Centrepolis C3

Location: Southfield, MI
Investment: $25,000 - $50,000
Equity Taken: None
Program Fee: None
Stage: Growth Stage

Industry of Focus

• Cleantech
• Climatech
• Circular Economy

Key Highlights

Program Overview

The C3 Accelerator, launched in 2021 and backed by public and corporate funding, supports growth-stage cleantech, climatech, and circular economy businesses. It offers grants, investments, and services to help these companies develop and scale their technologies, aiming to drive economic growth and environmental benefits in Michigan.

Diversity, Inclusion, and Exclusion

Diversity is encouraged, and the program supports diverse founders. Selection is primarily based on impact and merit.

Investment Details

The C3 Accelerator offers a mix of grants and zero-interest (or low-interest) loans as non-equity investments. Initial support might be around $25k–$50k, with a total pool of $275,000 at launch. Additional funding from sponsors has grown the fund.

Benefits Details and Perks/Credits

• Funding (grants and loans)
• Pilot and demonstration cost share
• Connections to strategic partners and investors
• Fundraising support
• Access to experts in residence
• Product design, engineering, and prototyping services
• Mentorship
• Networking opportunities
• Support for federal grant applications

Program Format

The program has rolling enrollment with milestone-based support. There is no set start or end date for each company. Companies work with Centrepolis to identify key milestones and receive tailored support to reach them. The program includes regular one-on-one meetings with the Centrepolis team and mentors.

Location or Relocation Requirements

Companies are generally expected to pilot or manufacture in Michigan as part of the program’s economic development goals. Many participants are Michigan startups or those that relocate/expand to Michigan.

Cohort Size and Program Frequency

The program does not run fixed cohorts and continuously accepts and supports a portfolio of companies.

Requirements Related to Users, Revenue, or LOIs:
Companies should have a technology readiness level of 5-9, defensible intellectual property, and strong market potential. The product must contribute to energy efficiency, use of renewables, GHG reduction, pollution prevention, or circular economy goals.

Post-Program Engagement

Companies may remain associated alumni and can receive further help opportunistically. The program has an evergreen model, allowing for reinvestment in promising graduates.

Company Types Requirements

The program supports growth-stage cleantech, climatech, and circular economy startups with a working prototype, clear IP, and a plan to scale.

Founding Team Preferences

No explicit restrictions on team composition. The program often works with technical founders and supports solo founders as well. Diversity is encouraged, and the selection is based on impact and merit.

