Energy Ventures

Registration for the 2026-2027 academic year will open in September 2026. Our inaugural program in the 2025-2026 academic year attracted over 100 participants, including Dartmouth undergraduates, graduate students, and postdocs. They learned to build and launch scalable ventures addressing critical energy transition and climate challenges.

Selected teams will have the chance to participate in paid Venture-Build Internships during the summer of 2027.

Energy Ventures exists to equip you with the mindset, knowledge, and skills to systematically build, test, and launch business ventures capable of transforming the energy and climate landscape. 

Our approach is grounded in proven entrepreneurial principles with real-world execution. You'll learn by doing — inside a community built to support bold ideas and ambitious builders.

To achieve that, we provide: 

• Home base and community: A "place to go" - a collaborative, cross-disciplinary environment where you can test concepts, challenge assumptions, access cross-disciplinary talent, and build alongside peers who push your thinking and support your progress.
• A rigorous, applied curriculum: A disciplined, end-to-end process for venture creation. You'll learn the methodology, tools, and techniques required to systematically identify real opportunities, validate customer needs, prototype solutions, design sustainable business models, and begin scaling with confidence.
• Coaching from real builders: Dedicated, hands-on support from experienced entrepreneurs, product builders, designers, engineers, and investors who know what it takes to refine, test, and launch commercially viable innovations.

Energy Ventures covers the entire venture creation process – from generating and refining ideas to building viable products, services, and scalable business ventures. 

I. Foundations
A three-term experience designed to build your entrepreneurial foundations and momentum.

• Focus: Develop the mindset, knowledge, and skills and tactics essential for early-stage venture creation. Learn foundational methods, tools, and techniques — and immediately apply them to your venture.
• Activities: Weekly training modules, hands-on workshops, expert coaching, and dedicated mentorship.

II. Summer Accelerator (Summer 2027 Term)
A full-time, immersive accelerator designed to rapidly advance the most promising teams.

• Purpose: Fast-track venture through deep customer discovery, rapid prototyping, and business model refinement.
• Incentive: Teams selected for this phase receive paid internships to work on their ventures full-time.
• Activities: Continued weekly training, high-frequency workshops, tailored coaching, and close mentorship from industry experts.

Energy Ventures is led by Josh Creamer, Head of Entrepreneurship at the Irving Institute, alongside other seasoned product builders, designers, engineers, and investors. This group brings deep, real-world venture-building expertise — ensuring every participant is guided by practitioners who have built, launched, and scaled successful ventures.

Participants also gain access to an exceptional network of mentors—leaders who have founded companies, shaped industries, and turned bold ideas into impact. These mentors will provide hands-on coaching, strategic guidance, and real-world perspective throughout the journey. This network surrounds participants with the expertise, credibility, and support needed to accelerate your ventures.

If you don't see an answer to your question below, please reach out to us at Energy.Ventures@dartmouth.edu.