A new milestone in green jobs training has placed Mindanao at the forefront of solar workforce development: Woodrow Solar Power Philippines, a training partner of the New Energy Academy, has become one of the first solar companies in Mindanao to secure the Certificate of TVET Program Registration (CTPR) under TESDA’s Enterprise-Based Education and Training (EBET) program.

TESDA’s EBET program ensures that private training providers like Woodrow Solar Power align with national standards, enabling graduates to receive credentials that carry industry-wide recognition and greater employment opportunities.

The awarding ceremony was witnessed by leaders from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), underscoring the government’s commitment to building a stronger clean energy workforce.

(From left to right) Atty Russel A. Jallorina, Asst. Regional Director DOLE-IX; Tarhata S. Mapandi, CESO III, Regional Director, TESDA IX; Ms. Manie Pino, Co-owner of Woodrow Solar Power; Engr. Alan T. Bacatan, Asst. Regional Director / Provincial Director PO-Zamboanga del Norte, during the signing of Memorandum of Agreement.

Partnership with New Energy Academy

Since January 2024, Woodrow Solar Power has been a training partner of the New Energy Academy – a learning platform powered by New Energy Nexus, GSES, and OpenSolar. New Energy Academy collaborates with solar companies across the Philippines to deliver blended solar training: online courses that cover the fundamentals of solar technology and business, combined with localized hands-on training delivered by partners such as Woodrow.

Woodrow Solar Power Philippines x New Energy Academy Solar Training Program Batch 1 – Hands-on Practical Training

This partnership allows learners in Mindanao to benefit from both global best practices and real-world industry experience. Under the leadership of Engr. Woodrow Pino, Woodrow Solar Power has conducted training programs since February 2024, producing 12 batches of graduates who are equipped with job-ready skills.

TESDA accreditation validates the quality of Woodrow Solar Power and New Energy Academy’s training. With the TESDA seal now featured on every graduate’s certificate, participants gain professional credibility, higher employability, and greater mobility within the solar industry. Beyond recognition, this milestone positions Woodrow to potentially become a TESDA-accredited assessment center, further strengthening its role in certifying the next generation of solar workers.

Milestone for Mindanao

By securing TESDA CTPR accreditation, Woodrow Solar Power sets a precedent for renewable energy training providers in Mindanao. The recognition validates years of effort to professionalize solar training and empower local communities with skills critical to the country’s energy transition.

Woodrow Solar Power Philippines x New Energy Academy Solar Training Program Batch 2 graduates

With TESDA’s support, New Energy Academy’s nationwide training ecosystem, and a growing pool of skilled graduates, the Woodrow Solar–NEA partnership is poised to strengthen its role as a leader in solar training. Their journey reflects a shared mission – to accelerate the energy transition by equipping Filipinos with the knowledge, experience, and skills needed to thrive in the solar industry.

New Energy Nexus builds ecosystems worldwide to support clean energy entrepreneurs, helping them scale through mentorship, connections, and access to capital. Through the New Energy Academy, we are not only developing a pipeline of new innovators and bridging the skills gap in renewables, but also transforming ideas and industry interest into real-world impact.

The energy transition is gaining momentum in the Philippines and across the globe, with clean energy innovators driving change at the frontlines. Having supported more than 10,000 entrepreneurs already, we’ve seen firsthand what’s possible when vision meets opportunity. With initiatives like the New Energy Academy, we’re preparing even more changemakers to lead the charge toward a future powered by 100% clean energy for all.

Want to get involved? Check out more inspiring stories and opportunities in the Philippines here.

Photo from TERA-Award

The effects of climate change are becoming harder to ignore, from extreme weather to rising energy demands. But alongside these challenges is a powerful opportunity to rethink how the world is powered.

Around the world, entrepreneurs are creating clean technologies that cut pollution, protect communities, and open new pathways for sustainable growth. To turn this wave of climate innovation into lasting change, we need to spotlight the startups driving it and give them the tools and connections they need to scale.

That is where the TERA-Award plays a vital role. Now in its fourth edition, the platform provides promising climate technologies with the spotlight, connections, and funding they need to grow faster and reach more people.

This year, New Energy Nexus China helped bring some of the best ideas to the table. Out of a record-breaking 785 entries, nine of the 28 finalists were startups we recommended – including the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners, plus five Merit Award recipients. Together, they took home over US$1.15 million in prizes and, more importantly, the resources and networks to turn their solutions into global impact.

The winning startups

Gold Winner – Barocal (United Kingdom)

Barocal is transforming cooling and heating by replacing harmful refrigerant gases with solid-state materials. Developed over 15 years at the University of Cambridge, the technology delivers higher efficiency, lower costs, and lower emissions, tackling major environmental challenges head-on.

Its retrofit-friendly design integrates seamlessly into existing infrastructure, making it easier for industries to adopt greener, more cost-effective systems.

