Startup Bazaar @ DC Climate Week
2026-04-20 10:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center, 555 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington DC, DC, 20001, United States
​Hosted during one of the nation’s premier climate convenings, Startup Bazaar @ DC Climate Week brings together leading climate-tech founders, venture investors, infrastructure funds, policymakers, and corporate partners for a conversation and deal flow.

​Moving beyond broad climate dialogue, it focuses on where investment opportunities are emerging — from grid modernization and energy storage to climate AI, industrial decarbonization, and carbon markets.
​Carefully vetted startups will present to an audience of active investors, followed by structured Q&A and curated one-on-one meetings. The programming emphasizes disciplined capital allocation, commercialization pathways, and the practical realities of scaling climate solutions in a policy-driven market.

Climate Innovation Studio: Accelerate Decarbonization
2026-04-21 14:00 - 15:30 | Pyxera Global, 99 M st SE,, Washington DC, DC, 20003, United States
Description:
How might we accelerate decarbonization while strengthening local communities?
We invite you to join this fast-paced, highly interactive Climate Innovation Studio, where sustainability professionals and innovators come together to design bold, equitable solutions for the DC region and beyond.
Guided by an experienced facilitator, participants will use a rapid ideation method popularized by Google Ventures and adapted for climate collaboration. In just 90 minutes, we will move from challenge to innovative solutions.
Expect short inspiration talks to frame the session, followed by brainstorming and collaboration to generate tangible, community-centered ideas.
Ideal for sustainability leaders, implementation-focused NGOs, climate tech founders, students, and others driving the next wave of local decarbonization efforts. Diverse voices make for stronger ideas, so all are welcome to join and contribute.

Maryland Climate Tech Capital Stack
2026-04-21 14:15 - 15:30 | Adele H. Stamp Student Union, 3972 Campus Dr,, College Park, MD, 20740-3823, United States
Join this session to learn more about the capital stack available in Maryland for your climate technology/startup.
This event will be moderated by Mike Ducker, and will include representatives from groups across the state including:
​Maryland Energy Innovation Accelerator
​Maryland Energy Innovation Institute
​Maryland Clean Energy Center
​TEDCO
​Maryland Industrial Partnerships (MIPS)
​Montgomery County Green Bank
​Chesapeake Bay Seed Capital Fund

Built for This Market: Financial Partnerships That Are Scaling Clean Energy
2026-04-22 11:00 - 13:00 | MCGB Office, 21 Church Street, Rockville, MD, 20850, United States
Clean energy deployment across the DMV is at a pivotal moment. Energy demand is surging, prices continue to rise, and federal policy uncertainty is reshaping the market. The projects moving forward are the ones built for this environment. Those that combine private capital, technical assistance, and public programs to get solar and battery projects financed and built across residential, commercial, and mid‑market segments. Across the region, aligned public‑private partnerships are turning clean‑energy ambition into real megawatts on the grid.
This DC Climate Week event, Built for This Market: Financial Partnerships That Are Scaling Clean Energy, co‑hosted by Climate First Bancorp and the Montgomery County Green Bank, puts those partnerships front and center. A mission‑driven depository bank, a fintech lending platform, and public green banks are working together to deploy capital faster, reduce friction, and expand access, especially for low‑ to moderate‑income communities. Through a single interest‑rate buydown program alone, $9.4 million in clean‑energy projects were connected to the grid across 234 homes in 2025, with 22% serving LMI households demonstrating how partnership‑driven models can deliver both scale and impact.
The event will feature two panels focused squarely on execution and deal flow across the DMV clean‑energy value chain. The first panel will highlight how installers and lenders are pairing technical assistance with tailored financing to originate, structure, and close projects more efficiently. Panelists will share what is reducing friction today, improving bankability, and helping residential and commercial projects reach customers faster.
Panelists:

Dema Headley, SVP, Director of Digital Banking, One Ethos
Rokas Beresniovas, Head of Partnerships & Business Development, Montgomery County Green Bank

The second panel will focus on the segment where demand is high and capital structures make or break projects. Sitting between small‑scale commercial projects and utility‑scale development, mid‑market solar and storage can deliver megawatts quickly when capital, policy, and development align. Developers and state‑level innovators will discuss how layered capital stacks—combining public programs, concessional capital, and private debt—are moving these projects from development to construction.
Panelists:

Hana Freymiller, SVP | Director of Energy Project Finance, Climate First Bank
MCEC
Virginia Department of Energy

Across both panels, the focus will be on what is working now: how deals are being structured, how partnerships are shortening timelines, and how capital is being deployed to turn opportunity into execution. The event will conclude with refreshments and breakout conversations designed to deepen relationships, surface new opportunities, and identify practical next steps.

