Intensive: Climate Innovation

The Climate Innovation Intensive offers Yale students the opportunity to broaden the scope of their entrepreneurship and innovation within climate technologies through a cohort-based program.

Panel of experts

Overview

Eager to contribute to climate change solutions but unsure where to begin? The 'Climate Innovation Intensive' is a 6-week program designed to deepen your understanding of climate entrepreneurship and innovation. In its third iteration, this intensive unites startups, investors, and partners in a cohort-based format, focusing on innovations across different sectors of climate tech.

Sessions run every Wednesday, requiring a 4-hour weekly commitment. The program's core is to equip students with structured tools and frameworks to navigate climate innovation. This is achieved through workshops and insightful conversations, highlighting the diverse entrepreneurial perspectives within environmental innovation. Engaging discussions with startup founders, investors, and key ecosystem stakeholders will offer a comprehensive view of the financing and scaling of these innovations.

The program will accommodate 35 to 40 students. Teams of 4-5 will brainstorm and evaluate entrepreneurial ideas within climate tech sectors throughout the intensive. The finale in the sixth week will see teams presenting their ideas, with successful pitches potentially joining the spring Venture Development programs.

Program selection criteria 

  • Interest in climate innovation and a desire to gain real-world experiences by interacting with startups and investors in this field.
  • A curiosity to understand different perspectives within a specific climate tech sector.
  • An aspiration to engage with industry experts and startups in the field of interest.

Program Structure 

Cohort Size: 35–40 students. The cohort will work in teams of 4–5 over the course of the intensive to identify ideas within these sectors that could become entrepreneurial ventures. The first half of the intensive will involve idea exploration, while the second half will evaluate the ideas.

Program Schedule

 

  • Week 1: Orientation and Think Like a Climate Innovator (September 24th)
  • Week 2: Climate Entrepreneurship 101 (October 1st)
  • Week 3: Founder Spotlight (October 8th)
  • Week 4: Corporate Innovation (October 22nd)
  • Week 5: Funding a Climate Tech Startup (October 29th)
  • Week 6: Final Showcase (November 5th)

Additionally, participants will obtain access to unique networking opportunities to interact with upcoming startups, industry players, and others in climate innovation. For more information, email Josie Jayworth (Tsai CITY and CBEY Environmental Innovation Fellow) at josie.jayworth@yale.edu.

*The application process for the Climate Innovation Intensive has closed for the Fall 2025 semester. The next cohort will begin shortly before the Fall 2026 semester. More details will be announced soon. Subscribe to our newsletter for more updates about this and other programs/events happening at Tsai CITY.