“Build better products, not just greener ones… If you can offer solutions that are cheaper, smaller, faster, or more flexible and more sustainable, you’re in business.” – Florian Schabus, CCO

Photo from Barocal

Silver Winner – Feon Energy (United States)

Feon Energy is reinventing battery electrolytes with novel molecules that make batteries safer, more powerful, and more energy-dense – without raising costs or disrupting manufacturing. Its drop-in technology is proving itself today in high-performance markets such as drones and UAVs, and is already being developed with partners in electric vehicles and energy storage systems.

With the potential to boost energy density by 50% while cutting lithium use by up to 40%, Feon is accelerating adoption across the battery industry and building trust through real-world validation and long-term collaboration.

“For the first time in human history, we have the tools to engineer our environment and our planet’s future, not just adapt to it… The impact you create can shape the world for generations to come.” – Wenxiao Huang, CEO and co-founder

Photo from Feon Energy

Bronze Winner – Syzygy Plasmonics (United States)

Syzygy Plasmonics uses a plasmonic photocatalyst to drive chemical reactions with light instead of heat from combustion. Their NovaSAF platform transforms biogas from landfills or dairy farms into sustainable aviation fuel, tackling emissions from both waste and air travel.

Highly energy-efficient and made from low-cost materials, the technology offers an accessible and scalable path to decarbonizing aviation, while unlocking value from underused resources.

“Expect that things won’t work immediately and you will have to try again and again… If you do not give up and you do not get discouraged, eventually you will find success.” – Trevor Best, CEO

Photo from Syzygy Plasmonics

Beyond the podium finishers, five out of 11 Merit Awardees were also recommended by New Energy Nexus China:

• Electra Vehicles
• Feynman Dynamics
• Gasgene
• HAWAGA Energy Storage
• Twelve

Why it matters

For three years, New Energy Nexus China has partnered with the TERA-Award to connect it with our global network, promote the competition, and help bring advanced green energy solutions to market. This year, the startups that won through our pipeline did not only bring home huge prizes – they’ve proven that when entrepreneurs get the right support, their ideas can reach the global stage and have a far greater impact than where they started.

At New Energy Nexus, we build ecosystems that help climate tech entrepreneurs thrive. That means giving them access to mentorship, funding, technical expertise, and markets where their solutions can make a difference. With entrepreneurs like TERA-Award leading the way, backed by our programs across the world, we’re fast-tracking the shift to 100% clean energy for all.

Ready to unlock your own startup’s potential? Find out how we can support you here.

Pakistan is experiencing a solar boom unlike any other. In just the first half of 2024, the country imported over 13 GW of solar panels – more than the total installed capacity of some entire countries (The Great Solar Rush in Pakistan, 2024). This unprecedented growth could push it ahead of its 2030 renewable energy targets years in advance.

The impact is already rippling through communities: farmers are swapping diesel pumps for solar-powered tubewells, industries are securing their own reliable power, and families are reducing their reliance on an overstretched grid. Clean energy is reshaping daily life, and climate entrepreneurship is multiplying its benefits across the country.

From waste-to-energy ventures in Karachi to e-mobility startups in Lahore, Pakistan’s climate innovators are finding practical solutions to real problems. But without stronger support systems, many promising ideas struggle to scale.

From left: Zeeshan Ashfaq, CEO of Renewables First, and Stanley Ng, Global Partnerships Director at New Energy Nexus

That’s why New Energy Nexus has partnered with Renewables First to launch Climate Innovation Pakistan (CLIP): a national platform designed to empower entrepreneurs, develop a skilled workforce, and shape policies that unlock clean energy innovation for the long run.

Through CLIP, we’re building the kind of ecosystem that helps climate entrepreneurs move from idea to impact:

• CLIP Incubator – Turning early-stage ideas into market-ready solutions.
• New Energy Academy – Training the solar workforce powering Pakistan’s transition.
• ThinkLab – Publishing actionable insights on what’s working or not in Pakistan’s climate innovation landscape, informing smarter policy and investment decisions.

CLIP Incubator: From idea to traction

Inside the CLIP Incubator, founders spend 12 weeks transforming their vision into traction. The program helps them validate products, test solutions with real customers, and refine their go-to-market strategies.

With guidance from mentors who have built and scaled in challenging markets, startups gain not only technical advice but also access to pilots, partnerships, and investors across Pakistan’s growing climate ecosystem.

The Clip Incubator journey. Photo from Climate Innovation Pakistan

This is a space designed for entrepreneurs who want to move faster, smarter, and stronger – without giving up equity, and with support tailored to Pakistan’s realities. Learn more and apply here.

New Energy Academy: Building the solar workforce

Pakistan’s solar boom cannot succeed without skilled workers ready to deliver it. That’s why CLIP is launching the New Energy Academy: Solar Fundamentals Training in Islamabad this September.

Developed by New Energy Nexus, GSES Global Sustainable Energy Solutions, and OpenSolar, and implemented in collaboration with Renewables First and the Pakistan Solar Association, the program blends online and in-person learning to train young people for jobs in installation and maintenance. Participants will gain hands-on skills, mentorship, and connections with employers in a sector that’s growing faster than ever.

