LACI Welcomes 10 Innovative Startups to BATWorks: “Pilots at the Brooklyn Army Terminal Program”; Startup Technologies to be Deployed in New York City Include EV Charging, E-Bikes, Urban Cooling, and More
Applications for Fall 2026 Pilots at BAT Program Now Open through August 28
New York, August 4, 2026 – The Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) has selected 10 companies–six of which are highlighted below–to participate in the next cohort of the Pilots at BAT program. Backed by a $100 million investment from the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), BATWorks is New York City’s climate innovation and workforce hub at the Brooklyn Army Terminal (BAT) in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, and is projected to generate more than $2 billion in economic impact and support 150 startups over the next decade. Through programs like Pilots at BAT, which are implemented by LACI as the hub’s climate program operator, BATWorks connects innovators with prototyping and coworking space, commercialization support, and partnerships needed to bring new technologies to real world use. Pilots at BAT offers climate tech companies access to physical infrastructure at the Brooklyn Army Terminal to test, refine, de-risk, and demonstrate their technologies.
The new cohort is comprised of 10 promising startups–with 40% founded by women, and 60% founded by BIPOC entrepreneurs–selected to advance through a structured pilot development process that includes feasibility assessment, site selection, and scope definition to ensure each pilot is positioned for success before deployment. Together, LACI and NYCEDC help companies design pilots that maximize learning and data collection, support critical commercialization milestones, and align with the operational, safety, and compliance requirements of the BAT campus. While acceptance into the program does not guarantee a pilot deployment, participants receive hands-on guidance from LACI and NYCEDC to navigate the challenges of real-world implementation, including regulatory approvals, permitting, risk management, and technical integration–helping bridge the gap between promising prototypes and scalable market adoption. LACI’s wraparound services are designed in part to help companies to navigate the compliance requirements that come with deploying at a city-managed asset.
“We are excited about the startup technologies announced as part of this round of LACI’s Pilots at BAT, and to see how the companies can scale innovations to tackle the climate crisis, create jobs, and grow the local economy,” said Alex Mitchell, LACI’s Senior Vice President for BATWorks. “As we work with the founders to pilot their technologies, we look forward to exploring how the solutions can also help advance local, citywide, and state priorities, such as the Green Resilient Industrial District (GRID) 2.0 Plan, developed over 10 years by UPROSE and Sunset Park residents, New York City’s Green Economy Action Plan, and statewide goals articulated by NYSERDA.”
“We are proud to welcome this cohort of innovative Pilots at BAT companies, where they will have an unmatched opportunity to test and scale their technologies that address challenges in the built environment, clean energy, and zero-emissions transportation sectors in real-world urban conditions at the Brooklyn Army Terminal,” said NYCEDC Interim President & CEO Jeanny Pak. “By leveraging City assets to accelerate climate innovation, we are helping bring new technologies to market and reinforcing Brooklyn’s Sunset Park as a hub for New York City’s growing green economy.”
“LACI is proud to continue our partnership with NYCEDC and support these 10 companies through Pilots at BAT,” said Matt Petersen, President & CEO of LACI. “It is exciting to see NYC and LA–as the two biggest cities in America–continue to accelerate climate innovation at this critical moment.”
The most recent cohort of Pilots at BAT includes:
- Civilized Cycles: Civilized Cycles develops light electric vehicle technology for last-mile logistics.
- Fulpra: Fulpra provides zero-emissions automotive grade e-bikes to commercial fleets.
- SolarMantle: SolarMantle is commercializing a passive radiative cooling technology that can reduce built environment temperatures by 25˚F.
- ThermoShade: ThermoShade deploys patented radiative cooling shade panels to protect people and animals from heat stress.
- UnBOXED: UnBOXED turns legacy buildings into low-carbon, high-performance assets with a 3D second skin that installs entirely from the outside, so residents can stay safely in their homes while their units become healthier, more efficient, and climate-resilient.
- U.S. Coastal Service: U.S. Coastal Service is actively building a missing layer for urban freight–orchestrating waterborne middle-mile transport with low- and zero-emission last-mile delivery to reduce truck congestion, cut emissions, and move cargo more efficiently through New York City.
“CUNY is excited to partner with BATWorks and LACI to help bridge the gap between innovation and implementation,” said Hamid Norouzi, Director of Undergraduate Research at New York City College of Technology, City University of New York (CUNY). “Real-world pilot deployments accelerate commercialization while creating valuable opportunities for research collaboration, workforce development, and preparing the next generation of innovators to address pressing climate and infrastructure challenges.”
“The Climatetech Expertise Network (CEN) administered by Columbia Technology Ventures and supported by NYSERDA has over 140 world class experts who have helped over 750 climate tech startups overcome various technical and commercialization challenges from ideation to scale,” said Timothy Hoffman, Program Director, CEN. “Our seasoned experts provide startups, including those in Pilots at BAT, with actionable, real-world guidance covering a wide range of needs including successfully preparing for and executing pilots and demos.”
“LACI’s Pilots at BAT program demonstrates how innovation and workforce development can advance together,” said Aaron Shiffman, Executive Director at Brooklyn Workforce Innovations. “By supporting cleantech companies as they scale, the program helps create new opportunities for local hiring, skills development, and economic growth in the communities surrounding Brooklyn Army Terminal.”
The Pilots at BAT program was launched by NYCEDC in September 2023. Since its inception, 18 climate tech companies have completed pilot projects across the building, energy, and mobility sectors, including PopWheels, CLIP, Matcha Electric, and more.
The next cycle of applications to Pilots at BAT is now open through August 28, 2026. LACI is actively recruiting for cleantech solutions in the following sectors: Clean Energy, Zero-Emissions Transportation, Built Environment, Blue Economy, Water, Food and Agriculture, Industry, or Nature-Based Solutions. LACI will be hosting an info session to share more about the program, selection criteria and guidance for submitting a strong application.
ABOUT LACI:
The Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) is unlocking innovation by scaling cleantech startups, transforming markets through catalytic partnerships with policymakers, innovators, and market leaders, and enhancing communities through workforce training, pilots and other programs. Founded as an economic development initiative by the City of Los Angeles and its Department of Water & Power (LADWP) in 2011, LACI has helped 537 portfolio companies raise over $1.5 billion in funding, generated $477 million in revenue, and created more than 3000 jobs throughout the Los Angeles region, with a long term economic impact of more than $733 million.
ABOUT BATWORKS:
BATWorks is a cutting-edge climate innovation hub at the historic Brooklyn Army Terminal (BAT), providing the space, infrastructure, and support startups need to go from prototype to market-ready. BATWorks aligns local workforce training and community initiatives with climate innovation efforts to drive shared growth for Sunset Park and beyond. NYCEDC has appointed a consortium led by LACI and the Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC) to design and operate BATWorks, which will allow LACI to grow the unique partnerships and programs born in Los Angeles and grow national programs, to position New York City as a leader in the green economy. As the climate program operator, LACI will manage “Pilots at BAT” while advising NYCEDC on future climate programming at BATWorks. Additional BATWorks consortium partners include the City University of New York (CUNY) and New York University (NYU).
ABOUT NYCEDC:
New York City Economic Development Corporation is a mission-driven, nonprofit organization that works for a vibrant, inclusive, and globally competitive economy for all New Yorkers. We take a comprehensive approach, through four main strategies: strengthen confidence in NYC as a great place to do business; grow innovative sectors with a focus on equity; build neighborhoods as places to live, learn, work, and play; and deliver sustainable infrastructure for communities and the city’s future economy. To learn more about what we do, visit us on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, and Instagram.