Always Start With "Why?"
Extreme weather events fueled by global warming will increasingly disrupt food and water systems and strain physical infrastructure. While an immediate energy transition that lowers emissions is essential, resiliency—the ability to adapt to a changing climate—must be a critical focus for all communities, and particularly regions lacking economic diversity.
Who We Are And What We Do
Founded in 2024, the Coastside Venture Studio (CSVS) fosters startups dedicated to solving urgent resiliency challenges in a changing world. It is the only incubator-through-accelerator program in the nation dedicated entirely to resiliency tech, or “res-tech.”
Located in the heart of downtown Half Moon Bay, California, the CSVS is a vibrant entrepreneurial epicenter for young, scalable companies that can contribute to an equitable, thriving Coastside community.
Operated by the American Energy Society, the CSVS supports high-potential pre-seed and seed-stage startups in three primary res-tech sectors: agriculture, water, and the build environment. In addition, startups outside those sectors that have a particular benefit to the local community will be included.
Located in the heart of downtown Half Moon Bay, California, the CSVS is a vibrant entrepreneurial epicenter for young, scalable companies that can contribute to an equitable, thriving Coastside community.
Operated by the American Energy Society, the CSVS supports high-potential pre-seed and seed-stage startups in three primary res-tech sectors: agriculture, water, and the build environment. In addition, startups outside those sectors that have a particular benefit to the local community will be included.
What Participating Startups Can Expect
Each year, the CSVS invites a new cohort of startups to participate in-person or virtually. Cohorts will consist of three or four startups in each sector, for a total of twelve to fifteen. Every startup receives:
- Office space and business amenities.
- Mentors aligned with their specific needs to provide a wide range of support.
- Integration with local and regional businesses and organizations to explore proof-of-concept, stage pilot tests, and undertake customer discovery in real-life conditions.
- Access to nearby world-class research universities and subject matter experts.
- Opportunities to network with early-stage venture investors in Silicon Valley and beyond.
- Hosts who help participants integrate into the Coastside community and ease transitions.
- Formal programmatic resources that help founders launch their startup, from incorporation filings and stock option agreements to proof-of-concept and customer discovery.
About American Energy Society
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The American Energy Society is a professional association that supports its members with a range of business intelligence, publications, and services. AES does not take any financial stake in any startup directly or indirectly affiliated with the CSVS.
A thriving economy that benefits all must meet the needs of the most vulnerable populations—low income, people of color, and women. The CSVS and AES are fully committed to diversity and inclusion. Learn more about American Energy Society |
About Half Moon Bay
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Half Moon Bay is a coastal city in San Mateo County, California, approximately 15 miles from the epicenter of Silicon Valley and 20 miles from San Francisco. (It is called Half Moon Bay because its coastline is shaped as a crescent.) You may not know Half Moon Bay but you probably know what makes it famous: Mavericks, a big-wave surf location.
The city is a hub for regional agriculture and also has a working harbor and an active tourism industry. Its largest employer is the Ritz-Carlton hotel. Originally an agricultural outpost to Mission San Francisco, the town began growing in 1840s as a fishing community, and then grew again in the early 1900s when rail connected the coastal town to San Francisco and by road to San Mateo, Menlo Park, and Palo Alto (known much later as the center of Silicon Valley). The foggy weather of the coast made the town a popular destination for booze-running during Prohibition in the 1930s. Because of its geography, a recent study found that Coastside infrastructure, agriculture, water systems, and more than 123 buildings are vulnerable to extreme weather events and sea level rise. Learn more about the city of Half Moon Bay or come spend 3 perfect days on the Coastside. |