BE Fellows — Explorer
Funds early climate research by university experts, enabling high-upside experiments before ventures are spun out.
Breakthrough Energy's Explorer grant funds applied research projects at the earliest stage of technology development — TRL 0–2 — where the principal challenge is proof of concept rather than commercialization. Explorers are typically scientists, professors, or faculty members housed at universities or research institutions who are advancing novel climate technology ideas requiring further technica…
Proof-of-concept climate technologies led by scientists at universities or research entities. Must have potential to reduce or capture ≥500 Mt CO2-equivalent/year at scale.
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Guides for this application
All guides →TRL Levels Explained for Deeptech Founders
Learn what TRL levels mean, how to estimate technology readiness, and how TRL affects grants, EIC Accelerator, SBIR/STTR, funding stage, and application evidence.
DocumentsProof-of-Concept Data for Grants: Evidence Examples for Deeptech Applications
See how to present proof-of-concept data in grant applications, with examples for evidence registers, test logs, pilot data, and prior project proof.
Start hereStartup Funding Stages for Deeptech: From Lab to Scale
A deeptech funding roadmap that maps startup funding stages to TRL, grants, SBIR/STTR, EIC Accelerator, pilots, VC, and scale-up evidence.
BudgetGrant Budget Justification: How to Write the Budget Narrative
Learn how to write a grant budget justification, explain R&D costs, avoid weak budget narratives, and connect each cost to your work plan.
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