Breakthrough climate solutions often begin with a question that demands years of testing, refining, and iterating before they can become the basis for a full-fledged product or company. This stage, often called the Research and Development (R&D) stage involves founders or researchers, who are often PhDs, post docs, and graduate students, validating scientific assumptions, developing prototypes, and testing feasibility. From there, they move on to understanding different user types and real-world deployment cases for their burgeoning solutions which often emerge directly from their academic research.  

While early-stage R&D can be time consuming and costly, it forms the essential groundwork for turning ideas into vetted solutions. Universities play an essential role in providing what real-world markets cannot: time and space to explore uncertainty, and the resources to double down on promising ideas. These pathways from research to entrepreneurship are deeply embedded within The Exchange’s Climate Tech Fellowship and its broader university network. 

At the 2025 Green Skills Summit, hosted by The New York Climate Exchange (The Exchange) and Brooklyn Navy Yard, experts came together from across the workforce ecosystem, including organized labor, training providers, educators, businesses, and policymakers.  

Across the two-day summit, attendees convened to discuss the key skills, hiring demands, opportunities, and solutions in the workforce ecosystem. Expert and practitioner panels focused on four critical areas: building decarbonization, advanced energy, vehicle electrification, and stormwater resilience.  

Together, attendees and panelists charted a new path forward to meet the tremendous workforce demands ahead, by building the talent, trust, and technology required to get the job done. 

On September 11, 2025, The Exchange and CIV:LAB convened a diverse group of practitioners working at the intersection of environmental sensors and community engagement. With projects spanning New York City, and states like Georgia, Michigan and California, these experts are activating communities around climate risks like poor air quality and flooding, bringing together research, community leaders, and local government to track and respond using data from low-cost sensors. Over the course of four hours, participants explored key successes, common challenges, and shared aspirations for advancing community-driven climate data initiatives.