By preparing the next generation of solar professionals, the Academy ensures Pakistan’s clean energy transition is powered by people as well as panels. Find out more and sign up by August 22.

A solar installation in Karachi, Pakistan. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, User: Crosji

Breaking down barriers

Pakistan is one of the world’s most populous countries and one of the most climate-vulnerable. At the same time, it holds enormous potential for clean energy to drive inclusive growth. Yet for many entrepreneurs, barriers to progress persist: limited financing, scarce data, and policy barriers.

CLIP aims to change that. By combining New Energy Nexus’s global expertise in building startup ecosystems with Renewables First’s deep local insights, the platform will help unlock new opportunities for entrepreneurs, investors, and communities alike.

At New Energy Nexus, we support diverse climate entrepreneurs worldwide, giving them the accelerators, funding, skills, and connections to thrive. Through CLIP, we’re expanding that mission in Pakistan, helping climate tech founders transform a historic solar rush into long-term impact for communities and industries across the country.

The path is clear: Build on this clean energy growth in Pakistan and carry it over to the rest of the world. Now it’s time to give innovators worldwide the tools to carry it further.

Ready to scale your own innovation? Check out our programs here.

Antora thermal battery on a crane.

Antora Energy is no longer a startup to watch; it’s a force to be reckoned with in the race to onshore American manufacturing and decarbonize industry. But before it raised $150 million in Series B funding, partnered with industrial giants, or landed on the pages of Fast Company and The Wall Street Journal, Antora was an early-stage startup facing a very familiar challenge: proving that the tech worked.

Back in 2019, that’s where CalSEED stepped in.

The Innovation: Turning Heat into Electricity

Antora’s core innovation is a thermal battery system that stores renewable energy as heat in inexpensive, earth-abundant materials. While Antora’s first product outputs that energy as industrial heat to drive manufacturing processes, its second product will also convert that heat back into electricity using thermophotovoltaic (TPV) cells. These cells function like solar cells designed to capture the wavelengths of light from Antora’s glowing-hot carbon blocks inside the battery.

This approach unlocks cost-effective, long-duration energy storage—the solution California and other clean energy leaders need to power the industry and ensure grid reliability as they deploy more intermittent energy resources, such as wind and solar.

But when Antora applied to CalSEED, the concept was still early. The company needed to prove that its TPV cells could reliably deliver electricity at the required efficiency, durability, and scale.

The Support: What CalSEED Made Possible

With support from the CalSEED Concept and Prototype awards, Antora conducted critical engineering validation and reliability testing of its TPV technology.

Throughout the grant in 2019, Antora:

• Characterized over 100 TPV cells, measuring reflectance, electrical performance, and power density
• Tested complete module prototypes at 1500°C conditions to simulate real-world battery operation
• Ran thousands of hours of reliability tests, de-risking failure modes, and validating lifespans
• Improved design and manufacturing processes, incorporating feedback from stress tests and failure analysis

This work helped establish that Antora’s TPV technology could convert heat to electricity at efficiencies of 40%+ and operate under extreme conditions with minimal degradation. More importantly, it laid the foundation for scaling production and building investor confidence.

“The work of this project, including the thousands of hours of reliability that have already been demonstrated, has greatly de-risked the commercial viability of TPV in long-duration energy storage.”
— Antora Energy, CalSEED Final Report

The Results: Rapid Growth and Real-World Impact

Since completing the CalSEED project, Antora has:

• Grown to over 200 employees
• Raised a $150 million Series B in 2024 from investors including Decarbonization Partners (BlackRock & Temasek)
• Opened a U.S. thermal battery factory in San Jose, CA, and launched the world’s first dedicated manufacturing line for TPV cells
• Secured multiple grants from the U.S. Department of Energy, including a recent $14.5M ARPA-E award

The company’s technology is now seen as a leader in powering industry with clean, low-cost energy. Antora’s batteries can keep industry running 24/7, even during extreme heatwaves and wildfire shutdowns.

Why It Matters: A Clear Path to Grid Decarbonization

Thermal energy storage, like Antora’s, could save California $1.5 billion annually, improve grid reliability, and reduce 25 million metric tons of CO₂ annually. That’s equivalent to taking nearly 6 million cars off the road. [Source]

And it all started with a prototype.

Antora’s success is a textbook example of how CalSEED helps bridge the “valley of death” for climate tech startups—de-risking early innovations, validating performance, and clearing the path from lab to market.

From Concept to Commercialization with CalSEED’s Spark

Every major clean energy company was once a concept seeking support. Antora’s journey demonstrates that targeted, early-stage funding and validation programs, such as CalSEED and CalTestBed, make the difference between promising ideas and scalable solutions.

Antora is now powering toward a clean future, and CalSEED helped light the way.

CalSEED Story: Antora

This story was originally posted by CalSEED.fund, our program in California.