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Ray of Hope Accelerator

THE BIOMIMICRY INSTITUTE

Foundation Annual Grants for StartupsEnvironmental Grants
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Funding Amount

$15,000

Deadline

April 24, 2026

16 days left

Grant Type

foundation

Overview

Ray of Hope Accelerator

Organization: The Biomimicry Institute

Status: Active; accepting applications for 2026 cohort

Award Amount: $15,000 in non-dilutive funding per selected startup

Geographic Scope: Global; accepts applications from startups worldwide

Focus Areas:

  • Nature-inspired innovation and solutions

  • Climate change mitigation

  • Biodiversity loss solutions

  • Eliminating linear "take, make, waste" paradigm

  • Solutions grounded in deep scientific research, biological principles, processes or systems

  • Bio-inspired innovation enablement

    • Program Details:

  • Duration: 6-month accelerator program (starts August)

  • Cohort Size: 10 startups selected annually

  • In-Kind Support Value: Over $50,000 worth of services including:

    • - Industry mentorship
    - Science-based storytelling expertise
    - Connections to corporate leaders and mission-aligned investors
    - 4-day immersive Nature Retreat for leadership development and community building
    - Weekly curriculum and virtual programming

    Eligibility:

  • Early-stage startups (Pre-seed through Series A)

  • Ventures addressing climate change and biodiversity loss

  • Nature-inspired approaches

    • Portfolio Performance:

  • Since launch in 2020: supported nearly 60 startups from 19 countries

  • 35% of portfolio companies are women-led

  • 90%+ of portfolio companies remain operational

  • Collective post-program funding raised: $250+ million

    • Founding Partner: The Ray C. Anderson Foundation

    Contact:

  • Phone: 415-800-1401

  • Email: media@biomimicry.org

  • Address: 1800 South 22nd Avenue Suite 120, Box 656, Bozeman, MT 59718

    • How to Apply

    Application Process

    Application Deadline: April 24, 2026

    Application Portal: biomimicry.org/innovation/accelerator/

    Required Information:
    The website content does not specify detailed application requirements, required materials, or narrative questions. Applicants should visit the accelerator application portal at biomimicry.org/innovation/accelerator/ for complete application details.

    Next Steps:
    1. Visit biomimicry.org/innovation/accelerator/
    2. Review full eligibility requirements
    3. Submit application before April 24, 2026 deadline
    4. Selected startups will be announced and invited to participate in the 6-month program starting August

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    Focus Areas & Funding Uses

    Fields of Work

    startupsenvironment

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