Tanya joins the Invested in Climate podcast to talk about making it through the Valley of Death: the phase of development that often kills off startups before they can reach scale.
The Valley of Death describes the phase in which a startup has begun operations but has not yet generated revenue. For startups working in cleantech, a valuable resource for overcoming the Valley of Death is available. The Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN2) exists to help them develop pilots that will grow their technology. The incubator is part of the Department of Energy-backed National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL), which invests in renewable energy.
In 2022, IN2 selected five companies, including CEL to be part of its first cohort focused on demonstration projects. Recently, we joined NREL and a fellow IN2 cohort member on the Invested in Climate podcast to talk about our experience.
Tanya joined NineDot Energy's Adam Cohen and NREL's Trish Cozart to talk about the IN2 incubator. They discussed what makes the incubator unique, the impact it has had on their companies, and their goals for the future.
Want a teaser? Here's some Tanya Widsom to pique your interest:
I understand the value of community and network and having good mentors, having a ladder, having companies that are in the same or adjacent industries lay those bricks for you piece by piece. Because the Valley of Death is real. You need people with little cups of Gatorade on the path through the Valley of Death.
