The Electric Power Research Institute’s (EPRI’s) Incubatenergy Labs—a program that connects leading startup companies with electric power utilities from around the world—invites startup companies to apply for the opportunity to propose innovative solutions to the most challenging issues facing the electric power industry. Selected applicants will be invited to participate in the 2021 Incubatenergy Labs Demo Day Challenge.

Startups must apply online to pitch their proposal to a group of electric power utilities in March 2021. Startups that deliver successful pitches at this event will go on to work with EPRI and electric power utility experts to scope and execute a paid pilot research and demonstration project within the service area of a participating utility next summer. This collaborative approach increases the value of the projects for all participants by expanding the reach of the startups and providing valuable investment information for the utilities. Applications can be submitted until January 14, 2021.

The Diageo Sustainable Solutions program is calling upon innovators to share their ideas and solutions for growing brands and businesses sustainably.

Diageo Sustainable Solutions will invest time and experience, resources and assets where relevant, and fully fund proof of concept pilots that are selected from the breakthrough innovations. Innovations in energy, water, packaging, and agriculture will be prioritized.

The short online application is due December 16, 2020, and a shortlist of applicants will be determined by December 22, 2020. A virtual pitch day will be hosted in January 2021 and successful pilot proposals will be chosen by the end of January 2021. Up to a 6-month pilot of collaboration will be available to develop ideas and demonstrate a proof of concept within the supply chain.

Each pilot will be sponsored by a Diageo Business Unit lead, with a dedicated Technical support team (from Diageo and supply chain partners). Successful pilots will be considered for scaling within the Diageo Supply Chain.

The Department of Energy (DOE) American-Made Challenge is seeking innovators, visionaries, and enthusiasts from across a variety of industries to propose innovative solutions that will encourage the development of new ideas to cut the costs, timelines, and risks associated with hydropower development.

The key challenges that the Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) is seeking to address are listed below:

• Geotechnical Site Assessment: Activities performed to obtain information needed to design and construct a hydropower foundation system
• Foundation Design: Process of using information from the site assessment to perform analyses and develop a cost-effective foundation system that meets the project design criteria
• Foundation Construction: Activities performed by the contractor, from mobilization through project commissioning, to fully develop the foundation system.

Furthermore, the prize seeks solutions that are low head (less than 30 feet, new stream-reach development (NSD), and applicable to soil foundations. Please note that superstructures, including dams, are excluded from the prize scope.

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs encourage U.S. small businesses to engage in high-risk, innovative research, and technology development with the potential for future commercialization. The program is administered by the Energy Department’s Office of Science and awards projects in technology areas across the entire department. It is part of the larger SBIR program across the federal government, which is administered by the Small Business Administration. Learn more about these programs’ past awards in solar energy.

SBIR/STTR Phase I awards are up to $200,000 for six months to one year. For help with the application process, visit this webpage on how to apply for a funding opportunity announcement (FOA).

Watch the CEBN webinar recording about the solar innovation funding opportunities here.

The L.A. New Mobility Challenge is a major global startup competition focused on innovative, zero-emission solutions for the challenges of urban mobility. The fourth edition of the Challenge invites startups and early-stage companies from around the world to address two critical issues in the urban mobility landscape: Solutions for Transporting Goods in Urban Environments, and Solutions for Transporting People in Urban Environments.

Interested companies should apply by October 30, and semi-finalists will be invited to pitch their concepts to our esteemed judges at CoMotion LA LIVE: November 17-19.

To be eligible, companies must be less than five years old, have revenue of less than $5 million, and have a product in pilot, beta or prototype stage.

The Grand Prize Winner receives:

• A trip to present at SparkLabs Korea DemoDay16 in 2021, the largest accelerator demo day in the world. Over 2,500 people attend these half-day events twice a year. (Includes 1 economy fare ticket and a 3-night five-star hotel stay.)
• Three month mentoring from 2-3 of SparkLabs Partners or Venture Partners.
• The right to join Urban Movement Labs as a partner, alongside mobility luminaries like Lyft, Waymo, Verizon, and Avis Budget Group.
• Access to UML’s team of experts, resources, and data.
• The opportunity to network with other partner companies and organizations.
• The right to an accelerated incubator, including previewing applicable technology to UML stakeholders for potential deployment in an LA Urban Proving Ground.
• Promotion to the greater UML community.
• Intros to key stakeholders at the UK’s Department for Transport’s Future of Transportation Strategy Team or other team, as relevant.
• Intro to the Connected Places Catapult, Zenzic and UK testbeds.
• Connection to relevant universities such as Warwick and Cranfield.
• Support from London & Partners, including access to Transport for London.
• Socially-distanced in-person gathering to celebrate winners (potentially at British Consul General’s Residence or British Consulate).
• Recognition by UK senior leadership.
• Conversations with and case studies from similar companies that have set up in the UK.
• Intro to Satellite Applications Catapult, Innovate UK, or CCAV, as relevant.
• Possibility to connect with opportunities and offers in other regions of the UK including Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
• Promotion of winning company in CoMotion NEWS.
• Exposure to the LACI team and opportunity to apply for its world-class startup incubation programs.
• LACI to make introductions to three curated investors.

