We've funded 180+ companies. Yours could be next.
Our members invest directly into early-stage cleantech. We give honest feedback and care about your success, whether or not we invest.
Early-stage companies with significant positive impact on the environment.
We're looking for entrepreneurs building technology that solves a hard problem with an experienced team, a durable competitive advantage, and a clear path to scale.
- Stages
- Pre-Seed → Series A
- Location
United States & Canada- Sectors
- Energy generation/storageTransportationBuilt environmentAgricultureWater+ more
Apply
We review every application and give feedback, no matter the result.
- Submit through the online application
- We review applications monthly from September to May
- Hear back within two to four weeks
Screening
Our screening committee of experienced E8 members reviews your company against E8 criteria.
- E8 members with deep domain expertise across cleantech
- They review the problem, technology, traction, team, impact, and return potential
Pitch
Selected companies pitch live to our membership.
- Pitches happen online from September to May
- 10-minute pitch, followed by a live Q&A with our members
Diligence
Members form a diligence team to identify and analyze the most significant risks and opportunities.
- 3-4 weeks reviewing financials, technology, market potential, and team
- Expect challenging questions from our members
Invest
Members make individual investment decisions and the Annual Fund votes whether to invest.
- Each member decides individually whether to invest
- Aggregate E8 investment ranges from $50K - $500K per company
Three funding opportunities.
E8 Angels
Members can invest directly into your company. Members collaborate on diligence and invest directly into the companies they believe in.
Decarbon8
Each year we select one focus area, investing in 2-4 companies working in that sector. You also gain access to direct investment and Annual Fund investment.
Annual Fund
At the end of each diligence, fund members vote to allocate capital toward the companies they're most confident in.
What to expect.
Investing since 2006
Our community includes people who understand your industry or technology because they've built in it, invested in it, or studied it for decades.
Honest feedback
Our screening committee looks at every application. When we don't move forward, you'll hear why: specific, useful feedback worth the time you spent applying.
Portfolio support
E8 companies receive follow-on investment from our members, connections to later-stage investors, and tailored portfolio learning labs.
Your questions, answered.
We invest in companies that have a significant positive impact on the environment. Sectors include renewable energy, agriculture, water, transportation, critical minerals, the built environment, energy generation and storage, nuclear, and more.
We invest from Pre-seed to Series A, with Seed as our sweet spot.
Submit your online application, and our screening committee will receive your application. Three new companies (plus two portfolio companies) are chosen each month to pitch.
~6 weeks from when you pitch to receiving investment.
Total E8 capital per company varies based on member interest and whether the Fund voted to invest. In 2025, the average investment was $150k.
No, we do not charge companies fees at any stage of the process.
Over four weeks, our diligence team reviews your product & competition, customer & go-to-market, team, finances & funding, and impact on the planet.
You still get honest feedback, specific, useful, and worth the time you spent. The diligence process gives you real insight about how investors see your company.
We've been backing cleantech since 2006. As the largest cleantech-focused angel group in North America, our 140+ members bring operating experience across the sectors we fund.
Be direct. E8 members are operators, experts and investors. Lead with the specific problem, how your solution solves that problem for paying customers, your traction, environmental impact, and how you'll use funds to achieve future milestones.