About
The Environmental Tech Lab provides an accelerated pathway for early to growth-stage companies to solve challenges for the largest combined municipal water and wastewater system in the nation
295
Applications
6
Challenges Addressed
24
Proofs of Concept
Key Program Benefits
Access to Decision Makers
Work closely with public sector leadership, operators, and engineers. This hands-on collaboration offers ongoing product feedback and access to public sector customers.
Transparent, Structured Program
Test directly with large, hard-to-reach public sector customers through a transparent structure with accelerated go/no-go decisions.
De-risked Entry into Government
Receive targeted guidance on New York City’s regional agency requirements, such as scoping, insurance, cybersecurity, and more – making it easier to enter one of the most challenging yet rewarding markets.
How it works
Challenge Identification
We work with senior leaders at DEP to identify tangible, real-world challenges that could be solved with new technologies.
Global Call for Applications
Companies from around the world are invited to apply to our open challenges, detailing evidence of product-market fit.
Evaluation Period
Evaluation Part 1: Experts from water and sustainability sectors review applications, and a subset of applicants are invited to New York City to pitch to a panel of DEP and private sector evaluators. Selection companies enter the second phase of evaluation. Evaluation Part 2: Selected companies complete scoping calls with DEP operational staff, cybersecurity reviews, insurance requirements, and investor/customer calls to confirm readiness to work with a City agency.
Proof of Concept
Selected companies conduct a three-month structured technology test, with success criteria and scope defined collaboratively by the company and DEP project managers. Companies showing strong results may be invited to continue for an additional period of three months to allow DEP more time to evaluate the technology or explore a path to commercialization.
Programming
As part of the program, ETL companies get a chance to tour DEP facilities, present to the DEP Commissioner, and learn about the City’s legal and procurement processes.
Next Steps
Based on POC outcomes, DEP determines the path forward, whether a pilot, procurement, or continued engagement, with the goal of deploying the most promising technologies at scale across the agency.
Environmental Tech Lab Founders and Partners
The Environmental Tech Lab is a collaboration between the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the New York City Partnership Foundation, the nonprofit affiliate of the Partnership Fund for New York City. We provide companies with expedited paths to testing, expert feedback, access to key decision makers from DEP, and an accelerated go/no-go decision.
We enable public sector climate leaders to source, evaluate, and test new solutions to their most critical challenges.
Leadership
Program leadership guides companies through the Environmental Tech Lab’s application, evaluation, and testing processes via project management support and testing best practice advice.
Stacey Matlen
Senior Vice President,
Innovation Programs,
Partnership for New York City
Anushree Sreedhar
Director,
Innovation Programs,
Partnership for New York City