The DOE Voucher Program builds bridges between U.S. entrepreneurs, businesses, technology developers or other relevant partners and third-party voucher providers to advance commercialization of innovative energy technologies. The first submission window solicits proposals from potential voucher providers. Voucher Opportunity (VO-5) addresses key adoption risk areas faced by companies working in carbon management (including carbon capture, transport, conversion, storage, and removal) and resource sustainability (methane detection and reduction technologies, advanced remediation technologies, and mineral sustainability technologies), including:

• Life cycle assessment (LCA) and/or techno-economic assessment (TEA)
• Independent assessment of Monitoring Reporting and Verification (MRV) technologies and practices.
• Independent assessment of the additionality of carbon management technologies.
• Third-party support for independent evaluation of community engagement and benefit plans.
• Support for independent entities building capacity to provide verification services to the growing carbon dioxide removal (CDR) industry.
• And more.

With the Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling Prize, teams of creative individuals, entrepreneurs, and businesses will advance conceptual solutions to prototypes and finally to pilot validations to address challenges with the lithium-ion battery recycling supply chain. This new public contest aims to incentivize new submissions from battery industry entrepreneurs that demonstrate innovative solutions that work toward or deliver on the goal of the prize, while continuing to support the further development of Phase III winning solutions. This phase consists of two simultaneous competition tracks:

• Track 1: New Competitors —Legal business entities based in the United States with single process ideas, partial solutions or full concept solutions that enable or meet the prize goal. Track 1 is open to new participants and previous competitors of the Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling Prize. A single business entity may participate as a new competitor, or teams may be comprised of multiple businesses.
• Track 2: Verified Competitors — Phase III winners are invited to further develop their concept solutions with the added support of a $100,000 noncash voucher to be spent at a Voucher Service Provider within the American-Made Network. Voucher work must support the continued validation and demonstration of their Phase III pilot-scale solutions.

The three-phase $2.25 million Silicon Carbide (SiC) Packaging Prize—launched by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Electricity—invites competitors to propose, design, build, and test state-of-the-art SiC packaging prototypes that move the industry beyond its current state. Competitors will describe their team, their plan to make progress toward SiC packaging, showcase their current prototypes, and provide evidence of their current metrics that are in alignment with the goals of the prize. The goal of this phase is to develop a set of design documents for a Phase 2 prototype which adheres to the requirements set.

The Electronics Scrap Recycling Advancement Prize (E-SCRAP) is a $3.95M challenge sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office (AMMTO). The prize aims to stimulate innovative approaches that reduce the costs and environmental impact of critical material recovery from electronic scrap (e-scrap).

The Qualifying Advanced Energy Project Credit (48C) was established by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and renewed and expanded under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA). The 48C credit is a tax credit for investments in advanced energy projects, as defined in 26 USC § 48C(c)(1). The IRA provided $10 billion in funding for the expanded 48C(e) Qualifying Advanced Energy Project Credit Allocation Program (48C(e) program). To receive the full value of a 48C credit, projects must meet prevailing wage and registered apprenticeship standards. DOE 48C Portal opens for concept paper submission on May 22, 2024. Concept paper submission, due on June 21, is the first required step in the application process.

mPOWER programs are designed to rebalance opportunity and access for startups building physical products that are founded by women and people of color. Harnessing the existing resources of the nation’s leading independent innovation center for physical product companies, each participant receives hands-on support to turn ideas into hardtech businesses. To be eligible for the next mPOWER cohort, you must have a clear problem that you are solving with a physical product, be building a product or business that impacts the Black community, and can dedicate 7-10 hours a week during the 6-month program beginning in August 2024.

The $2.1 million TCF Open Voucher Call will help facilitate the commercialization of scientific discoveries by helping to identify pathways by which technological breakthroughs can make their way to market. Although a variety of technologies will be considered, applicants are encouraged to leverage the capabilities and initiatives of the National Laboratories when developing their ideas so they can further develop their technology alongside the National Lab. Successful applicants will receive vouchers—valid for testing and validation, use of specialized equipment or software, simulation or modeling, consulting, or various other requests from a National Laboratory—which will ultimately allow them to advance their technologies. In this way, the call will foster a culture of curiosity and collaboration while bridging the gap between scientific expertise and public engagement.

Evergreen Climate Innovations works with Nicor Gas to support entrepreneurs who are making a positive environmental impact throughout Illinois. Recipients of the Nicor Gas Multicultural Innovator Award receive a non-recourse grant of $25,000, 12-months of business mentorship from Nicor Gas and Evergreen Climate Innovations, and heightened exposure to both investors and potential customers.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) announced up to $60 million in funding to create regional teams to support the development of critical mineral and materials supply chains and novel high-value, nonfuel carbon-based products from unconventional and secondary feedstocks, such as coal and coal by-products, effluent waters from oil and natural gas development and production, and acid mine drainage. Realizing the critical mineral and materials potential in these feedstocks would enable the United States to rebuild a domestic supply chain for rare earth elements and other critical minerals and materials—which support high-tech manufacturing and the production of components for clean energy technologies—and reduce our dependence on international supply chains.

Dream.Org’s Climate Tech LaunchPad is helping Black and Brown innovators scale cutting-edge ideas that move the needle on climate equity. The cohort will focus on climate justice, prioritizing solutions including electric transportation, renewable energy, energy efficiency, and more. The cohort will also learn how to leverage Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund dollars to fund these projects. Each entrepreneur will create their own milestone development plan towards investment readiness, growth and impact.

With over a decade in the books, our program leverages the vast expertise of the Boston ecosystem to accelerate the growth of disruptive and cutting edge innovations in the areas of health tech, sustainability/climate/AgTech, future of work, robotics, the built environment, and AI/ML by providing founders with unparalleled access to top mentors, investors and experts in our community.

• Acceleration in a 90-day Techstars mentorship-driven accelerator program with personal mentorship and office space;
• Lifetime access to the Techstars worldwide network of entrepreneurs, including more than 10,000 mentors, 10,000 investors, 4,000 alumni companies, and over 300 staff members;
• Each company receives up to $120,000 in funding, and access to the worldwide network of investors, hands-on mentorship, and over $4M of perks.

Techstars Los Angeles powered by J.P. Morgan is open to founders of any and all backgrounds, with a focus on Black, Hispanic and Latino, Indigenous American and Pacific Islander entrepreneurs building startups in healthcare, wellness, B2B SaaS, Deep Tech, Energy, Robotics, FinTech, Mobility, Logistics, PropTech, CPG, and Climate Tech. Through game-changing investment community partnerships, together we will take steps towards dismantling institutional, structural, and systematic barriers that often limit opportunities.

• Acceleration in a 90-day Techstars mentorship-driven accelerator program with personal mentorship and office space;
• Lifetime access to the Techstars worldwide network of entrepreneurs, including more than 10,000 mentors, 10,000 investors, 4,000 alumni companies, and over 300 staff members;
• Each company receives up to $120,000 in funding, and access to the worldwide network of investors, hands-on mentorship, and over $4M of perks.