The American-Made Challenges’ Energy Program for Innovation Clusters (EPIC) Prize recognizes the nation’s most innovative incubators. Sponsored by the Office of Technology Transitions at the U.S. Department of Energy, EPIC will award prizes to competitors that submit the most creative and impactful plans to develop strong clusters, connections, and support for startups and entrepreneurs whose businesses focus on energy-related technologies. Up to 20 teams will be awarded $50,000 each.

This funding opportunity is part of the American-Made Challenges series, which unites the world’s best-in-class research base with the unparalleled entrepreneurial support system of the American-Made Network. Consisting of pioneering maker spaces, dozens of energy incubators, universities, and 17 DOE National Laboratories, the Network is primed to create a sweeping portfolio of innovations to demonstrate the promise of additive manufacturing.

The Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) seeks innovators to design water desalination systems powered by marine renewable energy. The Waves to Water prize, aligned with the Water Security Grand Challenge, is a 5-Stage competition that offers up to $3.3 million in cash prizes, with a goal to demonstrate small, modular, cost-competitive desalination systems that use the power of ocean waves to provide clean drinking water for disaster recovery and for remote and coastal communities.

This funding opportunity is part of the American-Made Challenges series, which unites the world’s best-in-class research base with the unparalleled entrepreneurial support system of the American-Made Network. Consisting of pioneering maker spaces, dozens of energy incubators, universities, and 17 DOE National Laboratories, the Network is primed to create a sweeping portfolio of innovations to demonstrate the promise of additive manufacturing.

The American-Made Solar Prize encourages the rapid development of innovative solar energy solutions capable of addressing the tough challenges facing the solar industry. Solar Prize competitors participate in three contests—the Ready! Set! and Go! Contests to transform their ideas into concepts and then early-stage prototypes ready for industry testing. Competitors have the chance to win $3 million in cash prizes and other resources to help them advance in the competition and accelerate the development of their solution.

This funding opportunity is part of the American-Made Challenges series, which unites the world’s best-in-class research base with the unparalleled entrepreneurial support system of the American-Made Network. Consisting of pioneering maker spaces, dozens of energy incubators, universities, and 17 DOE National Laboratories, the Network is primed to create a sweeping portfolio of innovations to demonstrate the promise of additive manufacturing.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) has announced the Innovations in Advanced Manufacturing for Hydropower (I AM Hydro) Prize to dramatically lower costs of hydropower components and systems designs by leveraging advancements in manufacturing and material.

I AM Hydro is inspiring disruptors and innovators to compete for up to $250,000 in cash prizes and help support the hydropower industry using the ingenuity of advanced manufacturing.

This funding opportunity is part of the American-Made Challenges series, which unites the world’s best-in-class research base with the unparalleled entrepreneurial support system of the American-Made Network. Consisting of pioneering maker spaces, dozens of energy incubators, universities, and 17 DOE National Laboratories, the Network is primed to create a sweeping portfolio of innovations to demonstrate the promise of additive manufacturing.

Pitch your business case in front of an international investor audience from home.

WHEN: November 19th, 11:00 ET

WHO: 6 promising startups selected by the Solar Impulse Foundation
Exclusively for labelled solutions

AUDIENCE: 50 to 100 international VCs, Corporate VCs, Cleantech Funds and Impact Investors tune in to listen to the pitches. In the past, examples of participating investors were BNP Paribas, Demeter IM, Barclays, ZAZ Ventures, Suez Ventures, Engie New Ventures, P&G and Schneider Electric.

PITCH FORMAT: Online, 7 mins + 2 mins Q&A

REQUIREMENTS: Must have received Solar Impulse Efficient Solution Label by November 1st and offer a game changing Cleantech Solution in energy, water, industrial innovation, smart city & mobility, circular economy, or agriculture.

The DOE Office of Technology Transitions (OTT) is launching a $1,000,000 prize competition to award cash prizes to the nation’s most innovative incubators for creative plans to build clusters supporting entrepreneurs and innovators launching businesses focused on energy-related technologies. OTT welcomes incubators, organizations that aid in the development of new business ventures, business accelerators, co-working startup communities, or any other organizations that self-identify as advocates for innovation and entrepreneurship. This prize also seeks to strengthen innovation clusters or geographic concentrations of specialized skills, industries, and technologies that have the ability to turn their talents towards energy innovation.

To compete, competitors must submit a ten-slide presentation and a 90-second video. OTT anticipates selecting up to 20 winning competitors for cash prizes of $50,000 each.

Nexus and IN2 are granting two $15,000 grants for clean energy startups that can demonstrate positive impacts on underserved communities. New Energy Eligibility Criteria for $15,000 Clean Economy Grants:

a) Location: must be a California-based clean energy organization
b) Number of employees: must have at least two W2 employees
c) Must demonstrate impact on underserved communities
d) Must demonstrate financial need and urgency