timeline it is all 1 program, the challenge areas differ and the application forms differ, see below.

    In terms of application forms, it’s 2 application forms:

  • YES, we have two separate forms:

    • To apply to the Amazon Operations Sustainability Challenge – Click here
    • To Apply to one of 5 challenge areas listed below – click here (these5 challenge listed below use the same form, so you can only apply to one of the below challenges)
      • Generative Ai
      • Energy Storage
      • Grid Security and Modernization
      • Alternative Fuels
      • Water Technology

  • The selection committee will review the application once it is submitted and may contact you soon after submission in case additional information is required for assessment.

    Official Communication to applicants will go out:

    1. July 1st - CEA will send out 2 notifications via email:

    • Startups who have made it to the top 30 semi-finalist. (Followed by a 2nd email with instructions for interview and scheduling)
    • Startups that have not made it to the semi-finalist group.  

    2. August 1st – CEA will notify startups that have been selected into the program (no public announcement yet)

    3. August 13th – Public announcement of CEA 4.0 startups at- the AWS Energy Symposium.

  • CEA will provide some monetary support – However the startup will still need to cover the rest. There are 2 in person events. Sprints 1,2,3 take place in the same week and at the same location the week of October 22nd. Sprint 5 will take place in March 2025, it is a 1 day event – location to be confirmed.  

  • This is a 8-week accelerator Program, divided into 5 sprints (4 in-person sprints, and 1 virtual), spread over 8 months. The program Kicks off Sept 2nd 2024 to March 30th 2025.

  • When we say mature, we mean they are post revenue with paying customers, and have the ability to execute customer trials with an enterprise customer. Not their funding round. The Activate Credit rules apply. So if they are series B+ they aren’t eligible, if they are series A and below but already received activate credits from another program, they can only get a combined max of $100k in their lifetime under the AWS Activate program. There are some special PoC credits for GenAi workloads doing pilots with CEA enterprise customer – but it’s on a case by case basis.

  • Yes, this is a crucial commitment required for the program. If you have any doubts about your executive team’s availability to participate, don’t apply. Startup founder, co-founder, CTO or CDO must attend the entire Program and participate actively. You must commit one of your founders/executives in addition to any relevant working teams.

    Please note the programming is not taking place daily, but instead the 8 weeks are spread out over 8 months.

  • The Program concludes with the innovation showcase, startups and Program partners often continue to work together beyond the Program. Startups that attend the Program become part of the CEA Alumni, which provides continued access to a global network of partners, other startups, founders, mentors and invitations to participate (in the form of a booth space,  demo/presentation opportunity or both) at various international AWS owned events and or at third-party events and conferences that AWS is sponsoring or participating in.

  • You acknowledge that the management and protection of your intellectual property is your sole responsibility, both during the application phase and if selected as a participant, during your participation in the Program.

    You may be required to sign non-disclosure agreements to protect your IP with participating piloting partners (Energy and Utility Companies from the Program) and supporting partners where applicable, as potential pilots advance based on the level of protection you require. If you require more guidance on this topic please contact us.

  • There are no charges or fees required to participate in the Program. This is a non-equity-dilutive accelerator focused on accelerating co-innovation. The only costs you will incur will be the logistics costs to attend the in-person portions of the Program, as well as, the time commitment required throughout the Program.

  • We are always interested in exploring innovative collaboration opportunities. If you are interested in being involved in the program, please contact us.

  • No, applications are open to everyone.

  • Yes, you must be incorporated and provide proof of registration if requested by AWS or any of the Program partners

  • The selection committee will assess startups based on:
    a) Team: Credible team, relevant qualifications and experience.
    b) Product:

    • Have a market ready solution with paying customers (not idea-stage)
    • Proven track record and innovative or disruptive, differentiated from existing solutions, that is scalable and exhibits sustainable competitive advantage potential
    • Have a large addressable customer segment to facilitate significant sales growth.

    c) Business Model: viable business model based on credit, commercial and economic assumptions.
    d) Program Fit: relevance of the technology to the challenge areas of the Program.

  • Yes, a 3rd party professional vendor will conduct background checks on finalists shortlisted for the program prior to the announcement of the startups selected to participate.

    • CEA Immersion (Oct 22-23rd): 2 day in-person participation in London/Paris. This sprint will focus on diving deeper into the startup solutions, as well as, having the startups learn more about enterprise customer needs.
    • Generative Ai Immersion Day (Oct 24th): 1 day in-person event in London/ Paris, which will showcase use cases in the energy and climate space using generative ai solutions.
    • International Exchange Sprint (Oct 25th): 1 day in in London/ Paris sponsored event CEA 4.0 cohort to pitch to other AWS enterprise customers beyond the CEA 4.0 program partners.
    • Innovation Showcase (Q1. 2025): 1 day event (Location TBC) to showcase the CEA 4.0 cohort solutions and customer trials launched off during the program

  • Ownership of applications

    All applications become the property of AWS and the Program partners upon submission, and the information therein will be used for evaluation purposes to determine the company’s suitability for the Program.

    Misleading Claims, Improper Assistance and Anti-Competitive Conduct

    In preparing your application and participating in the selection process you must not:

    • Make any false or misleading claims, statements or other representations;
    • Engage in any collusion, anti-competitive conduct or any other similar conduct with any other person;
    • Use the improper assistance of any Program partner employee, or any improperly obtained information; and
    • Violate any applicable laws regarding the offering of inducements.

    AWS Rights

    AWS reserves the right at any time and for any reason and in strict relation to the CEA 4.0 program and future AWS Clean Energy Accelerator programs to do any of the following

    • Suspend, vary, amend or cease to proceed with the Program selection process or Program;
    • Vary or amend the application form or evaluation criteria;
    • Consider and accept or reject any application that is non-conforming or received after the closing time;
    • Vary or extend any time or date relevant to the selection process or Program;
    • Call for new applications;
    • Allow any applicant to change their application after submission
    • Publish or disclose your company name whether successful or unsuccessful; or
    • Take such other action that we at our discretion consider to be appropriate and in the best interest of the success of the current and future AWS CEA programs and our customers.

    Participation in the Program

    If you are selected to participate in the Program your startup must:

    • Give consent for your company name to be associated with this Program and future AWS CEA programs and used by Program partners to promote the Program or themselves;
    • Share requested information about your company and products with all Program partners.
    • Provide to all Program partners the details of relationships entered into with individual Program partners as a result of the Program, and output and results of such relationships. This information is to be provided during and after the Program if requested.
    • Give consent to AWS and program partners the use of any and all recordings of your company and its team members in the form of audio, video and or testimonials, for the expressed purpose of promoting of the current AWS CEA 4.0 and future programs on any and all media channels.
    • All Program sessions must be attended by a member of the Executive Leadership team of the company

    Definition:
    Unless the context requires otherwise, the following terms have the following meaning in these FAQs:

    • Participant means a startup that has been selected by AWS to participate in the Program.
    • Program means the AWS Clean Energy Accelerator 4.0 accelerator program more fully described at aws.com/clean-energy-accelerator
    • Program partners means:
      –    AWS Energy and or
      –    Piloting partners
      –    Supporting partners
      –    3rd party vendors used for program operations and content facilitation.