C3 Accelerator (Cleantech, Climatech, Circular Economy Accelerator)
Program Type: A sector-focused accelerator with a blend of grants, investments, and incubator services for companies in clean technology, climate technology, or circular economy. Launched in 2021, the “C3” Accelerator is backed by public and corporate funding (Michigan EGLE, New Economy Initiative, Wells Fargo’s Innovation Incubator, etc.)​
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to provide non-dilutive financing and commercialization support to climate-impact startups. It functions as an accelerator but does not run fixed cohorts; instead, it continuously accepts and supports a portfolio of companies, tailoring support to each. It’s somewhat akin to a climate tech incubator with an evergreen fund.
Location: Based at Centrepolis Accelerator (Southfield, MI), with a mission to drive cleantech deployment in Michigan. Companies from Michigan and beyond can participate, but they are generally expected to pilot or manufacture in Michigan as part of the program’s economic development goals​
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. In practice, many C3 participants have been Michigan startups or startups that relocate/expand to Michigan. The program leverages Michigan’s assets (manufacturing resources, university labs, etc.) for the benefit of these companies, and in return aims to create jobs and environmental benefits locally. There isn’t a strict residency requirement published, but the name “Accelerate…in Michigan” is implied. Notably, at the time of launch, Centrepolis received a large EGLE grant ($1.55M) to run this program​
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, indicating the state’s interest in drawing cleantech business to Michigan. However, C3 has also attracted companies from outside the region when their tech aligns (especially if they are willing to engage with Michigan’s market).
Industry/Tech Focus: Cleantech, Climatech, and Circular Economy. This spans a wide range: renewable energy (solar, wind, hydro technologies), energy storage, energy efficiency innovations, electric grid and smart building tech, clean transportation (overlaps with mobility, but focused on emissions reduction), carbon capture or carbon utilization, sustainable materials, recycling and upcycling innovations, water treatment and conservation tech, and generally any technology that reduces environmental footprint or greenhouse gas emissions​
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. The circular economy aspect means innovations in waste reduction, recycling processes, or converting waste to value (e.g. companies that recycle batteries, upcycle plastics, etc.). The climate tech aspect could include agtech for sustainability or climate adaptation tech as well. The key is that the tech must have a positive environmental impact – e.g., save energy, cut GHGs, or reduce waste​
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. C3 tends to focus on physical and engineering-heavy solutions (since Centrepolis is a hardtech accelerator). For example, in its early cohort, startups included those working on energy-efficient appliances, novel renewable energy devices, advanced recycling systems, etc. A company should have a clear cleantech angle; pure software (like carbon accounting SaaS) might be less likely unless tied to a hardware solution.
Program Format: Rolling enrollment with milestone-based support. C3 does not have a set start or end date for each company. Instead, accepted companies work with Centrepolis to identify key technical and business milestones they need to reach (for instance: build a beta prototype, conduct a pilot deployment, achieve a certain cost reduction, etc.). The accelerator then provides a package of support – funding plus expert services – to help reach those milestones​
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. Often, initial support might be a grant or zero-interest loan of, say, $25k–$50k (the program advertises offering ~$50k investments)​
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, coupled with a certain amount of free engineering hours and mentorship. As the company hits milestones, there might be follow-on support. The program is highly customized: one startup might primarily need prototyping and will spend a lot of time in Centrepolis’s lab, another might need connections to a manufacturing partner for a pilot, another might use funds for certification testing – all these scenarios are supported. There is no group curriculum or weekly all-hands; instead, companies meet regularly with the Centrepolis team and mentors one-on-one. Networking opportunities are provided (C3 companies are often highlighted in events or introductions to investors). The program also has a cost-share approach: it can co-fund pilot or demo projects in partnership with end-users​
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– meaning if a startup wants to deploy a demo at a customer site, C3 might cover part of the cost as incentive. The length of engagement can vary. A company might be active in C3 for 6-12 months until they’ve expended the provided resources, but many remain associated alumni and can get further help opportunistically (since Centrepolis has an evergreen model, they might reinvest in promising graduates). C3 also accepts new companies continuously; decisions are likely made via a periodic selection committee. The application is open on a rolling basis (via F6S or Centrepolis site), and companies are evaluated and brought in throughout the year rather than in a single cohort group.
Investment & Benefits: Flexible, non-dilutive funding: C3 offers a mix of grants and zero-interest (or low-interest) loans as “investments” into the company, which are non-equity by design​
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. At launch, the total pool was $275,000 for the first batch of companies​
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, with individual awards around $25k-$50k each. Additional funding from sponsors (e.g., a $2M Wilson Foundation grant in 2024) has replenished and grown the fund​
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. This means C3 can continue to offer new rounds of support. Companies can use these funds for product development, scaling up manufacturing, market entry, etc. Crucially, because it’s grant/loan funding, startups don’t give up equity, which is a big plus for capital-intensive cleantech ventures. Beyond funding, extensive services are provided: free or subsidized product design, engineering, prototyping, testing, and validation services​
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through Centrepolis and its partners. This might include building an alpha prototype in the Centrepolis lab, performing testing in LTU’s facilities or other partner labs, getting help from experts to refine the design for cost or reliability, etc. The program also supports pilot and demonstration projects by cost-sharing as mentioned – essentially de-risking the first field deployments of the tech​
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. Startups receive mentorship via Experts-in-Residence similar to DFMM, but specifically with clean tech expertise (e.g., materials experts, energy industry veterans). C3 also provides strategic business support: aiding companies in fundraising efforts (grant writing and investor pitch prep)​
