CLEANTECH ALLIANCE’S
Washington energy carbon advancement network

Funded in part through a Contract with the U.S. Small Business Administration

WHO 
WE ARE

WECAN, Washington Energy: Carbon Advancement Network, is led by the CleanTech Alliance and Momentum – each are experienced providers of entrepreneur education and support, and passionate about the clean technology sector.

WECAN will serve Washington state and engage regional partners to strengthen the carbon capture, utilization, sequestration, and carbon materials ecosystem.

WECAN will provide small business support services including:

  • Mentoring
  • Customer Discovery/Matching
  • Export Readiness Coaching
  • Policymaker and Commnity Engagement Training
  • State and Federal Grant Writing Assistance
  • Lifecycle Analysis Support
  • Support for Underserved Business Owners


Additional projects will include a Carbon Purchaser’s Alliance, growing an Industry Advisory Board, and collaboration on Joint Innovation Projects.

What
We Do

WECAN is designed to be useful at all business stages. The program helps small businesses and startups begin their process while also assisting established businesses with finding buyers and scaling up production. If you are a business focused on CCUS, this is a program for you!

Who should become a member

emerging: a carbon economy

Climate change is an international issue, not restricted by borders, and decarbonization is seen as one of the best solutions to slowing down and stopping the effects of global warming. COP26 Climate Meeting saw nations acknowledge that a 45% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 provided the best chance to decarbonize the global economy by 2050. In addition to country specific mandates and commitments, customers are pushing businesses to decarbonize their manufacturing and building practices.

The CCUS sector is in its early stages of development. Technologies are maturing out of the lab and the marketplace for carbon sequestration is forming—both in voluntary and compliance markets. Currently, the process of carbon capture is expensive due to significant deployment and energy costs. There is a strong push for countries and corporations to work together on an effective collaborative model, to attract investments making the scaling-up and deployment of CCUS a viable effort.

Our cluster is designed specifically to accelerate the Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage, CCUS, market —starting today and looking forward through 2030.

Get involved

Get to Know US

Join our November 22nd Lunch Webinar

Attend an intro webinar to learn how to get involved, meet our project team, hear from an entrepreneur working in the sector, and learn about innovation already occurring in Washington state.

Get to konw us

Join our December 13th Lunch Webinar

Attend an intro webinar to learn how to get involved, meet our project team, hear from an entrepreneur working in the sector, and learn about innovation already occurring in Washington state.

get involved

Fill out our survey to help plan programs

WECAN Interest Form

2025

Watch this space for information

We are excited to work with you to grow the sector!

Programs

The ecosystem of cleantech mentors and subject matter experts cultivated by the CleanTech Alliance will be available for WECAN participating companies. Mentor subject area expertise will include but are not limited to business model development and strategy, sustainability, manufacturing, financial projections and exit strategy, marketing and branding, legal compliance, and team building, as well as pitch deck and presentation preparation and practice.

The CleanTech Alliance network and connections to wider business ecosystem provides access to businesses, utilities, service providers and investors from across the Northwest region. WECAN programs will include connections with potential partners and customers to hone minimally viable products and go-to-market strategy.  Additional trainings and activities will include:

  • Customer discovery planning and curriculum modules, plus mentoring honing customer discovery conversation skills
  • Reverse Pitch Events highlighting needs of potential customers and those of the Carbon Purchasers Alliance
  • Carbon Purchasers Alliance Networking Events and associated Pitch Opportunities for aligned small businesses

Led by CleanTech Alliance in conjunction with Washington State Department of Commerce, the WECAN Program will provide training, cultural information and connections to export opportunities and partners. Participating small businesses will also have access to the CleanTech Alliance’s connections to past and future international delegation trips and in-country meetings with foreign delegations. Export trainings will include:

Exhibit Booth Material Development
Pitch Preparation sessions
Education on opportunities & partners resources, such as Washington State Department of Commerce, US Commercial Services, foreign trade development agencies – such as Trade & Invest British Columbia
STEP Grant information sessions and process walk-throughs

WECAN will be the first organization to build an international coalition of carbon purchasers—the Carbon Purchasers Alliance. This disaggregated network of organizations is critical to the success of the industry and represents powerful market participants that can help guide, scale, and advance the market.

The WECAN Program will develop a series of trainings which walk small businesses through how to develop relationships with policymakers and community members, how to discuss their technologies with these policy experts and how to discuss funding and other resource needs. Opportunities to put the training into action will also be provided. Trainings will include, but are not limited to:
*Communicating Your Innovation to Policymakers 101
*Lobbying and Carbon Capture & Sequestering Hill Day
*Community Engagement 101 with Community-Based Organizations
*State and Federal Appropriations 101
*Industry, Policy and Community Collaboration Events and Workshops

Led by Momentum, the WECAN Program will provide a comprehensive educational series, state and federal fund tracking, AI-enabled and trained chat tools for fast high-level guidance and information, and direct technical assistance with grant application development.
Comprehensive Educational Series: This educational series is designed in both an online and in-person platform that aims to equip participants with essential knowledge through workshops covering various topics crucial for securing funding, such as understanding the funding landscape, effective socialization, partner identification, community benefits planning, grant application strategies, and networking skills.
State and Federal Fund Tracking: The WE CAN Program will leverage Momentum’s Agency Landscape Team to continually track and analyze funding opportunities including grants, awards and rebates and match them to potential applicants and projects. Momentum’s Agency Landscape Team maintains a database of agencies and solicitations and develops and delivers detailed summaries of funding opportunities to facilitate conversations with clients and inform project scoping and decisions.

