Program
Where Ideas Meet Expertise and Student Innovation
Design Climate brings together students, faculty, and industry partners to turn climate-tech ideas into marketable solutions. We create hands-on learning experiences, support commercialization efforts, and connect innovators across Duke and beyond. By combining student creativity, faculty research, investor insight, and industry engagement, we help develop market-ready technologies that reduce climate risk and strengthen communities.
Partnership Ecosystem
A network built for climate innovation.
Design Climate connects students, researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders through a growing ecosystem of partners who provide mentorship, expertise, funding pathways, and opportunities to turn promising ideas into real-world impact. Our partners also include Energy and Climate Ventures at Duke, a student-led organization to connect students with climate innovation opportunities and co-host events that strengthen Duke’s climate entrepreneurship community.
Incubator Courses
Learn by building real climate ventures.
Through hands-on incubator courses, interdisciplinary teams of 4-5 graduate or advanced undergraduate students work alongside faculty innovators and industry partners to explore technologies, validate markets, build prototypes, and develop ventures that address pressing climate challenges.
Startup Support
Support that extends beyond the semester.
Design Climate helps ventures advance through advising, investor introductions, funding opportunities, competitions, commercialization guidance, and connections to the broader climate-tech ecosystem, helping promising teams continue building long after the course ends.