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and connecting them to potential customers, strategic partners, and investors. For instance, C3 might help a clean energy startup connect with a utility company for a pilot, or introduce a circular economy startup to municipalities interested in their recycling tech. By being in C3, companies also become eligible for certain partner opportunities, like referral into the Wells Fargo IN² (Innovation Incubator) program or nomination for federal pilot programs. Another benefit: Centrepolis helps companies apply for federal grants (DOE, NSF, etc.)​
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, improving their chances of getting big non-dilutive funding. In summary, the benefits package includes money + engineering support + network, all tailored to accelerate commercialization. Founders have described it as getting the resources of an engineering firm and the clout of an investor without giving up equity.
Program Fee: None. In fact, it’s the opposite – C3 gives money and services to the startup. The program is funded by state and philanthropic grants, so everything is provided free of charge or on very favorable terms (loans with no interest, etc.). The only possible “cost” to companies is if any loan portions need to be repaid in the future (interest-free), but often these are forgivable or long-term, acting more like grants. There’s also no equity stake taken by Centrepolis, although some companies might separately attract investment from the accelerator’s network or partners (for example, being in C3 could lead to an introduction to an angel or VC, but that’s outside the program’s direct scope).
Eligibility Requirements: Key criteria include: Technology readiness ~5-9 (meaning the tech has been proven in principle and ideally a prototype exists – not just theoretical)​
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. The company should have defensible intellectual property (patents filed or trade secrets) and a strong market potential​
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– C3 wants to back companies that can scale and have competitive advantage. Also, the environmental impact criterion is crucial: the product must demonstrably contribute to energy efficiency, use of renewables, GHG reduction, pollution prevention, or circular economy goals​
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. Applicants typically have to quantify or explain the sustainability impact. In terms of the business, both startups and small established companies are allowed. There isn’t an explicit revenue or size cap published, but likely the company should be relatively small (perhaps under 50 employees). Companies should be past the idea stage – having at least a prototype or lab proof, and some evidence of customer interest or market feasibility. They do not necessarily need to be Michigan-based (past marketing suggests willingness to support non-MI companies if they will create an impact in MI), but preference is given to those that will manufacture or deploy in Michigan. Also, because this is a competitive program with limited funding, companies that already raised large VC rounds might be less likely to get in – C3 is aimed at bridging early funding gaps. Generally, seed-stage companies fit well. The application likely asks for a project plan: what will you do with the funding/services and what milestone will that achieve? The best candidates have a clear plan (e.g. “we will build a pilot unit of our device and test it at XYZ site, after which we can go to market”). In short, growth-stage cleantech startups with a working prototype, clear IP, and a plan to scale with some help are ideal.
Founding Team: No explicit restrictions on team composition. Since many cleantech innovations come from experienced scientists or engineers, C3 often works with technical founders (some are university spin-offs with PhDs, etc., others are scrappy inventors). The program doesn’t require a full team – even a solo founder can be supported, though having a well-rounded team helps in executing the project. Given some funding may be involved, the company should have the administrative capability to handle grant funds (Centrepolis helps with oversight, but basic professionalism is expected). Diversity is encouraged; in line with its funding sources (EGLE and NEI have interests in inclusive entrepreneurship), C3 has supported diverse founders. However, the selection is primarily impact- and merit-based. The founders should be coachable and open to using the provided expert resources. A notable thing: because this is a hardware/climate accelerator, the timeline for companies is often longer than typical software startups – the founders must be in it for the mission and patient growth, and the program aligns with that by providing patient capital (non-dilutive). There’s no bias for student founders vs. older founders; in fact, many cleantech founders might be mid-career professionals who started a company, and that’s common in C3.
Distinctive Features: The C3 Accelerator is one of the few programs that offers actual cash plus services to cleantech startups without taking equity. It essentially serves as a commercialization catalyst in a capital-intensive sector. As noted in a news release, it “offers a total pool of $275,000 in funding including grants, no-equity interest-free investments, and services to support product development and scaling”​
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– a relatively rare setup. This means a startup can get a boost to hit a prototype or pilot milestone that might otherwise be hard to fund. Another distinctive feature is its clear environmental impact requirement – it’s not just about business growth, but also about measurable sustainability outcomes (aligned with Michigan’s emissions and recycling goals). The inclusion of circular economy (not just clean energy) broadens the scope to include innovative solutions in recycling and materials, which many accelerators overlook. Because it’s run by Centrepolis, C3 can plug companies into a larger support ecosystem (including DFMM, other grants like the Mobility Grant if applicable, or the network of prototyping suppliers). Also, C3’s partnership with national programs like Wells Fargo IN² and the U.S. Department of Energy means participants can get exposure to federal labs or additional grant opportunities​
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. For example, a company might start in C3 and then get recommended to participate in the CleanTech Open or DOE’s SBIR programs. The program’s funding is “evergreen” – funds returned or not used can support new companies, and new grants (like the Wilson Foundation’s $2M in 2024) keep replenishing it​
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, ensuring sustainability of the program itself. From a founder’s perspective, C3 is a golden ticket because it reduces two big risks: technology risk (through expert engineering help) and financial risk (through non-dilutive funding). Companies have reported that after going through C3, they were able to significantly advance their tech and even secure follow-on funding from investors, thanks to prototypes and validation achieved. C3 essentially de-risks cleantech startups to make them more attractive for the next stage. Lastly, the triple-C branding (Cleantech, Climatech, Circular) highlights a holistic approach – recognizing that combating climate change involves energy, transportation, materials, water, and more. The C3 Accelerator is a one-stop program covering all those angles with a tailored approach for each company’s niche needs​
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