The Department of Energy’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) manages the DOE’s Mentor-Protégé Program (MPP). The MPP helps increase participation and maximize opportunities for small businesses to work with the Department. The DOE’s MPP seeks to foster long-term business relationships between small businesses and DOE prime contractors and to increase the overall number of small businesses that receive DOE prime contracts and subcontracts.

This program encourages DOE prime contractors to assist small disadvantaged businesses (SDB) certified by SBA under section 8(a) of the Small Business Act (8(a)), other small disadvantaged businesses, women-owned small businesses (WOSB), service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSB), veteran-owned small businesses (VOSB), historically underutilized business zone (HUBZone) small businesses, historically black colleges and universities (HCBUs), and other minority institutions of higher learning to enhance their capabilities and improve their abilities to perform contracts and subcontracts for the DOE and other federal agencies.

For more information about the DOE’s Mentor-Protégé Program, contact the OSDBU office at 202-586-7377 or by email at SmallBusiness@hq.doe.gov

TechConnect World enables you to connect with the largest science and technology funding in the world. Connect with top scientists, corporate, federal and VC prospectors and interact with research, investments, licensing, and partnering opportunities.

There are two opportunities for startups to be featured at the TechConnect World: Submit a poster by March 31 or submit your innovation by February 24.

Because the challenges climate tech startups face are not one-size-fits all, our flexible and virtual 18-month accelerator is designed to meet your startup exactly where you are. From day one you get matched with a D³ connector, who acts as your bridge into our powerfully curated network of partners.

1. Climate Change – We are looking for disruptive innovations that can decarbonise energy generation and industries, as well as capture and utilise carbon to create scalable products for global markets. We also want solutions that address ocean challenges including  innovative models that restore and regenerate coastal and marine ecosystems in Southeast Asia.

2. Food & Nutrition – We are looking for disruptive innovations that can establish a circular urban agriculture or aquaculture system, or alternative protein system.  We are seeking innovative and breakthrough technological solutions to maximise production efficiency and minimise resource requirements.

BioMADE is now accepting submissions for projects that address research and development priorities that will have a direct impact on mitigating the causes and consequences of global climate change. Priority funding areas include:

1. Sustainable food production
2. Converting waste to bioproducts
3. Carbon capture technologies
4. Lowering the resource requirements for processing steps: innovations in scale-up production or downstream processing steps that substantially reduce energy or utility inputs to improve the net sustainability of biomanufacturing
5. Mitigating the impact of climate change: bioproducts useful in mitigating the negative impacts of climate change, either regionally or globally, are encouraged.

BioMADE periodically accepts white paper submissions for projects that contribute to building a sustainable, domestic, end-to-end bioindustrial manufacturing ecosystem. Projects that enable domestic bioindustrial manufacturing, develop technologies to enhance U.S. bioindustrial competitiveness, de-risk investment in relevant infrastructure, and expand the biomanufacturing workforce to realize the economic promise of industrial biotechnology are encouraged. BioMADE also has an Open Project Call, which provides an ongoing path for proposal submissions at any time during the year on any topic. Reach out to proposals@biomade.org with a brief description of your project to schedule a meeting.

Applications from startups for the inaugural cohort that have innovative solutions for the offshore wind industry are now open. Selected startups will work closely with Equinor and Offshore Wind Innovation Hub partners over six-month period to advance the startup’s commercialization goals and support development of their offshore wind innovations.

Equinor, through its 50-50 strategic partnership with bp, is developing Empire Wind and Beacon Wind, which combined will supply 3.3 gigawatts of renewable energy to New York.

This FOA will support the goals of the H2@Scale Initiative, which aims to advance affordable hydrogen production, transport, storage, and utilization to enable decarbonization and revenue opportunities across multiple sectors. These objectives align with DOE’s Hydrogen Shot, which targets affordable clean hydrogen production at $1/kg within the decade. Advancing technologies that will facilitate the adoption of clean hydrogen technologies will support the goal of net zero GHG emissions by 2050. Topic Areas Include:

1. Hydrogen Carrier Development
2. Onboard Storage Systems for Liquid Hydrogen
3. Liquid Hydrogen Transfer/Fueling Components and Systems
4. M2FCT: High Performing, Durable Membrane Electrode Assemblies for Medium and Heavy-Duty Applications

The NOAA Ocean Acidification Program on behalf of the National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP) solicits proposals focused on (a) expanding understanding of various aspects of marine Carbon Dioxide Removal (mCDR); (b) understanding associated co-benefits (including ocean acidification mitigation) and risks of marine CDR; and (c) the science needed to build building regulatory frameworks for both testing and scaling of marine CDR approaches. This knowledge will assist in the verification or invalidation of hypotheses regarding mCDR, in order to make informed decisions regarding a potential scaled negative carbon ocean industry.

6-month program fast-tracks high potential startups through hands-on product development in state-of-the-art prototyping facility supported by world-class corporate and venture investors. Teams benefit from the guidance of seasoned entrepreneurs, engineers, investors and industry leaders who’ve built businesses, raised capital and helped founders realize their full potential.

Grid Catalyst is kicking off 2023 with a new opportunity for startups through our PowerNorth Incubator. Minnesota has a robust energy economy and innovation ecosystem of established companies, vibrant startups, leading research centers, government support, and cross-sector partnerships. This program will support hardtech startups on the pathway to commercialization and scaling by:

• Hosting incubator programming and a support system that is specifically curated for hardtech energy entrepreneurs and takes into consideration the technical feasibility and commercialization hurdles for those startups.
• Deepening collaboration with a network of partners, primarily mature energy and industrial businesses and leaders, who can invest in, mentor, and support entrepreneurs in this sector and region.
• Prioritizing diverse founders. To have a thriving energy innovation ecosystem, we are committed to elevating underrepresented founders in this sector.

Venture For ClimateTech is a non-profit global venture studio + accelerator program. We source the most promising climate tech innovators from around the world and offer them initial funding and hands-on support until they are ready for first customers, pilot runs, and investment. Throughout our annual cohort-based virtual program, founders will have support to build strong teams and tackle commercialization challenges.