Spark Cleantech Accelerator
Entrepreneurial fellows in Innovation Crossroads, a US Department of Energy Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, will complete the Spark Cleantech Accelerator, a 12-week program offered by the University of Tennessee (UT), Knoxville, Spark Innovation Center at the UT Research Park.
The Spark Cleantech Accelerator was created in partnership with Evergreen Climate Innovations and other partners to support early-stage hard-tech businesses and drive commercialization of their technologies by leveraging the unique science and technology resources of East Tennessee.
By combining the resources of Innovation Crossroads and the Spark Cleantech Accelerator, we are building a stronger program for entrepreneurs.
The 2025 Spark Cleantech Accelerator began on August 25 and will conclude with a demo day event the week of November 17. The accelerator curriculum focuses on four key areas: product, business model, finance, and pitch. Each key area includes a deliverable.
Product
Deliverable: Minimum Viable Product
- Focus on defining and creating a basic product
- Quickly test and validate the business idea
- Rapidly prototype physically or virtually
- Mitigate capital intensity to prove the concept (if applicable)
Business Model
Deliverable: Go-to-Market Plan
- Formalize the vision, mission, and strategy
- Define the value proposition for the target customer
- Understand how to make money and generate ROI
- Conduct customer discovery
- Develop pricing, channels, sales strategy, and marketing
Finance
Deliverable: Basic Financial Model
- Understand costs, cost structure, and revenue streams
- Understand funding options (dilutive and nondilutive)
- Develop a funding strategy
- Learn to communicate financial projections and strategy
Pitch
Deliverable: Public Pitch at Demo Day
- Storytelling
- Pitching to customers
- Pitching to investors
- Public speaking
- Slide and graphic design
Minor Topics
In addition to the core topics, each program participant will have the opportunity to select a “minor” concentration such as intellectual property strategy, brand development, or supply chain management. Minor topics will be finalized based on the needs and interests of the selected cohort.
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