2025 Urban Future Summit
Join us for the 9th annual Urban Future Summit, the culminating event of the Urban Future Prize Competition, made possible by MUFG Bank, Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas), and NYU Tandon School of Engineering.
We’ll showcase the top climate startups competing for two $50,000 awards and admission to ACRE, New York’s longest-running climatetech incubator. The Summit brings together climate entrepreneurs, investors, government leaders, nonprofits, and corporate partners to explore the future of climate innovation. Finalists will pitch live and we’ll host an industry panel.
⭐ 2025 Urban Future Prize Competition Finalists
Climate Adaptation Prize: focused on solutions that help communities and ecosystems adapt to and build resilience against the impacts of climate change.
Blue Planet Ecosystems - Closed-loop aquaculture systems for sustainable seafood production, enabling urban and inland fish farming.
Eztia - Passive cooling material integrated into gear to reduce skin temperature and prevent heat-related injuries without electricity.
Terranova - Biomass slurry injection tech for land elevation and carbon sequestration to reduce flood risk and remove atmospheric CO₂.
Xatoms - Quantum chemistry and AI-based water purification photocatalysts that eliminate pollutants using visible light, not UV.
Climate Mitigation Prize: focused on solutions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Elastic Energy - Hardware and orchestration software connecting DERs like solar, batteries, EVs, and HVAC into grid-responsive systems.
MetalLight - Metal-air generator providing zero-emission, cost-effective alternatives to diesel for heavy industry deployment.
PopWheels - Urban battery-swapping infrastructure solving micromobility fire hazards and building scalable EV solutions for delivery workers.
Zero Electric - Grid intelligence software that transforms grid data into searchable, real-time maps to optimize electrification.
🌟 Meet the Jury
Laura Fox - Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Streetlife Ventures
Craig Wilson - Venture Partner, Collaborative Fund
Cynthia Ding - Vice President, Venture & Growth, Galvanize
Anastasia Istratova - Partner, Climate Tech, Fifth Wall
🎤 Panel: Building Resilience from the Ground Up: Communities at the Center of Climate Adaptation
Speakers:
Beth Foster-Chao, Investment Lead, Climate Adaptation & Resilience, Autodesk
Johanna Lawton, Deputy Director, Rebuild by Design
Allyson Martinez, Esq, Founding Executive Director, Brooklyn Level Up
Moderator:
Louie Woodall, Founder & CEO Climate Proof
This conversation will explore:
What lessons can climatetech entrepreneurs learn from community-led resilience projects?
How can adaptation technologies be designed to be effective, accessible, affordable, and community-driven?
What makes a climate adaptation solution both investable and impactful for communities?
What are the biggest barriers to connecting climatetech innovation with real community needs and how do we bridge that gap?
How do we avoid “false solutions” that claim to be green but deepen inequities?
🗓 Agenda:
1:30 pm - Doors Open & Networking
1:45 pm - Opening Remarks
2:00 pm - Climate Adaptation Pitches
3:00 pm - Climate Mitigation Pitches
4:00 pm - Panel
5:00 pm - Winners Announced & Happy Hour
⚡ Watch the 2024 recap video and meet last year’s winners.