Maryland Day @ DC Climate Week

On April 21, 2026, the Maryland Energy Innovation Institute (MEI²), the Maryland Energy Innovation Accelerator (MEIA), the Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute (Mtech), and the UMD Office of Sustainability jointly hosted numerous events centered on climate and clean energy innovation. Over 300 students, faculty, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and government officials and legislators were in attendance.

Conversations focused on topics such as Science and Solutions to Protect Public Health, State of the Chesapeake Bay, Satellite Embeddings to Support Conservation, Climate-Smart Agroforestry. The Office of Sustainability provided a tour of the UMD’s campus energy systems and visited Terra Fusion’s lab, a UMD start-up.

Clean energy technology solutions and innovations were also highlighted. Panels on investments in clean tech, how startups can differentiate themselves, and the strong support systems Maryland offers to help companies grow and scale, solidified the fact that clean tech in Maryland isn’t concentrated in one place—it’s emerging across the entire state, shaped by local strengths and real-world challenges.

The luncheon included a plenary session moderated by MEI² director Eric Wachsman with welcoming remarks by Provost Jennifer King Rice where State leaders and legislators discussed climate and energy policies in Maryland. State Senator Brian Feldman, Delegate Lily Qi, Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) Secretary Serena McIllwain, and the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) Director, Kelly Speakes-Blackman, spoke on the crucial need for investment in clean energy technology to address climate change and grow the economy. Legislators also highlighted the recently signed Utility RELIEF Act designed to combat high energy bills largely driven by increasing demand from data center growth.

The Demo Day portion of the event highlighted climate tech innovation from across the state where investment-ready startups delivered rapid-fire pitches covering their mission, cutting-edge technology, and future vision for the businesses. The audience was able to see first-hand the scalable solutions being developed to sustainably meet growing global energy demands. MEI² and MEIA have collectively facilitated 66 new energy tech companies (many of which were in attendance) in Maryland. These companies have created over 290 jobs and raised over $98M in private investment thus far.

From climate tech funding and policy to careers, conservation, and cutting-edge research, this campus-wide event saw faculty, staff, students, innovators, and leaders come together in shaping a more resilient future for all. “It was truly gratifying to see so many people from diverse backgrounds come together in support of the environment and finding energy technology solutions to protect it” said Wachsman.