RIT Venture Creations company awarded million-dollar NSF grant

Accelerate Wind, a client company in Rochester Institute of Technology’s Venture Creations business incubator, has been awarded a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation to help develop solutions for low-cost wind energy generation. The grant, which is part of the Small Business Innovation Research Program, will be issued over two years.

Accelerate Wind, which joined Venture Creations in 2020, is working to revolutionize rooftop wind energy in commercial and industrial spaces while lowering the cost of small wind-turbine technology. Using its patent-pending technology, the company has devised a way to take advantage of increased wind flows at the edges of roofs to make wind energy affordable and enable businesses to move to Net Zero Energy when installing the technology alongside solar solutions.   

“We are thrilled to accept this funding from NSF that will help propel our company forward,” said Erika Boeing, founder and CEO of Accelerate Wind. “With this funding, we will be able to develop our turbine to the point that it is ready for certification and large-scale commercial roll out.”

Venture Creations was created in 2003 to provide services to incubating companies, facilitating the development and operation of these companies for the purpose of advancing the educational and research missions of RIT through the enhancement of faculty, student, and staff involvement in high technology. It was also created to promote economic development and competitiveness in Monroe County and New York state by encouraging and facilitating the transfer of technology resources to the marketplace. The total number of launched companies now stands at 42, with 559 jobs having been created.

In addition, Venture Creations offers its client companies quality coaching, professional consulting, and connections with industry professionals, creating an environment where cutting-edge businesses can develop and thrive.