Seattle Creates Downtown Climate Innovation Hub To Bolster Clean Energy Sector

The reception desk at the Seattle Climate Innovation Hub. (SCIH Photo)

The City of Seattle, the University of Washington, the climate community organizer 9Zero, and a climate tech investment nonprofit called VertueLab have joined forces to launch the Seattle Climate Innovation Hub.

The hub’s objective is to support entrepreneurs in the climate sector as well as aid in the revitalization of the city’s downtown, where businesses, tenants and property owners are still struggling to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Washington is a leader for environmental policies promoting the transition to clean energy, and the region is home to tech startups and companies in fields including next-gen batteries, fusion and nuclear energy, clean aviation, sustainable agriculture, hydrogen power, carbon removal and others.

“Seattle’s infrastructure, skilled workforce in aerospace and technology, progressive climate policies, and strategic location make it the perfect place for climate tech and clean energy companies to grow,” said Mayor Bruce Harrell in a statement.

Harrell on Wednesday joined leaders from each of the other three organizations in celebrating the collaboration and hub.

A new white paper from VertueLab highlighted the Pacific Northwest’s need to strengthen partnerships among the different players in the climate tech ecosystem in order to bolster this economic sector and help businesses scale.

The UW’s CoMotion Labs, a startup incubator, is forming its first climate tech cohort and currently recruiting founders. The eight-month program will start this spring and includes mentorship, access to climate tech professionals and other resources.

9Zero, VertueLab and UW Comotion Labs’ Climate Tech Incubator will share a kitchen and common area at the new Seattle Climate Innovation Hub, while also having their own offices and working spaces. (SCIH Photo)

The new Seattle Climate Innovation Hub will be located on the 15th floor of the Financial Center building, and is opening this month.

9Zero established its space on the same floor of the building this past summer. The group provides co-working opportunities and regularly hosts educational, business advice and networking events.

9Zero, the CoMotion Labs Climate Tech Incubator and VertueLab will share a kitchen and common area as part of the hub, and each will have their own office spaces on the floor. The Seattle Office of Economic Development is the city’s representative in the collaboration and providing $200,000 to CoMotion to support the effort. The State of Washington, 9Zero and VertueLab are funding the hub as well.

“This partnership will build on CoMotion Labs’ strengths in startup creation, incubation, and development to connect burgeoning clean-tech companies with industry experts and strategic resources that will enable their success,” said François Baneyx, the UW vice provost for Innovation and CoMotion director.

Climate tech startups increasingly need help as investment dollars dwindle.

Funding for the sector spiked to $41.2 billion in 2021, but venture capitalists have been backing away from the space. PitchBook reported Tuesday that climate tech investments in North America and Europe were down 17% in 2024 compared the previous year — marking the third straight year of decline.

PitchBook called the trend “a signal that AI is continuing to siphon venture dollars away from other sectors.” Ironically, tech giants delivering artificial intelligence need climate innovations in order to cleanly power AI computing data centers.

The Biden administration helped bolster the climate tech sphere through federal grants, but that support is uncertain and in many cases unlikely to continue with President Trump’s return to the White House this month.