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American-Made Challenges

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Energy Program for Innovation Clusters (EPIC) Prize Round 2

The Office of Technology Transitions EPIC Prize incentivizes incubators that implement high-impact ideas to support energy startups.

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stage:
Prove It! Winner Announcement
prize:
$4,000,000 Prize Pool

This challenge is closed

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Summary
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Updates13
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Summary

Overview

The American-Made Energy Program for Innovation Clusters (EPIC) Prize recognizes the nation’s most innovative incubators. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Technology Transitions (OTT), the EPIC Prize awards cash prizes to regional incubator teams that submit the most creative and impactful plans to develop strong clusters, connections, and support for energy startups and entrepreneurs. 

Technology startups often require more than just capital to launch, grow, and scale innovations. Regional incubators are crucial in providing entrepreneurs mentorship, technology validation, business development, connections to manufacturers, and more to strengthen the America’s clean energy future. The prize seeks to address a capital gap in supporting these critical organizations by providing funds to be applied where incubators need them most. Providing capital to enable creative, forward-thinking organizations is necessary to allow these groups to think more expansively about the role of incubators in the broader regional innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem. 

Core to the EPIC Prize Round 2 is the incubator program, which consists of three phases: 

  • Design It! 
  • Move It! 
  • Prove It! 

The Move It! and Prove It! phases will also include a pitch competition in which incubators can nominate local energy startups for a chance to win up to $50,000.


Guidelines

Please review the official rules  for the complete application process and instructions for competing.

If you want to receive updates on the prize or have any questions, please subscribe by using the contact feature on the HeroX platform or message us directly at .

Timeline
Updates13

Challenge Updates

Announcing EPIC Prize Round 2 Winners 🏆

Nov. 1, 2023, 12:27 p.m. PDT by NREL Prize Administrator

Congratulations to the four winners of the EPIC Prize Round 2! During the final phase, teams demonstrated that their plans were successful, and their programs could replicate and scale. Selected teams will take home a total of $500,000 for their impactful solutions that strengthen entrepreneurial ecosystems, energy startups, and America’s clean energy future.  

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Join us in congratulating the EPIC Prize Round 2 winners! 

The Deployment Engine (Charleston, WV) – ADL Ventures is creating a low-carbon, mass deployment accelerator that connects innovative decarbonization technologies with construction industry customers and deployment opportunities in Appalachia.  

REACHing founders @ the Food, Energy & Water Nexus (Fort Collins, CO) – REACH's accelerator is dedicated to supporting founders at the nexus of food, water, and energy through innovative programming and embedded engineers-in-training (EITs). 

Energy & Mobility Innovation in Michigan (Hadley, MA and Detroit, MI) – Ascend by VentureWell bridges the gap between customer discovery and investment readiness in Detroit by focusing on emissions reductions, smart mobility technologies, infrastructure development, and job creation. 

LabStart: Accessibility to Lab IP Entrepreneurship (Golden, CO) – LabStart is helping launch and accelerate clean energy companies led by people from underrepresented communities and based on technology from DOE National Laboratories. 

You can find more information about the prize, winning teams, and the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Technology Transitions on energy.gov

Read the full announcement on energy.gov


Announcing EPIC Pitch Competition Winners!

July 18, 2023, 12:38 p.m. PDT by National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Congratulations to the five winners of the second EPIC Prize Pitch Competition! Hosted in New Orleans at the DOE Small Business Forum and Expo, eight startups took to the stage to pitch their clean energy technologies to four industry experts and a diverse audience of investors, government officials, national labs, and small businesses.

Each startup was selected by competing incubators in the American-Made EPIC Prize, and five startups won over $160,000 for their groundbreaking technologies. 

Secretary of Jennifer M. Granholm delivered an inspiring speech and presented their checks, and the EPIC Prize incubator that nominated the first-place startup won $25,000. 

All competing startups each showcased impressive technologies that are driving sustainability forward in our nation. 

EPIC Pitch Competition Winners: 

Read the full press release on energy.gov.


Join Us for the Next EPIC Pitch Competition!

June 15, 2023, 8:52 a.m. PDT by National Renewable Energy Laboratory

We’re excited to invite you to the next EPIC Pitch Competition happening at DOE’s 2023 Small Business Forum & Expo on July 11-12 in New Orleans. Come out and support your fellow competitors as our eight nominated teams pitch their cutting-edge clean teach ideas to a panel of expert judges.

Connect with potential investors, network with other industry experts, and gain insight on the rapidly growing world of clean tech during one of the many breakout sessions. Plus, the Department of Energy’s Secretary Granholm will be there at the announcement of winners on Day 2!

Learn more about the event and register to attend here.


EPIC Pitch Competition Finalists Have Been Selected!

June 7, 2023, 8:36 a.m. PDT by National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Nominated by contestants in the EPIC Prize, 8 teams have been selected to compete in the upcoming EPIC Pitch Competition July 11-12 at the Department of Energy Small Business Forum and Expo in New Orleans.

These eight teams are headed to the Big Easy to pitch their clean tech ideas to a panel of judges for a chance to win the $100k grand prize:

Congratulations to our finalists! Cheer on the teams at the competition, and join Secretary Granholm on Day 2, where the winners will be announced! 

Register today for the Small Business Forum and Expo to attend: https://www.energy.gov/osdbu/2023-small-business-forum-expo


Announcing EPIC Prize Round 2 Finalists!

April 17, 2023, 12:36 p.m. PDT by NREL Prize Administrator

Congratulations to the teams selected to move onto Phase 3 as EPIC Prize Round 2 finalists! These 10 incubators and accelerators will each be awarded $100,000 in cash prizes for implementing their high-impact ideas that are catalyzing place-based energy innovation. See below for the full list of finalist teams.

All Phase 2 participants will receive reviewers’ comments within the next few weeks. For those teams selected to move onto Phase 3, check your email for next steps. We will be sharing a registration link to the Phase 3 informational webinar soon. 

EPIC Prize Round 2 Finalists:

  • ADL Ventures (Charleston, WV)
  • Black and Veatch (Overland Park, KS)
  • Clean Energy Business Incubator Program (Stony Brook, NY)
  • VentureWell (Hadley, MA)
  • FORGE (Somerville, MA)
  • GPV Solutions (Austell, GA)
  • Positive Deviancy (Sterling, VA)
  • LabStart (Golden, CO)
  • REACH (Fort Collins, CO)
  • Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (Los Angeles, CA)

You can find more information about the prize, semifinalist teams, and the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Technology Transitions on energy.gov

Read the full press release on energy.gov. 

Congratulations again!


Forum8
Teams359
Entries
Resources
FAQ