Mike Ducker

After supporting economic growth and entrepreneurs in #emergingmarkets for the last 20 years, I'm refocusing on growing my local #cleantech #ecosystem in #Maryland. To all my oversea friends, of course, I'm always still there to help; drop me an IM.

BIG NEWS‼️Our C3 Fund is accepting applications, with ~$10.5M available for equity-driven, GHG-reducing #CleanEnergy projects. 1️⃣ Short-Term Bridge Loans 2️⃣ Lines of Credit 3️⃣ Project Feasibility Grants Learn which is right for you: bit.ly/4eK5a06

This woman just made ultramarathon history in 56-hour, 250-mile run in Arizona. Rachel Entrekin won the Cocodona 250 outright in a 56-hour, 250+mile effort, beating the entire men’s field, setting a new course record, and marking a landmark moment in ultrarunning history.

with correct link technical.ly/entrepreneursh…

Very cool, recognized by Technical.ly as a connector in Maryland. This Honree shows the power of the Maryland Climate Tech Ecosystem, and people in the clean energy and climate tech industries want to help new startup founders. technical.ly/.../reallist-c…

MEIA recently wrapped our Winter 2026 MEIA Pre-Accelerator with final presentations. Over nine weeks, teams made strong progress refining their commercialization strategies. A big thank you to our mentors and facilitators for their support. mdeia.org/blog/f/meia-co…

@kalsoom82 @Invest2Innovate @i2i_ventures @MizNaQ Congrates to everything i2i accomplished, the Pakistan ecosystem is better for it

👋 friends. Some news: After 15 years of supporting & strengthening Pakistan's startup ecosystem, @Invest2Innovate , the org I founded in 2011, is shutting its doors and closing this chapter. (Just so it's clear 😅: @i2i_ventures, the VC fund I run w/ @MizNaQ, is still very much alive & continuing forward.) This news might feel bittersweet to some, but we wanted to celebrate the legacy of what Invest2Innovate has achieved in the past 15 years: supporting 1200+ founders, 190+ entrepreneurial support orgs in Pakistan & the region, training 200+ angel investors, releasing detailed insights & data-driven reports benchmarking Pakistan's startup ecosystem & its growth, and work that extended beyond PK -- Bangladesh, Nepal, Cambodia, Vietnam, Iraq, Lebanon & more./

All the best startup accelerators to apply in 2026: 1. Y Combinator ($500k for ~7%) 2. Sequoia Arc ($1M for ~10%) 3. a16z Speedrun ($500k for 10% + $500k guaranteed follow-on) 4. South Park Commons ($400k for 7% + $600k guaranteed follow-on) 5. NEO Residency ($750k uncapped SAFE, variable equity) 6. HF0 Residency ($1M uncapped SAFE for 5%) 7. Seedcamp ($350k–$1M, flexible terms) 8. Boost VC ($500k for 15%) 9. The Mint ($500k for 10%) 10. 500 Global ($150k for 6%) 11. PearX ($250k–$2M SAFE) 12. SOSV / HAX ($250k for ~7%) 13. Techstars ($220k for 5%+) 14. LAUNCH ($125k for 6%) 15. Antler US ($200k–$250k for 8–9%) 16. Founders Fellowship ($150k for 5–10%) 17. Founders, Inc. ($100k–$250k for 4–7%) 18. Antler Europe (€100k for 10% + stipend) 19. Entrepreneurs First (up to $250k for ~9%) 20. Conviction Embed ($150k uncapped MFN SAFE) 21. Afore Capital ($500k–$2M SAFE, flexible terms) 22. Soma Capital ($100k) 23. Berkeley SkyDeck ($200k) 24. gener8tor ($100k for 7.5%) 25. Heartfelt VC (up to €500k) 26. Forum Ventures ($100k for 7.5%) 27. Greylock Edge (custom SAFE + $500k+ in credits) 29. Betaworks AI Camp (up to $500k for 5% + uncapped SAFE) 29. Google for Startups (equity-free; up to $100k + $350k in cloud credits) 30. Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator ($150k for 6% + $320k in credits) 31. Plug and Play Tech Center (equity-free; optional $100k–$150k SAFE) 32. Startup Wise Guys (up to €65k for equity + up to €300k follow-on) 33. HSG START Accelerator (CHF 200k for 4–10%) 34. Alchemist Accelerator (~$30k SAFE for ~5%) 35. Bethnal Green Ventures (£60,000 for 7%)

@aaron_renn @Richard_Florida

Maryland: The Sixth "Greenest" State 🦀 Thanks to years of forward-thinking policymaking & ambitious Building Energy Performance Standards, our top-ranked LEED-certified buildings per capita served as a key factor in the ranking. 👏 #PoweredByMCEC #CleanEnergy

My latest at CSY. Introducing a 5-part series, written by guest contributor David Holmes. Rust Belt manufacturing thrives and provides lessons on leadership. Yesterday's part 1 below. petesaunders.substack.com/p/milwaukees-m…

Highlighting the innovators of Maryland Day @ DC Climate Week: EDAC Labs. We’re excited to have them join us for the Innovation Showcase at Maryland Day @ DC Climate Week. Connect with the founders and explore their technology on April 21. Register: luma.com/4x8wq5zc

MEIA is looking for experienced energy leaders to help Alektra, a Maryland-based AI startup, optimize battery storage and renewable energy operations. Learn more and apply: ow.ly/EZo350Yzos5

Highlighting the innovators of Maryland Day @ DC Climate Week: JJ Innovative Materials Catch their pitch and connect with the founders at MEIA’s Demo Day on April 21. Register : lnkd.in/ecEEFbqf #DCClimateWeek #MarylandDay

MEIA is seeking an Energy Executive in Residence (EEIR) for TechnBloom! Lead the development of a first-of-its-kind Community Solar Living Lab. This role focuses on strategy, land acquisition, partnerships, and financial/regulatory stewardship. Apply: mdeia.org/blog/f/seeking…

Interested in the technologies shaping Maryland’s climate future? Join MEIA, at Maryland Day @ DC Climate Week for the Innovation Showcase, where climate technologies move beyond slides and into real conversation. Register to attend: luma.com/4x8wq5zc

Join Maryland Day @ DC Climate Week on April 21 for Climate Innovator Lightning Pitches. Hear 60-second pitches from founders and connect with the partners, resources, and collaborators needed to move ideas forward. Register: luma.com/yrwkpu84 #DCClimateWeek

Congratulations to OpenGrid on ranking #3 on Technical.ly’s 2026 RealLIST Startups 👏 Their 1MW GridCharge VPP tech is a game-changer for grid resilience. Kudos to Canopy Minerals and Clean Compost who were also named runner ups! Learn more: ow.ly/7njC50YoaIA

MEIA visited Barrow Green last week to see their affordable, scalable cooling system in action! Always great to see innovative climate technologies moving closer to real-world deployment. Excited to continue supporting their progress. #ClimateTech #EnergyInnovation #CoolingTech

🚨 Reminder: Applications for MEIA Phase 2 – Prototyping & Manufacturing Accelerator programs are due Friday, March 13. If you're a climate tech startup looking to move toward prototyping and manufacturing, learn more in the info session below. youtu.be/vOpl-SU3vVM

🚨 Deadline Extended 🚨 MEIA’s Phase 2 Prototyping & Manufacturing Accelerator application is now open through March 13. If you're a climate-tech or advanced manufacturing startup ready to move from concept to build — this is for you. Don’t miss it. #ClimateTech #Manufacturing