Patents protect inventions so that inventors can focus on their work and be compensated for it. But many people don’t know how to navigate the patenting process, or even where to start. That’s why The Inventor’s Patent Academy was created. This free, one-of-a-kind, e-learning course aims to help people understand the patenting process and get them ready to apply for their own patent. It also explores challenges inventors may face along the way—particularly those that typically affect women, people of color, veterans, low-income individuals, people with disabilities, and other underrepresented inventors—and provides advice to overcome them.

Green Proving Ground, in collaboration with DOE, has released a request for information (RFI) about technologies that will help achieve net-zero carbon buildings. This year’s RFI is focused on emerging technologies that:

• Improve Operating Efficiency and Promote Healthy Workplaces
• Enable Whole Building Electrification
• Facilitate GHG and Carbon Reduction
• Provide On-site Energy Generation and Storage Systems
• Deliver Electric Fleet and Load Management Solutions

Technologies selected for participation in the GPG program will be piloted in one or more federal buildings for measurement and verification by third-party evaluators.

This prize aims to gain insight on innovative, emerging, and next-generation energy storage technologies to inform DOE’s strategy on transformative storage technologies to accelerate grid modernization and decarbonization. Competitors will propose their grid-scale, long duration-capable energy storage technology innovation with a written summary and accompanying 90-second video. Submissions will be judged on the innovation’s quality including a pathway to the Energy Storage Grand Challenge (ESGC)’s levelized cost of storage (LCOS) 2030 goals, strength of plan, and other unique benefits (supply chain considerations, equity, etc.).

It is vital to note that this competition is focusing only on emerging energy storage technologies. Established technologies that are being considered as part of the SI Framework effort are ineligible to participate in this prize.

The Regional Energy Accelerator for Commercializing Hardtech (REACH) is now accepting applications from energy hardtech startups, entrepreneurs, university faculty, and founders to join the 2023 cohort! Application deadline is November 18th, 2022 and teams will be notified by December 16th.

The Business Accelerator Fund (BAF) is available to participating business accelerators in Michigan’s statewide SmartZone network. These funds are used toward the delivery of specialized services that are not otherwise available from these business accelerators to assist advanced technology companies regardless of the company’s geography. A participating business accelerator will engage a third-party specialist to help advance the client’s path to commercialization, company success, and economic impact for the state of Michigan.

BAF requests are reviewed and awarded through a competitive process. A company may not receive more than $50,000 in BAF services, though most engagements are in the $7,000 to $15,000 range.

This FOA focuses on innovation of wave energy converters (WECs) for nearshore environments across diverse coastal conditions through long duration at-sea testing and operations (i.e., two weeks to six months) and component/sub-system technology development and testing. It will additionally support commercialization opportunities for novel technologies and a feasibility assessment of an ocean current test facility off the coast of the United States.

WPTO encourages underserved communities and underrepresented groups to participate in this funding opportunity. Applicants are highly encouraged to include individuals from groups historically underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and math on their project teams. Further, minority-serving institutions, minority business enterprises, minority-owned businesses, woman-owned businesses, veteran-owned businesses, or entities located in an underserved community that meet the eligibility requirements described in the funding opportunity are encouraged to apply as the prime applicant or participate on an application as a proposed partner to the prime applicant.

WPTO estimates making up to 14 awards under the Marine Energy Systems Innovation at Sea funding opportunity, ranging between $300,000 and $2,125,000.

Note that a concept paper is due November 4, 2022.

The funding will advance the priorities of DOE’s Office of Science and its major programs, including Advanced Scientific Computing Research, Basic Energy Sciences, Biological and Environmental Research, Fusion Energy Sciences, High Energy Physics, Nuclear Physics, Isotope R&D and Production, and Accelerator R&D and Production. It provides a vehicle for the Office of Science to solicit applications for research support in areas not covered by more specific, topical FOAs that are issued by the office in FY 2023.

This funding opportunity announcement (FOA) will fund Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) studies that support and accelerate the planning for CO2 transport by a variety of modes. Due to the immediate need for CO2 transport servicing multiple points of capture and one or more points of storage, the first round of solicited applications will prioritize CO2 pipeline projects with two or more carbon capture sources connected to one or more secure geologic storage locations and/or to one or more CO2 conversion locations. The CO2 must be derived only from anthropogenic sources which could include CO2 derived by direct capture from ambient air and must be delivered to CO2 conversion sites or secure geologic storage facilities.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (DE-FOA-0002711) will support the availability of Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) and carbon dioxide removal (CDR) to reach climate goals by building upon these learnings to test, mature, and validate CCUS technologies at commercial-scale. One aspect is the need to improve practices regarding how to efficiently and cost-effectively characterize and permit commercial carbon storage project site(s) ensuring that secure geologic carbon storage is available in diverse regions and settings that will support longer term carbon management goals across the US.

Project Enginuity, a National SBIR Accelerator, was designed to accelerate and empower Black, Hispanic, Latino and women innovators led by the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce’s Minority Business Partnership (DACC MBP) in collaboration with the Entrepreneurs’ Center (EC) and support from Chase.

Program participants receive expert training, which supports their application for necessary funding via Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) awards. Businesses that receive non-dilutive capital from SBIR are able to explore their technological potential, profit from commercialization and build long-term wealth.

The partnership helps to support and accelerate climate tech and clean energy hardware startups in the Greater Midwest. Partners support startups and small businesses via tailored accelerator programs, virtual and in-person events, sector-specific curriculum, mentorship, prototyping resources, and connections with industry.

Joules Accelerator works to identify, advise, and deploy early-stage climate startups while connecting them with the energy network of the Southeast and beyond. Joules moves quickly to make warm connections to relevant network stakeholders across the region and to find revenue-generating pilots and other commercialization opportunities for member startups. Joules presents twelve startups through two cohorts per year. Each cohort lasts 90 days and requires 2-4 hours per month for meeting with potential customers. The program is free for startups, free to apply, and does not take equity.