Ray of Hope Accelerator
How to apply

Nature-inspired solutions are a broad classification of innovation that encompasses a great number of technology categories. At our accelerator, a nature-inspired solution draws inspiration from the natural world, often adapting biological principles and properties, ecological relationships or other aspects of nature’s strategies to address humanity’s greatest environmental challenges.

Your Nature-Inspired Solution(s) may be:

• Grounded in deep scientific research – like Retein
• Evolved from an understanding of biological systems – like Mycocycle
• Enabling bio-inspired solutions – like Fusion Bionic

Explore our portfolio of companies for more examples.

Historically, the nature-inspired startups we support fit within at least one of the following verticals:

• Chemistry and Materials
• Built Environment
• Manufacturing and Advanced Robotics
• Renewable Energy
• Transportation and Mobility
• Food and Agriculture
• Conservation and Remediation
• Life Sciences and Medtech
• Biotechnology
• Consumer Products, Cosmetics, Textiles
• Water
• BlueTech
• Climate Tech

We support early-stage startups at the Pre-Seed, Seed and Series A stages. Most startups entering our program have a working prototype (i.e.: achieved a Technology Readiness Level of 4) and secured between $250,000 and $5M in funding (friends and family, grants, private investor, VC). There are exceptions, however, and we encourage you to apply as we will evaluate your fit within the program holistically.

As a global accelerator program, we welcome applicants from all over the world.

Your startup must be established with a legal entity before entering the accelerator program and receiving the allocated non-dilutive funding. Historically startups we have supported have two or more full time team members.

At least one founder/executive team member must actively engage with the accelerator by participating in the program, submitting deliverables and attending the mandatory in-person week (including a 4 day Nature Retreat).

This 6-month program runs from September 2025 to February 2026. It is a remote program with the exception of one week of in-person gathering which includes a 4-day immersion in nature in the US (travel expenses and accommodation will be covered). Each week of remote programming will be focused on a specific topic and external experts will be invited to host a lecture, workshop, or a panel discussion. For more information, read visit our Accelerator page.

We expect one executive team member to be actively engaged throughout the program to ensure consistency and effective relationship building. The one week in-person gathering is mandatory and requires a founder/executive team member and a second team member to participate. Each week of remote programming will include a 1 hour live session with an estimated ~3 hours of additional commitment. This program is specifically designed to allow you to focus on running the day to day operations of your business, while layering in support where needed to help you scale more quickly and more sustainably.

The program is free for all accepted startups. There is no fee to apply.

No, we provide $15,000* of non-dilutive capital for each startup accepted in the program.

*The $15,000 will be provided as a grant, and this amount may be subject to change.

No, in 2024 we evolved to become an accelerator program and have transitioned away from the prize model. Read this blog to learn more about this evolution.

No, our program does not require exclusivity. You can participate in our program while in another program. You can work with other funds, corporates, and customers. We want you to succeed.

You join our ecosystem as an alumni and have continued access to our network, resources, and additional benefits. As a portfolio startup, you’ll benefit from ongoing exposure to our extended network, with potential connections to corporate partners or investors. Moreover, you may have the chance to assist incoming startup cohorts, contributing to the growth of this peer community.

We support nature-inspired startups whose innovations have a positive impact in one of the thirteen verticals the accelerator focuses on (see “Nature-Inspired Solution & Technology“ in Eligibility Criteria section above).

As a global accelerator program, we welcome applicants from all over the world (see “Geography“ in Eligibility Criteria section above).

We will share an application form preview in March 2025 when we open the application process for the 2025 cohort.

Applications are currently closed. Applications for the 2025 Cohort will open in March 2025. Stay tuned.

The Ray of Hope Accelerator treats all application data with care and discretion. We share information about the semi-finalists with our Selection Committee members during the second phase of the selection process. Please do not disclose any proprietary information in your application, but share about your nature inspiration, technology and positive impact, understanding of your market, competitive advantage and differentiation.

Find answers to this question in the sections above: Timeline, Eligibility Criteria and Selection Criteria.

If your company has made significant changes (e.g., new funding, new partners or deployments/pilots, technological or techno-economic breakthroughs or proof points, etc.) since you last applied, please apply again and make note of the changes.

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) are a set of 17 interconnected global objectives aimed at addressing various social, economic, and environmental challenges by 2030. We ask startups to select up to three SDGs that align to their nature-inspired solution. This informs the program content development and supports our portfolio categorization. Find out more about the UN SDGs here.