AI-Enabled and Trained Chat Tools: WECAN participants will be provided access to a trained and tailored AI-enabled chat tool to help navigate the complex legislative, regulatory, statutory, and planning documents that are the foundation for target federal grant programs. The WE CAN Team understands the limitations of AI-enabled tools and that AI-based support is not expected to supplant direct personal assistance. However, a properly trained chat tool can provide fast high-level information to efficiently improve the understanding of key factors that drive incentive availability.

Technical Expertise: Momentum’s extensive experience in grant writing and federal grant management ensures that it can navigate complex funding landscapes with ease, while their deep knowledge of state policy and clean energy technology positions the team to drive innovative and sustainable solutions. Services will include:

*Proposal development scheduling and coordination to align expectations at the beginning of a proposal and focus time and energy on the most time sensitive items.
*Template development to structure the work and activities needed to effectively complete a project.
*Score optimization review to evaluate the proposal at various stages for competitiveness and alignment with the solicitation.
*Technical editing to support complete and compelling applications.

Led by Momentum, the WECAN Program will provide a comprehensive educational series, state and federal fund tracking, AI-enabled and trained chat tools for fast high-level guidance and information, and direct technical assistance with grant application development.
Comprehensive Educational Series: This educational series is designed in both an online and in-person platform that aims to equip participants with essential knowledge through workshops covering various topics crucial for securing funding, such as understanding the funding landscape, effective socialization, partner identification, community benefits planning, grant application strategies, and networking skills.
State and Federal Fund Tracking: The WECAN Program will leverage Momentum’s Agency Landscape Team to continually track and analyze funding opportunities including grants, awards and rebates and match them to potential applicants and projects. Momentum’s Agency Landscape Team maintains a database of agencies and solicitations and develops and delivers detailed summaries of funding opportunities to facilitate conversations with clients and inform project scoping and decisions.

AI-Enabled and Trained Chat Tools: WECAN participants will be provided access to a trained and tailored AI-enabled chat tool to help navigate the complex legislative, regulatory, statutory, and planning documents that are the foundation for target federal grant programs. The WE CAN Team understands the limitations of AI-enabled tools and that AI-based support is not expected to supplant direct personal assistance. However, a properly trained chat tool can provide fast high-level information to efficiently improve the understanding of key factors that drive incentive availability.

Technical Expertise: Momentum’s extensive experience in grant writing and federal grant management ensures that it can navigate complex funding landscapes with ease, while their deep knowledge of state policy and clean energy technology positions the team to drive innovative and sustainable solutions. Services will include:

*Proposal development scheduling and coordination to align expectations at the beginning of a proposal and focus time and energy on the most time sensitive items.
*Template development to structure the work and activities needed to effectively complete a project.
*Score optimization review to evaluate the proposal at various stages for competitiveness and alignment with the solicitation.
*Technical editing to support complete and compelling applications.

LCAs are the foundation of CCUS as companies demonstrate carbon sequestration permeance. WECAN will provide technical assistance, training, and mentorship to companies developing or refining LCAs. Momentum’s technical experts will provide bespoke support and guidance to small businesses to advance their understanding of the technical elements of LCA design and the requirements of each relevant jurisdiction.

The WECAN Program will address racial and gender disparities by addressing several challenges:

*Lack of access to capital: Entrepreneurs from underrepresented communities are less likely to have access to traditional sources of capital, such as venture capital and bank loans.
*Lack of mentors and role models: Entrepreneurs from underrepresented communities are less likely to have access to mentors and role models who can help them navigate the entrepreneurial journey.
*Discrimination: Entrepreneurs from underrepresented communities may face discrimination from investors, mentors, and other gatekeepers.
*Language barriers: Some participants may not speak English as a first language.
*Cultural differences: Some participants may come from different cultures with different business practices.
*Lack of education: Some participants may not have a college degree or formal business training.

The WECAN Program will address these challenges by:
*Providing educational workshops on public funding for entrepreneurs from underrepresented communities.
*Creating a networking opportunity for participants to connect with investors, mentors, and other resources.
*Translation services for participants who do not speak English as a first language.
*Educational workshops on business basics for participants who lack formal business training.
*Partnering and contracting with organizations that serve and represent SEDI-communities to develop tailored communications strategies, outreach and subsequently community-specific trainings.
*By addressing these challenges, the project will help to level the playing field for entrepreneurs from underrepresented communities and increase their chances of success.

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