FORT COLLINS — The Colorado and Wyoming Climate Resiliency Engine has been designated a Regional Innovation Engine by the National Science Foundation, and the collaboration is eligible for up to $160 million in federal funding over the next 10 years.
The CO-WY Engine is led by Fort Collins-based accelerator program Innosphere, which also includes Colorado State University and the University of Colorado, and is “creating the technologies and tools needed to combat global climate change. Developing a new climate economy locally and nationally.” 1) Identify climate change challenges, including measurement, standardization needs, and barriers to equitable technology adoption and implementation. 2) Fund and provide strategic alliances for selected technologies developed through use-inspired translational research. 3) Implementation of a new program to align the regional workforce,” the news release states.
Initial funding for this engine is $15 million over the next two years, with additional funding available in the future.
“The CO-WY engine will help us rebuild our ability to deliver technology-driven solutions, grow our bi-state economy, and increase regional and national climate resilience,” said Innosphere Chief Executive Officer CEO Mike Freeman said in a release. “In 10 years, CO-WY engines will result in 22,000 new climate technology jobs, $1.5 billion in regional GDP impact, more than $1 billion in private capital formation, and more than 2,000 training and reskilling jobs. ” and will distribute $80 million in commercialization grants to climate technology startups. ”
This local effort is one of the first in the nation to earn Regional Innovation Engine designation from the NSF, which has provided approximately $1.6 billion in funding for CHIPS and the Science Act of 2022 to support The money is being used for the engine program.
“The inaugural NSF Engine Award demonstrates our enduring commitment to creating opportunities everywhere and enabling innovation everywhere,” NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan said in a release. “Through these NSF Engines, NSF aims to expand the frontiers of technology and innovation and drive economic growth across the United States through unprecedented investments in talent and partnerships.” It has great potential to transform and transform the world into a leading innovation hub.”
