Solar Prize Round 6

Two more teams can add “Solar Prize Winner” to their accolades after pitching winning concepts and taking home cash prizes during Go! Demo Day on Sept. 12!

During this final contest of the prize, teams worked on developing and testing their product or prototype, building their network, and making a long-term plan for the success of their concept. The two teams who most successfully demonstrated their progress—and received $500,000 cash—are as follows:

• ReJoule (Signal Hill, CA): This team is developing a fast, new method for testing the health of decommissioned electric vehicle (EV) batteries and using these batteries to develop an integrated solution for storing solar power and dispatching it at peak hours. This allows for fast screening of used batteries and certification for use in grid scale storage of solar energy.
• Latimer Controls (Boulder, CO): This team is developing an intelligent control software that enables utility-scale PV to provide power reliably and on demand. This will replace grid reliance on fossil fuels, drive higher profitability for PV operators, and generate revenue increases for solar asset owners with low capital cost.

The teams also received $75,000 in technical support vouchers to help the team bring their concept to fruition. The pitch showcase and winner announcement took place during the RE+ Conference in Las Vegas.

In addition to the grand prize, ReJoule, was also awarded $50,000 for their winning submission to the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Contest, which focuses on advancing solar in underserved communities. They are the first Solar Prize team to win both the grand prize and the JEDI Contest prize. 

Congratulations to everyone who participated in Round 6 and contributed their innovative ideas for energizing solar innovation! Don’t forget, Round 7 is open and accepting submissions now through Sept. 27. We highly encourage Solar Prize newcomers and alumni to apply! 

Tune in to our livestream tonight as the Solar Prize finalists compete for the grand prize at RE+, with two teams taking home $500,000 each! Plus, up to two teams can walk away with additional cash prizes in the optional Justice Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Contest! 

If you’re at RE+, make sure you join the Solar Prize Round 6 Go! Demo Day, taking place today, Sept. 12, at 4 p.m. PT at the Innovation Stage. You’ll get a front row seat as the 10 finalists present their innovative technologies—then hear who takes home $500,000!

Not at the conference? Tune in to the American-Made Twitter account tonight for a livestream of the 2-hour event, including pitches, guest speakers, and the grand prize winner announcement. 

We hope you join us for this exciting event and find an opportunity to connect with the American-Made team during the conference. Good luck, finalists!

Headed to RE+ in Las Vegas? There are so many great ways to connect with the American-Made team during the conference! 

View the full schedule and mark your calendars for these interesting and informative events and networking opportunities. 

Monday, Sept. 11

• American-Made Mixer Hosted by University of Arizona Center for Innovation
  5:30–7:30 p.m. | The Oak Room Whiskey and Tequila Bar (Venetian Hotel)
  Join us for an opportunity to mix and mingle with UACI staff as well as American-Made network members and team members, and past and present prize competitors. Light appetizers and cash bar will be provided; please RSVP if you’d like to join this free event!

Tuesday, Sept. 12 

• Booth Pop-Up: Community Solar Prizes & Opportunities
  1–2 p.m. | Booth #18028
  Hear about the array of American-Made community solar prizes open for submissions, and learn more about how to find resources, support, and additional funding for your community solar initiatives. 
   
• Booth Pop-Up: Solar Prize Power Connectors 
  2–3 p.m. | Booth #18028
  Applying for Solar Prize Round 7? Join the American-Made team, VentureWell, and University of Arizona Center for Innovation to learn how Power Connectors can provide resources and feedback to help your application stand out.
   
• Solar Prize Round 6 Go! Demo Day & Winner Announcement
  4–6 p.m. | Innovation Stage
  Come see the nation’s top solar innovators take the stage to pitch their solutions to the industry’s top challenges, then stick around to find out who wins the $500,000 prize!

Wednesday, Sept. 13

• Panel: Increasing Renewable Energy Workforce Development in Underserved Communities
  9:30–10:30 a.m. | Innovation Stage
  Listen in on this engaging discussion, featuring members from a diverse pool of government and industry organizations, to learn about workforce development strategies, priorities, and how we can strengthen our energy workforce by bringing in more diverse experiences and perspectives.
   
• QuickTalk: How Your Startup Can Win Big
  11–11:30 a.m. | Innovation Stage
  Stop by to learn how the American-Made program can help take your startup to the next level with no-strings-attached funding for your energy innovation. 
   
• Booth Pop-Up: American-Made Network
  1–2 p.m. | Booth #18028
  The American-Made Network is made up of more than 400 organizations that offer help to prize competitors and startups. Come learn how to use the Network to find support for your startup—or consider joining the Network to help solve some of the nation’s leading energy challenges! 
   
• American-Made Innovators Coffee Chat with ADL Ventures 
  3:30–4:30 p.m. | Booth #18028
  Join Connector ADL Ventures for an opportunity to chat with other industry leaders and professionals about upcoming prizes and competitions, hear about other opportunities to connect with investors, and enjoy light refreshments! 

The finale of the Solar Prize Round 6 will once again be hosted at the RE+ Conference, taking place Sept. 11–14 in Las Vegas.

Conference attendees are invited to join the American-Made team for the Solar Prize Round 6 Go! Demo Day on Sept. 12 at 4 p.m. PT. The 10 finalist teams will be presenting their game-changing solar technologies to a panel of industry reviewers, who will then announce the prize’s two winning teams—and award them $500,000 each! Any winners of the optional Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Contest will also be awarded their share of an additional $50,000 prize pool.

The American-Made team will also host educational sessions throughout RE+, including: 

• Panel: Increasing Renewable Energy Workforce Development in Underserved Communities
• Quicktalk: How Your Startup Can Win Big
• Booth takeovers throughout the conference from collegiate competitions, Power Connectors, the VELOCITI voucher program, and more at the American-Made booth

We hope you can join us for the exciting conclusion to Solar Prize Round 6 at RE+. Register for the conference now if you haven’t already!

RE+, the nation’s largest conference for renewable energy professionals, will play host to the Solar Prize Round 6 Go! Demo Day, where finalists will present pitches and winners will be announced. 

The conference, which is taking place Sept. 11–14 in Las Vegas, offers attendees the opportunity to make valuable connections with industry peers, and the American-Made team will be on hand throughout the conference to talk about opportunities to get involved in prizes and beyond. Learn more about ways to connect with the American-Made program, including Solar Prize alumni and Round 6 finalists, at RE+. 

Conference attendees are also invited to take a front row seat at the Solar Prize Go! Demo Day, taking place Sept. 12 at 4 p.m. PT. The prize’s 10 finalists will present their game-changing solar innovations to a panel of industry judges, after which two teams will be named winners and awarded $500,000, and additional prizes in the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Contest! It’s a great opportunity to hear about competitors’ innovative technologies first hand. 

Register for RE+ now to network with energy industry professionals and see the live Solar Prize Round 6 finale. We hope to see you there!