We accelerate the growth of nature-inspired startups to scale systemic solutions to the world’s most pressing environmental challenges.
Every year, we support a cohort of 10 high-impact nature-inspired startups, spanning from Pre-seed to Series A stages and representing various sectors and regions. Each selected startup receives $15,000 in non-dilutive funding and over $50,000 worth of in-kind services. This includes tailored coaching, investor introductions, a four-day Nature Retreat, and comprehensive training materials covering topics such as Impact and Sustainability Business Training, Innovation Storytelling & Amplification, DEI, and Founder Mental Health.
We’re not your typical accelerator. We prioritize your growth as an individual, startup founder, and visionary leader, we emphasize relationship-building, and we foster a vibrant community of innovative startups inspired by nature to drive positive impact. With a proven track record of over 40 thriving companies in our portfolio, we’re ready to support your entrepreneurial journey.
Applications for the 2025 cohort are now open until 11:59 PM EST, April 25th, 2025.
Startups that learn from and mimic biological strategies that have evolved over 3.8 billion years can solve systemic environmental and climate issues.
Including: New Zealand, Denmark, India, Japan, U.S.; we work with startups from around the world.
First-, second-, and third-time founders. Post-docs and ex-corporates. Ages 22 to 58. Diversity is a core value.
Our portfolio companies have raised more than $125M in additional investment since 2020.
ECOncrete offers innovative, robust and environmentally sensitive concrete solutions, designed to encourage development of rich and diverse marine life as an integral part of urban and coastal marine infrastructure such as seawalls, breakwaters, bridge foundations and urban waterfronts.
GreenPod Labs created bio-inspired packaging sachets that release-plant based volatiles to activate the built-in defense mechanism within specific fruits or vegetables, in order to slow down the ripening rate and minimize microbial growth.
Why join the Ray of Hope Accelerator?
A unique program designed for early stage nature-inspired startups that includes $15,000 non-dilutive capital and $50,000 in-kind services. Weekly remote programming (~4hrs), with live expert sessions and workshops via a curriculum tailored to serve your purposes.
Refine your pitch with 1:1 coaching sessions, and present your innovation in an online event to investors, potential partners, customers, and network with key stakeholders.
Spend a week with us starting at Climate Week NYC with a networking reception to connect with investors, corporates and supporters of nature-inspired startups, followed by a four-day Nature Retreat, to reconnect with yourself and your mission, and to build a supportive peer community.
Enhance storytelling skills, visibility, and reach through communications support and content creation. Delve into your impact journey with expert workshops on green chemistry, supply chain sustainability, life-cycle analysis, and more.
Meet experienced, mission-aligned climate impact investors, they will provide insights into sustainable growth and scalability. From unit economic metrics, fundraising strategies, due diligence, to the climate capital stack beyond the lab scale, these sessions will equip you with the strategies needed to succeed.
Gain access to an unparalleled network of nature-inspired enthusiasts, mentors, investors, corporates, and entrepreneurs, with personalized mentorship, matchmaking and opportunities to connect with potential corporate partners to scale and develop proof of concept or pilot projects.
Backing world-changing ventures takes vision, and we’re grateful to have investors who share ours. A selection of mission-aligned investors in our portfolio of nature-inspired companies::
We collaborate with thought leaders to further the adoption of nature-inspired solutions for a regenerative world:
testimonials
The Ray of Hope Accelerator stands out for its ability to forge bonds between participants that are invaluable to early-stage startups. Without it, we wouldn’t have come so far, so quickly. It also strengthened our commitment to sustainability across our company.
Birgitt Bischitisch, Co-Founder & CEO, spotLESS Materials, 2020 cohort
Not only was our startup elevated by the process, but being in the company of other viable nature-inspired solutions empowered us to know that collectively we are making serious progress against seemingly intractable problems.
Brent Cutcliffe, Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer of New Iridium, 2021 cohort
The Ray of Hope Accelerator is a unique offering in a sea of accelerators. It differentiates itself by a focus on nature-inspired start-ups and a focus on community building and leveraging shared experiences. It is the perfect synergy of purpose, method, action and impact.
Ryan Church, Founder, CEO & CTO of Biome Renewables, 2022 cohort
Be a part of enabling a Nature Positive future by supporting inspirational founders with cutting edge solutions to our most pressing environmental challenges.
news
The MOTH Festival of Ideas drew ideators of all kinds to New York University Law School last week. There were scientists, lawyers, artists, and at least a few biomimics. The call was simple: come together…
The morning of March 5th, 2025 was a very special one. The entire team here at The Biomimicry Institute was at Skamania Lodge in Stevenson, WA for a staff-wide retreat focusing on team bonding, strategic…
In our modern, urbanized world, it’s easy to feel disconnected from nature. Concrete jungles, artificial lighting, and synthetic materials dominate our everyday environments, often leaving us feeling distant from the organic, calming presence of the…
Stay up to date about our portfolio and the latest nature-inspired innovations and news.
Ray of Hope Accelerator Videos
Solutions to global challenges are all around us. These examples and the companies behind the incredible innovations have been selected through the Biomimicry Institute’s Ray of Hope Accelerator program.
Tardigrades & Silkworms: Nature’s Secret to Smarter Seed Coatings
Plant-Based Alternatives to Toxic Colorants
A Sustainable Solutions for the Chemistry Industry (Inspired by Nature!)