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Challenge Overview
The Storage Design Strategies to Ease Production (STEP) Prize is a $500,000 two-phase competition explicitly designed to identify and foster innovative solutions for novel energy storage technologies. This prize targets a broad spectrum of innovators, including individuals, academic institutions, nonfederal government entities, small businesses, start-ups, entrepreneurs, and other inventors working on nascent or emerging energy storage innovations.
The Storage Design STEP Prize directly addresses historical challenges experienced by energy technologies during rapid scaling and market penetration, particularly those stemming from insufficient early-stage focus on manufacturability and supply chain resilience. By guiding competitors to integrate these critical considerations earlier in their design process, the prize aims to equip developers with the tools to mitigate future market deployment and adoption challenges, thereby accelerating the commercialization of robust, resilient, and economically viable next-generation energy storage solutions for the grid.
Background
The rapid expansion of the energy storage sector is critical for grid modernization and energy security. However, historically, the scaling and market integration of novel energy technologies have encountered significant roadblocks due to insufficient attention to manufacturability and supply chain resilience during early design phases. This persistent challenge often leads to inflated production costs, delayed market entry, and unsustainable dependencies. Recognizing this critical gap, the Storage Design STEP Prize is specifically structured to incentivize and guide innovators in integrating Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and robust supply chain strategies from the earliest stages of development, thereby de-risking nascent energy storage technologies and accelerating their path to commercially viable, resilient, and scalable deployment essential for national energy goals.
Prize Phases and Awards
The Storage Design STEP Prize employs a two-phase structure to incentivize innovators to integrate robust manufacturability and supply chain strategies directly into the design of novel energy storage technologies.
The first phase of the prize encourages competitors to identify and conceptualize solutions for known or anticipated production challenges specific to their innovative energy storage designs. Historical experiences from more mature energy storage technologies, where a lack of early consideration for manufacturing and supply chain logistics has often led to significant market deployment hurdles are useful examples. By focusing on these challenges at the design stage, the prize aims to prevent similar issues for next-generation storage solutions.
The winning design concepts from the initial phase will be eligible for the second phase. This phase will recognize competitors who have further developed and validated their Phase 1 winning solutions, demonstrating their potential to overcome manufacturing and supply chain barriers. This structure supports the DOE's broader objective of accelerating the commercialization of diverse energy storage technologies to enhance grid resilience and bolster domestic manufacturing capabilities.
Phase 1 Awards
In Phase 1, up to three Phase 1 Champions will receive $20,000 each in cash prizes and up to nine Phase 1 Finalists will receive $10,000 each in cash prizes. Additionally, all Phase 1 winners achieve eligibility to compete in Phase 2, provided that all other eligibility requirements are also met.
Phase 2 Awards
In Phase 2, up to two Phase 2 Champions will receive $100,000 each in cash prizes and up to three Phase 2 Finalists will receive $50,000 each in cash prizes.
Phase
Winners/Winning Teams
Prizes
Phase 1
Up to three (3) Phase 1 Champions
Up to $20,000 each ($60,000 total prize pool)
Up to nine (9) Phase 1 Finalists
Up to $10,000 each ($90,000 total prize pool)
Phase 2
Up to two (2) Phase 2 Champions
Up to $100,000 each ($200,000 total prize pool)
Up to three (3) Phase 2 Finalists
Up to $50,000 each ($150,000 total prize pool)
Guidelines
Please review the official rules for the complete application process and instructions for competing, including descriptions of solutions of interest and example energy storage technologies.
If you want to receive updates on the prize or have any questions, please subscribe by using the follow feature on the HeroX platform or message us directly at storageSTEPprize@nlr.gov.
Today, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Electricity launched the Design Strategies to Ease Production (STEP) Prize, a $500,000, two-phase competition designed to accelerate the development of novel energy storage technologies.
The prize will guide innovators to integrate manufacturability and supply chain resilience principles early in the technology development process, resulting in more affordable and secure next-generation energy storage technologies for the grid. Ultimately, these technologies will help create a more modern, reliable, and cost-effective energy system for all Americans.
The Storage Design STEP Prize aims to help innovators overcome persistent barriers that have historically slowed or prevented the commercialization of emerging energy storage technologies, particularly challenges stemming from insufficient early consideration of manufacturability, material sourcing, and supply chain vulnerabilities. By proactively addressing these issues at the design stage, competitors can reduce future production risks, avoid costly redesigns, and accelerate market readiness.
Phase 1 is open to competitors who are addressing manufacturing and supply chain challenges related to energy storage technologies. This stage will recognize up to three Champions, each awarded $20,000, and nine Finalists, each receiving $10,000.
Phase 1 of the Storage Design STEP Prize closes on October 8, 2026 at 5 p.m. ET.
