Countdown to the 2025 UNC Cleantech Summit
February 28, 2025
March marks the arrival of spring, the thrill of college basketball’s March Madness and the countdown to a Carolina mainstay—the UNC Cleantech Summit.
Celebrating its eleventh year, the two-day summit will continue its mission to convene industry leaders in business, government and academia from around the world to discuss and promote leadership and growth in the Southeast’s cleantech economy. Co-hosted by the UNC Institute for the Environment and the Ackerman Center for Sustainable Enterprise (ACES) at the Kenan-Flagler Business School, the summit will take place Mar. 24-25 at UNC’s Friday Conference Center.
“What makes this Summit different from previous Summits is the increased amount of global content,” said Greg Gangi, associate director for clean technology and innovation at the UNC Institute for the Environment. “The event has been evolving to be more global in nature during the past few years and I think this year we really have made a leap in this direction. By increasing international participation, we also have the opportunity to highlight all the wonderful things going on in this region, to the rest of the world.”
This year’s event will feature multiple keynotes and 50+ breakout sessions over 9 specialized tracks that will highlight a wide range of cleantech topics. These include grid integration, battery supply chains, energy storage, artificial intelligence and energy, biotech, global energy innovations, insurance, finance and investment, circularity, power generation and data centers, hydrogen, transportation, and more. See summit agenda for full details.
Anthony Allard, executive vice president and region head for North America at Hitachi Energy will kick-off the keynote sessions on day one with a talk on meeting the accelerated demand for power. Ahmad Chatila, managing partner at Fenice Investment Group will address the achievability of $1/kg green hydrogen cost. Valerie Smith, chief sustainability officer and managing director at Citi will lead a fireside chat with Mary Margaret Frank, dean and professor of accounting at UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School.
A professional networking reception for registered industry professionals, speakers and sponsors is available on Mar. 24 from 6-7:30 p.m. Eligible participants can select this option during registration.
Students also will have opportunities to network with professionals. The summit includes a mentor match program and an in-person career fair. The mentor match program connects students with industry mentors. Participants register for the program during the summit registration process. The program offers students valuable insights into career paths, industry trends and professional development, while mentors get the opportunity to share their experiences and guide future leaders in the cleantech sector.
The career fair will take place Mar. 25 at 6 p.m. in the atrium of the Friday Center, where students also have the opportunity to network with company representatives.
Cleantech awards will be presented to individuals making a difference in the cleantech sector during a special recognition luncheon on Mar. 24, including honors for Cleantech Pioneer, Cleantech Entrepreneur, Cleantech Rockstar (< 35 years old) and Cleantech Faculty Innovation Award.
New this year, the summit will host an invitation-only global matchmaking and business gateway event, Accelerate Cleantech, designed to connect investors and company venture scouts with cleantech ventures and introduce ventures from around the world to opportunities to locate facilities and offices in the Southeast.
Registration for the 2025 summit is currently open. Prices increase on Mar. 21. Register early for the best rate.
For more information on the summit, contact event organizers Kiersten Wolf Williams, development manager for cleantech, or Greg Gangi, associate director for clean technology and innovation at the UNC Institute for the Environment.
Photo credit: Eleazar Yisrael