Start your TEA here.
Whether you're a first-time founder or an experienced practitioner, these resources will help you build a TEA you understand and trust.
TEA-Readiness Levels
TEAs should be built layer-by-layer, right-sized to your technology readiness level. Don't try to build a TRL 6 model when you're at TRL 2 — start with the basics and add fidelity as your venture matures.
| Stage | Focus | What "Good" Looks Like |
|---|---|---|
| TRL 1–3 | Order-of-magnitude economics | Process flow diagram, key cost drivers identified, rough unit economics with wide ranges (±50%) |
| TRL 4–5 | Directional decision-making | Full TEA model with sourced assumptions, sensitivity analysis on top 5 drivers, ±30% accuracy |
| TRL 6+ | Investment-grade analysis | Validated assumptions from pilot data, Monte Carlo simulations, detailed capex/opex breakdown |
A public TEA you can learn from.
We wish there were more intuitive, public examples of early-stage TEAs so that it's easier for teams to know what "good" looks like — so we built one with Homeworld Collective.
Bio-Mining TEA Model
The full spreadsheet model — open-access, annotated, ready to explore.
TEA Guide
A step-by-step walkthrough of the model structure, assumptions, and methodology.
Curated resources for TEA practitioners.
NREL Annual Technology Baseline
Comprehensive cost and performance data for electricity generation technologies. Essential for energy-sector TEAs.
DOE Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office
Technical targets, cost projections, and production pathway data for hydrogen technologies.
IEA Energy Technology Perspectives
Global energy technology cost and deployment data across sectors and scenarios.
Chemical Engineering Plant Cost Index (CEPCI)
Industry-standard index for adjusting process plant construction costs over time.
USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries
Annual data on production, imports, exports, and prices for over 90 mineral commodities.
Teams and programs using TEA Commons.
We're documenting outcomes from the teams we've coached and programs we've partnered with. Case studies coming soon — covering fundraising outcomes, pivot decisions, and time savings from structured TEA support.
Bio-Mining Startup → Series A
How a public TEA helped Homeworld Collective articulate their economics to investors and secure funding.
Accelerator Cohort Integration
Results from integrating TEA workshops into an accelerator program: cohort outcomes and team feedback.
Research on the TEA gap.
Original research and analysis on TEA adoption rates, the cost of underutilizing economic analysis, and the landscape of climate commercialization support.
The $35B Problem
How underutilizing TEA puts massive amounts of capital and climate impact at risk — and why fewer than 20% of early-stage teams use economic analysis.
What's the Hardest Part of Building a TEA?
Survey results from pre-seed teams: 60% say finding trustworthy data is the biggest barrier, not building the model itself.
2025 Recap: Introducing TEA Commons
1,500+ hours of coaching. 50+ teams. Here's what we learned — and what we're building next.
TEA Workshop at MIT Martin Trust Center
Recap from our May 2025 workshop — format, attendees, and key takeaways.
Bridging Biology and Mining Economics
Our public bio-mining TEA with Homeworld Collective — a walkthrough of the model.