Are you a company who received support from DOE through a research, development, and/or demonstration financial assistance agreement in the last 5 years? This opportunity is designed to provide additional support in the form of a voucher to obtain bankability studies, manufacturing/supply chain assessments, community benefits assessments, and other technoeconomic analyses. The goal is to accelerate the commercialization of your technology and prepare it for the market or for integration into a large-scale first-of-a-kind demonstration project.

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. Voucher Opportunity (VO-1) addresses key adoption risk areas faced by companies already funded by DOE and leaving the research and development stage, through supporting activities including bankability studies, manufacturing / supply chain assessments, community benefits assessments, and other technoeconomic analyses. The first submission window (Sept 26) solicits proposals from potential voucher providers. A second submission window (Nov 7) will be open soon to solicit requests from potential voucher recipients. Pending availability of funds, additional submission windows may open in the future.

The Arrowhead Center SBIR/STTR Accelerator (ACSA) program is a 4-week cohort-based program that offers real-time coaching for small businesses interested in non-dilutive federal investment from SBIR/STTR contracting agencies. This NM FAST ACSA will provide cohort participants with a four-week introduction to contracting SBIR/STTR agencies, such as DOD, DHS, NASA, DOC, DOT, and EPA. During the program, participants will receive guidance on various areas of proposal development and expectations for Phase I, II, & III contracting opportunities. The accelerator will span from September 5th to September 26th, with sessions held on Tuesdays from 12:00 to 1:30pm MT via Zoom.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has launched R-STEP, which will support the creation of new, or the expansion of existing, state-based programs or initiatives that improve renewable energy planning and siting processes for local communities. Through R-STEP, DOE anticipates awarding approximately five to seven state-based collaboratives between $1 to $2 million each to expand state and local capacity on large-scale renewable energy siting and planning. Collaboratives will also benefit from tailored technical assistance and peer-learning opportunities through the program. Collaboratives could include but are not limited to state energy offices, Governors’ offices, Extension offices, universities, non-governmental organizations, community-based organizations, and other organizations.

During open application periods, you can apply for an average investment of $500K and design support. We’ll respond within 1-2 weeks with a status update if it makes sense to setup an intro meeting. We’re looking for early stage companies, Pre-seed to Series A, that use design to improve health, prosperity, and sustainability for all. Our average investment is $500K for 5% but we understand that may not make sense for every company. Depending on your traction and funding to date, we can adjust our investment terms. We recommend that you apply regardless of your stage, location and fundraising timeline.

After we invest, we have a kickoff meeting and then are available for monthly design help tailored to what you need throughout the next 12 months. We’re not an accelerator and we don’t have a curriculum you have to follow. Rather, we focus on the following types of collaborative work sessions when you need them most: hiring, design management, design advice, community, fundraising support.

On July 21, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced a new solicitation to connect industry partners with the high performance computing (HPC) resources and expertise at DOE’s National Laboratories to improve material performance and advance manufacturing processes for an equitable clean energy future. Through the HPC4EI initiative, selected teams will harness the raw processing power of our National Labs’ supercomputers to apply advanced modeling, simulation, and data analysis to manufacturing and materials projects.

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.

The next mPOWER cohort will be focused on Black Founders in partnership with the National Society of Black Engineers Chicago Chapter. To be eligible for the next mPOWER cohort, you must be a Black innovator and/or founder, have a clear problem that you are trying to solve through a physical product, and be able to dedicate 7-10 hours a week during the 6-month program beginning in August.

Sea Grant and the NOAA Climate Program Office seek to establish programs aimed at at placing people across the country into good jobs that advance climate resilience and assisting employers in developing a 21st century workforce that is climate literate, informed by climate resilience, and skilled at addressing consequent challenges. NOAA envisions making between 10-20 awards under this competition, at amounts ranging from $500,000-$10 million each. NOAA expects projects to range in duration from 24 months to 48 months, beginning no earlier than August 1, 2024. This opportunity is open to state, tribal, territorial and local governments, institutions of higher education, and non-profit organizations in coastal states or territories. Resources from NOAA’s Climate Program Office, Office for Coastal Management, and National Sea Grant Office and its partners will be available to provide technical assistance to applicants and recipients to support these innovative efforts.

Local governments are critical partners in achieving a new energy vision for New York State. Municipal leaders play a critical role in affecting energy choices in their communities, both in terms of government operations, and also across homes, businesses, and community institutions. The Clean Energy Communities Program provides clean guidance, grants, direct technical support to communities, and recognition to local governments that demonstrate leadership in the area of clean energy.

Scale Up NM helps to advance the strength of New Mexico’s communities, promotes equity through economic justice, enables high-quality home-grown innovation, and diversifies NM’s economy by expanding target industries. In partnership with Sandia National Laboratories, Scale Up NM supports the programming addressing barriers to commercialization for women, and in partnership with NM Startup Factory, supports investment education events. Target industry sectors (derived from NMEDD’s plan) include outdoor recreation, tourism, clean energy, arts, value-added agriculture, industrial trade and healthcare.

Designed to recognize and address the distinct energy challenges faced by rural communities, this funding aims to increase energy affordability and promote climate resilience in areas with fewer than 10,000 people by supporting projects with a dollar amount of $500,000 to $5 million.

The J.M.K. Innovation Prize seeks to identify, support, and elevate innovators who are spearheading transformative early-stage projects in the fields of the environment, heritage conservation, and social justice. In 2023, we will award up to ten Prizes, each including a cash award of $150,000 over three years, plus $25,000 in technical assistance funds, for a total award of $175,000. Awardees also receive guidance through the Fund and its resource network, providing tools and training to support them through the challenges of a startup organization.