DOE Awards $3M to Incubators and Accelerators in Support of Clean Energy Tech Startups

Original Article | Office of Technology Transitions | OTT@hq.doe.gov | April 2, 2024

Today the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Technology Transitions (OTT) announced the Phase 1 winners of the Energy Program for Innovation Clusters (EPIC) Round 3. 

Twenty-three incubators and accelerators from across the nation were each awarded $150,000 for programs designed to support energy startups and entrepreneurs in their communities. Applicants included traditional business accelerators and incubators, as well as innovative entrepreneurship communities and startup advocacy organizations. 

The EPIC program is designed to encourage energy innovation ecosystems, increase local business productivity, and improve the commercial success of energy startups. This is the third consecutive year of the competition, which continues to expand its impact with each iteration. EPIC Round 3 is a multiphase, year-long program that concludes with the opportunity for grand prize winners to negotiate a cooperative agreement with OTT worth up to $1 million.  

“Incubators and Accelerators are uniquely positioned to provide startups things they can't get anywhere else -- mentorship, technology validation, and other critical business development support.” said DOE Chief Commercialization Officer and Director of OTT, Dr. Vanessa Z. Chan. “The EPIC program allows us to provide consistent funding to organizations who are developing robust programming, resources, and support for innovative energy startups and entrepreneurs.” 

Phase 1 Winners 

Winners demonstrated a dedication to clean energy entrepreneurship by developing creative, impactful plans for startup support, including actionable steps for implementation.

EPIC Phase 1 winners will now advance to Phase 2 of the prize, where they’ll implement their programming and design a project continuation plan over the next 7 months. In September they will submit their plans with the hope of being selected to negotiate a three-year cooperative agreement with OTT, worth up to $1 million each. 

Startup Pitch Competitions

Phase 2 of the EPIC Prize also includes two national pitch competitions where a total of $165,000 in cash prizes will be awarded to winning startups. Competitors will aim to demonstrate a clear understanding of their technology, the market, and the pathway to tech commercialization. ­­––

Any previous EPIC winner can nominate one hard-tech startup for the pitch competitions. These events are a great opportunity for incubators and accelerators to elevate their most promising partners and highlight these ground-breaking energy startups.