How to Create An Employee Owned Business in the Clean Energy Sector

By 2030, the clean energy workforce in Massachusetts is projected to grow by 34%—more than 34,000 new workers—to meet the state’s climate goals, according to the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center.

New and significant contract opportunities are emerging for entrepreneurs who want to offer services in climate-critical sectors. Underrepresented businesses working in the design, manufacture, installation, and maintenance of clean energy and decarbonization projects are essential to achieving the Commonwealth’s climate mandates.

Yet these businesses face steep barriers to entry and growth. Many experience limited access to capital, selection bias in procurement, and start with less personal wealth and social networks—challenges that amplify the difficulty of launching and scaling a business.

The PowerUP! Cooperative Business Incubator Info Session is designed for general contractors, construction and trades workers, HVAC technicians, electricians, climate tech professionals, and environmental justice advocates from underrepresented communities who want to explore how employee ownership can unlock opportunity within climate-critical industries.

This info session will cover:

• The high market demand in MA’s clean energy transition goals
• Why employee ownership offers a competitive advantage in contracting and workforce retention
• A roadmap for launching or converting your business into a worker-owned cooperative
• How our 18-month PowerUP! Cooperative Business Incubator supports entrepreneurs with training, technical assistance, and help underrepresented businesses become “business ready” to bid successfully on clean energy procurements.

Participants will leave with:

• Clear next steps to enroll in the PowerUP! Cooperative Business Incubator
• Resource guides on clean-energy opportunities and cooperative development
• New connections to the growing clean-energy and cooperative-economy ecosystem in Massachusetts