The Carbontech Development Initiative (CDI) has launched its fourth solicitation round, inviting applications from researchers and startups working on next-generation carbon removal and carbon-to-value pathways.
The round covers two research programs, Propel and Leap, designed to advance academic technologies toward commercial readiness, and Bridge, a commercialization program for mid- and late-stage startups.
Since its launch, CDI has awarded more than $8 million to 39 teams, helping position New York State as an emerging global hub for carbontech innovation.
Applications for Round 4 opened on November 24, 2025 and will close at 11:59 PM ET on January 14, 2026.
Funding will be available for projects in three priority areas: CO2 capture technologies, CO2-to-building materials, and CO2-to-chemicals, fuels, and dual-functional materials. Eligible applicants can submit proposals online and are encouraged to select the program that best corresponds to their technology readiness level.
Building a Carbontech Ecosystem in New York State
Housed within Columbia Technology Ventures and supported by NYSERDA, CDI is the first large-scale market-transformation initiative dedicated specifically to carbontech.
Its goal is to accelerate the pipeline from fundamental research to commercial deployment while strengthening the broader carbontech ecosystem across academia, industry, government, and capital markets.
CDI funds R&D both within Columbia University and across the global carbontech community, leveraging deep scientific expertise as well as New York’s entrepreneurial infrastructure. The initiative aims to unlock durable market impact by supporting technology transfer, catalyzing early commercialization, and expanding demand for low-carbon products and carbon removal solutions.
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International participation is encouraged, with CDI working to connect innovators to investors, customers, and policy stakeholders across the US and abroad. As New York and federal agencies expand climate and clean-tech support, CDI is positioning the state at the center of long-term carbontech growth.
Projects selected through Round 4 will be evaluated by a competitive scoring committee, with awards and contract terms varying by program.
CDI emphasized that this round represents another step in its multi-decade mission: building the markets, science, and commercialization pathways needed for carbontech to scale meaningfully in the fight against climate change.
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