Early-Stage Technology R&D (approx. TRL 1-5)

Energyshed (Place-Based Generation) FOA

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is issuing this funding opportunity announcement (FOA) to invest in innovative research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) projects that accelerate the large-scale development and deployment of renewable energy to support an equitable transition to a decarbonized electricity system by 2035 and net-zero emissions economy by 2050.

Applicants will assimilate data from a variety of sources into novel tools, “dashboards,” or other applications that will assess the impacts and tradeoffs, including potential benefits and challenges of locally-based energy generation. These tools should be accessible and easy-to-use to a wide array of stakeholders that are not necessarily electric power system experts. Achievement of this goal should accelerate deployment of renewable energy towards an equitable de-carbonized grid, and it will come through pursuit of several concurrent objectives in successful system design.

DOE expects to make two to five awards under this funding opportunity, each ranging from $2 to $5 million. DOE seeks a diverse set of applicants, including universities, research and development centers, individuals, and civil society organizations. DOE encourages the participation of underserved communities and underrepresented groups. As part of the application, applicants should describe how they will incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion objectives in the project.

For more information, view the full FOA or register for the EERE information webinar on June 22.

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Clean Energy Cybersecurity Accelerator – Cohort 1

The Clean Energy Cybersecurity AcceleratorTM (CECA) advances cyber innovation to defend modern, renewable energy technologies against high-priority cybersecurity risks to the energy sector.

CECA solicits participants based on high-priority security threats. Cohorts go through an accelerator period of 3 to 12 months, sharing ideas and threat intelligence before validating solutions in the lab.  To be eligible for the program, interested solution providers must:

  • Be based in the United States
  • Offer technology solutions with strong authentication for distributed energy resources, to protect the modern electrical grid and expedite solutions to market
  • Be at a Technology Readiness Level 4 or above
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H-Prize: Hydrogen Shot Incubator (American-Made Challenges)

The Hydrogen Shot Incubator supports teams as they develop transformative concepts into early-stage prototypes ready for lab-scale demonstration, through two phases and culminating with a Pitch Day.

Phase I – due August 17: In the Propose! Phase participants will access resources and environments to foster new solution concepts and develop them into plans for early-stage prototypes in rapid learning cycles. Submission packages must highlight a concept for clean hydrogen production, focusing on lowering the hydrogen production cost. DOE will select up to ten winners to advance in the competition.

Phase II – due June 2023: Winners of the Propose! phase will develop their concepts and designs with the help of national laboratory experts. Submissions for the Prove! phase must include a plan with preliminary designs for a laboratory-scale demonstration along with technoeconomic and emissions analyses to validate the proposed idea. DOE will select up to five winners for additional cash and voucher support.

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BlueSwell Incubator Cohort III

BlueSwell is a collaboration between the New England Aquarium and SeaAhead to support the creation and growth of startups with scalable solutions that enhance ocean health, sustainable ocean industry, and global resilience. The funding for selected startups to $50k! The 20-week program also provides entrepreneurs with business know-how workshops, mentorship, networks, and connections to be prepared for first investments.

Applications are open now and due on June 8thapply here.

 

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EPIcenter Energy Incubator and Accelerator

The mission of the EPIcenter Energy Incubator and Accelerator (EEIA) is to become the hub of thought-leading innovation, commercially viable technologies and infrastructure services relating to the delivery of energy innovation. The term “energy innovation” supports both the development of alternatives to and enhancements of existing sources of energy, including improved energy efficiency, lower and less volatile costs, more favorable environmental impacts, and the ability to extend the life of an energy source. The EEIA provides a variety of services for emerging businesses focused on the advancement of energy innovation and technology.

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Hawaii – Blue Startups

Blue Startups is focused on helping scalable-technology companies compete globally. Blue Startups aims to stimulate economic growth in Hawaii and create new business opportunities by providing promising entrepreneurs with mentorship, access to business expertise, product testing, peer review, pitch development, introductions to investors, and seed funding.

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Malaika Ventures

Investing in the next generation of founders and climate innovations to achieve a rapid and just climate transition. Opening doors for founders building a better, more sustainable tomorrow.

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Black Founder Startup Grant

SoGal Foundation has teamed up with Winky Lux, bluemercury, twelveNYC, Twilio, Walmart.org’s Center for Racial Equity and other sponsors to make a small step towards progress by providing several $10K and $5K cash grants to Black women or nonbinary entrepreneurs. Awardees will also receive tactical help navigating the fundraising environment at large so that they will have a more equitable opportunity at scaling the next billion dollar idea. They will also receive lifetime “ask-me-anything” access to the SoGal Foundation and SoGal Ventures teams.

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Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement (OAE) Engineering Award

Additional Ventures is partnering with Ocean Visions and a consortium of philanthropic funders to invite pre-proposals to develop prototypes that could enable safe, cost-efficient, and scalable OAE. This request for proposals (RFP) is part of the Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement R&D Program, an ambitious effort to accelerate understanding of OAE as a potential method for large-scale carbon dioxide removal (CDR). The OAE Engineering Award complements the recently announced OAE Research Award, which assesses whether OAE can safely, and permanently sequester atmospheric CO2 at scale.

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Testing Expertise and Access for Marine Energy Research (TEAMER)

The energy stored in the motion of waves and currents has the potential to provide a carbon-free, renewable source of energy to meet a significant portion of society’s needs. To reach this potential and move marine energy technologies closer to market, researchers and developers must first refine the most promising technologies and advance their progression toward achieving commercial viability, all while navigating development and testing barriers along the way.

The Testing Expertise and Access for Marine Energy Research (TEAMER™) program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and directed by the Pacific Ocean Energy Trust (POET), will accelerate that process through 2-3 annual open funding calls over each of the next three years to support developers seeking access to the nation’s best facilities and expertise. Over this time, TEAMER plans to distribute approximately $9 million through the periodic competitive opportunities (known as Requests for Technical Support, RFTSs) to support marine renewable energy (MRE) testing and development projects.

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NASA SBIR Ignite

NASA SBIR Ignite looks to increase private sector commercialization of innovations derived from federal R/R&D, thereby increasing competition, productivity, and economic growth. In particular, NASA seeks to fund ideas that are relevant in the commercial market, while contributing to the agency’s goals in aeronautics and space technology development.

Entrepreneurs looking to shape the aerospace market are encouraged to apply. The program de-risks technology by providing funding to help push R&D, making it more attractive to investors. NASA does not take ownership over award recipients’ intellectual property.

Phase I provides $150,000 with the ability to win Phase II follow-on funding of $1,000,000 per business. The SBIR Ignite Solicitation will be opened in summer 2022; check here for updates.

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Women in Cleantech and Sustainability – Pitch Competition

Each year, Women in Cleantech and Sustainability hosts a startup pitch competition focused on spotlighting companies led by women, either as CEOs or in the C-suite. Six applicants will be selected to pitch their ideas on the WCS stage in front of Silicon Valley VCs and an audience of 300+ industry professionals.

Women from six companies will be selected out of all applications to pitch their innovative cleantech or sustainable-focused business idea to a panel of industry leaders. Startups will have 5 minutes on the virtual stage followed by 3 minutes for Q&A from the judges. Winners will be announced towards the end of the conference.  The winner will be offered consultation time with local Marketing, PR, Accounting, VCs, and relevant industry experts.

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