From Plans to Action: Implementing Climate Solutions Across the DMV
2026-04-23 08:30 - 10:30 | Washington, DC
Cities and counties across the DMV were among the nation’s early leaders in developing comprehensive climate action plans. Today, the region is entering a far more complex—and consequential—phase: turning those plans into real-world results.
​This ICF Climate Center breakfast convenes senior climate leaders from the District of Columbia, Fairfax County, and Montgomery County for a candid conversation about what it takes to move from ambition to implementation. Panelists will reflect on lessons learned from the planning process, share early insights from implementation, and discuss how local governments are navigating funding constraints, stakeholder engagement, and rapidly evolving tools as they advance decarbonization and climate resilience on the ground.
​The session will combine a moderated panel with an interactive roundtable, giving participants the opportunity to engage directly with peers and practitioners shaping the region’s climate future.
Register to see the event address: https://luma.com/fcfx8idp

Investable Resilience: Turning Climate Metrics into Capital
2026-04-24 16:00 - 18:00 | Armour J. Blackburn University Center, 2397 6th St NW,, Washington DC, DC, 20059, United States
​This event is hosted by Howard University. How can we craft adaptation metrics to make the business case for resilience in urban communities? There is a $40+ billion gap in the U.S. between the adaptation investment we need and the capital actually being disbursed.
To bridge this, we must move beyond risk assessment and start building a compelling business case that speaks the language of private investors.
This speaker panel and audience Q&A session brings together a diverse range of adaptation and resilience practitioners, researchers, and local government officials who have designed metrics and projects and secured funding to build resilient cities.

6th ICWS Workshop on US Clean Mobility Future
2026-04-30 10:30 - 14:00 | Greater Washington Region Clean Cities Coalition, 899 North Capitol St NE suite 5106, Washington DC, DC, 20002, United States
Join us for a deep dive into the future of clean mobility in the US at the 6th ICWS Workshop!

6th ICWS Workshop: US Clean Mobility Future
Join an exclusive, high-level discussion designed to shift from vision to implementation at this collaborative workshop. Our session focuses on real-world economic models and technical breakthroughs needed to scale MHDV and Fleet operations today.
Focus: MHDV, Clean Tech, and the Grid Edge
We are convening an exclusive group of industry leaders to explore the critical intersection of Clean Tech, Transportation Innovation, and Grid Edge technology. This session is specifically designed for strategic thinkers driving the shift in MHDV Fast Charging across Fleets, Freight, and Cities. Join us for a high-level deep dive into the investment and innovation strategies defining the next generation of infrastructure.
🗓 The Agenda:

10:30 AM – 12:00 PM EST | Interactive Hybrid Session: Join us in person at the GRWCCC or via live stream on LinkedIn and YouTube. We’ll examine the evolving landscape of grid impact and transportation innovation.
12:30 PM EST Onward | Executive In-Person Networking: The live stream concludes as we move into facilitated, off-camera table discussions. This segment is dedicated to fostering authentic, long-term connections and high-level knowledge sharing among peers.

Net Zero that Pencils Out: Normalizing Sustainable Development
2026-04-30 17:30 - 20:00 | 2425 Reedie Drive, Floor 14, Wheaton, MD 20902, 2425 Reedie Drive, Floor 14, Wheaton, MD, 20902, United States
Can sustainable development be delivered without higher construction costs compared to traditional development? What does financially responsible, climate-ready development look like for future generations in Montgomery County? And how can public- and private-sector partners integrate sustainability into projects right now, using proven tools, financing, and design strategies?
Join the Montgomery County Planning Board on April 30 from 5:45 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. at the Wheaton Headquarters Building (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, MD) for a dynamic panel discussion featuring insights from three leading organizations, Redbrick LMD, Montgomery County Green Bank, and Perkins Eastman, on how innovative design, smart financing, and integrated planning can make sustainable development achievable and cost effective.
Panelists will share real-world examples about delivering high-performance, low-carbon projects while demonstrating how sustainability goals can align with financial feasibility, market realities, and long-term value. The discussion will highlight the role of public-private collaboration, creative financing mechanisms, and thoughtful design in accelerating Montgomery County’s path toward net zero development.
This free event is open to the public. Continuing Education Credits are available.
