Cox Cleantech Accelerator Launches Residency Program to Support Early-Stage Founders in the Southeast

New six-week program provides $10,000 stipends and hands-on support to advance pre-seed founders toward commercialization

ATLANTA, May 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Cox Cleantech Accelerator today announced a new equity-free, Atlanta-based residency program for early-stage cleantech founders across the Southeast U.S. The program is a partnership between Cox Enterprises, gener8tor and the Georgia Cleantech Innovation Hub designed to help pre-seed startups with early proof of concepts to accelerate their path to commercialization.

Participants in the Cox Cleantech Residency will receive:

• A $10,000 stipend; 
• Six weeks of in person, intensive programming designed to help founders find product market fit, develop a startup playbook, land an early customer or pilot and establish a clear path toward pre-seed investment;
• Support from Cox Enterprises and an extensive network of corporate partners, operators and industry leaders, offering practical insights and pathways to scale.

Eligibility criteria for the Cox Cleantech Residency include:

• Bootstrapped and pre-seed cleantech founders in the Southeast U.S.;
• At least one leadership-level team member able to participate in person;
• Existing patents or active progress toward securing intellectual property licenses;
• A minimum viable product (or near-complete product) ready for an initial pilot.

The residency prepares early-stage founders for company growth and investment readiness. By providing structured support, mentorship and resources, the program aims to surface promising technologies earlier and support founders at a critical stage of company formation.

The program will be led by Marie Northington, program director at gener8tor, who brings deep experience across startup accelerators, venture programs, and corporate innovation. With leadership roles at R/GA Ventures, where she directed UConn's Future Climate Venture Studio, Boomtown Accelerators, and Kennesaw State University's HatchBridge Incubator, she has spent her career supporting early-stage founders and small businesses at the earliest and most critical stages of growth.

"The Southeast is home to a growing pipeline of cleantech talent and innovation," said Northington. "Our goal is to identify those founders early and give them the tools, network and support needed to build impactful companies."

The residency program builds on Cox Enterprises' longstanding commitment to sustainability, innovation and entrepreneurship. In addition to investing more than $3 billion in sustainable technologies since 2007, Cox has invested more than $140 million over the past decade to support Atlanta's startup ecosystem through founder programs, partnerships and initiatives. By focusing on founders across the Southeast, the program also aims to strengthen innovation in a historically undercapitalized region while contributing to the broader cleantech ecosystem.

As a nationally ranked accelerator with programs operating across the U.S. and internationally, gener8tor brings a strong track record of supporting early-stage founders and helping communities accelerate innovation in high-growth sectors, including sustainability and climate technology. Through its mentorship-driven model and hands-on operational support, gener8tor connects founders with investors, corporate partners and industry experts, positioning promising startups to gain traction and scale effectively.

The Cox Cleantech Residency is now accepting applications from early-stage cleantech founders across the Southeast, particularly those emerging from university research labs, incubators and accelerators in Georgia and neighboring states. Founders interested in applying or learning more can visit www.coxcleantech.com/residency. 

About gener8tor
gener8tor is a global venture firm and accelerator network that fosters innovation ecosystems through its accelerator programs, venture funds, and skills-based workforce initiatives. With a strong track record of supporting high-growth companies, workers, employers, artists, and musicians, gener8tor operates across more than 50 communities in 32 U.S. states and 9 countries.

Through partnerships with governments, corporations, and economic development organizations, gener8tor drives entrepreneurship and economic impact at scale. To date, gener8tor has supported more than 2,200 startups across 450+ cohorts, which have collectively raised over $3 billion in follow-on capital and created more than 15,600 jobs. For more information, visit www.gener8tor.com.

About Georgia Cleantech Innovation Hub
Georgia Cleantech Innovation Hub is a 501c3 public-private-academic partnership that aims to make innovation a driver of a robust cleantech economy that elevates people and communities throughout Georgia and the Southeast. By making it easier for innovators to access the talent, capital and resources necessary to create organizations built to last, the Hub aims to make Georgia a leader in cleantech innovation and tomorrow's growth industries. For more information on how to get involved, visit gacth.org.

About Cox Enterprises
Cox Enterprises is a global privately held company that owns, operates and invests in businesses across multiple industries including automotive, broadband and mobile, greenhouse agriculture, renewable energy, and journalism. Guided by its purpose to build a better future for this generation and the next, Cox's diverse family of businesses deliver solutions to address some of the world's most pressing challenges. Since its founding in 1898, Cox Enterprises has been fueled by a relentless focus on innovation, resilience, and a deep commitment to people, the planet and progress. To learn more about Cox's history and how it's shaping what's next, visit www.CoxEnterprises.com.   

SOURCE Cox Cleantech Accelerator