Trellis Climate

Trellis Climate is an impact-first catalytic capital program operated by Prime Coalition, a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based nonprofit. Launched publicly in April 2024 (formerly called 'Early Climate Infrastructure,' and prior to that Actuate Climate, which merged with Prime in 2023), Trellis deploys risk-tolerant philanthropic capital—structured as recoverable grants or program-related investments—into first-of-a-kind (FOAK) climate infrastructure projects. It targets companies that have moved beyond early-stage venture but cannot yet attract conventional infrastructure or project finance, focusing on projects in the $10M–$100M range. Investments are made across three pilot categories: development capital (pre-construction feasibility and engineering), construction capital (first commercial plant financing), and surety bonds (via its Vensurety product). Portfolio companies include Ebb Carbon, Ample Carbon, Nitricity, and Tandem PV. Trellis also provides complementary non-financial support to address systemic barriers, including community engagement, industry standards development, and open-source field guides. Philanthropic capital is raised from private foundations, donor-advised funds, and family offices. Companies seeking investment should contact the team directly via the program's website.