Engineering, procurement and construction multinational Fluor and carbon technology (carbontech) development partnership the Carbon to Value Initiative (C2V Initiative) have opened applications for the second year of the C2V Initiative's world-class carbontech accelerator programme.

The first year of the C2V Initiative attracted more than 130 startup applications. It supported the first cohort of ten companies, which led to partnership engagements, technology advancement and industry growth, the organisations say.

Specifically, the programme collaborators are interested in carbontech innovations that are related to carbon capture, carbon utilisation and conversion into value-added products, as well as carbon sequestration and removal.

Additionally, collaborators are looking for solutions that utilise operational waste streams from heavy industries, such as mine tailings, slag, and fly ash. They are also looking for solutions focused on blue carbon, which is carbon captured by the world's ocean and coastal ecosystems, such as seaweed, as well as solutions for net-zero steel and/or low-carbon cement.

The accelerator is appropriate for startups that are actively investigating product-market fit and seeking partnerships. Selected startups will work closely with Fluor over a six-month period to advance their commercialisation efforts and mitigate risks of their carbontech innovations.

Applications for the second cohort of the C2V Initiative are due by April 29. Applicants may apply from anywhere and can learn more and apply via the C2V Initiative's website.

"The new role as Cohort Champion further demonstrates Fluor's commitment to support carbontech innovators with a shared focus on decarbonisation. Decarbonisation efforts reach across Fluor's clients and industries, and we look forward to leveraging our experience to advance new technologies through our partnership with C2V," says Fluor corporate development and sustainability group president Al Collins.

"Fluor brings depth of experience in designing and building global projects. As an engineering, procurement and construction company that is also a technology licensor, Fluor has the distinct ability to evaluate how new technologies can be brought to market, as well as a comprehensive understanding of what it takes to create new technology and market that technology as a licensed process."

The C2V Initiative is a partnership among the Urban Future Lab at NYU Tandon School of Engineering, climate technology incubator Greentown Labs and applied research nonprofit Fraunhofer USA to drive the creation of a thriving innovation ecosystem for the commercialisation of carbontech, which are technologies that capture and convert carbon dioxide into valuable end-products or services.

Cohort startups will gain access to the C2V Initiative's Carbontech Leadership Council (CLC), which is an invitation-only group of corporate, nonprofit and government thought leaders across diverse industry sectors who foster commercialisation opportunities and identify avenues for technology validation, testing and demonstration.

In addition to Fluor and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), CLC members include BHP, Carbon180, Carbon Direct, CarbonPlan, Circular Carbon Network, ConEdison, Consulate General of Canada in New York, Johnson Matthey, NRG, Unilever, Gore and XPRIZE.

Further, selected startups will receive $10 000 in nondilutive funding to support their participation in the accelerator.

Through its support of C2V, NYSERDA provides funding to advance New York State's climate and clean energy goals and accelerate the development and deployment of carbontech in New York State, with the aim of making it a globally recognised centre for carbontech leadership.

"We are proud to support the Carbon to Value Initiative and bring resources to companies commercialising innovations that can help decarbonise New York State and communities across the globe. Together, we are advancing technologies that turn emissions into usable products, a crucial step in our fight against climate change that can benefit all New Yorkers with a more sustainable, resilient future," says NYSERDA president and CEO Doreen Harris.

"It's been impressive to see how quickly the carbontech ecosystem has grown in year one of the C2V Initiative, which brought together more than 120 stakeholders from across the corporate, financial, nonprofit, and public sectors," says Greentown Labs CEO Dr Emily Reichert.

"I'm especially excited to see an industry leader like Fluor deepen its engagement for year two of the initiative. This will enable the company to more directly engage with carbontech startups and increase the likelihood of commercialising and scaling new solutions for climate impact," she adds.

"We could not be happier with the success the C2V Initiative found in its inaugural year. Our goal was to create a diverse ecosystem of companies looking to utilise the carbon that they capture. The technologies and applications from the first cohort addressed this need perfectly. We are excited to see how this next cohort continues this success," said Fraunhofer USA president Dr Thomas Schuelke.