Energy I-Corps Spring 2026 Lab Call Offers Intensive Commercialization Training, Support for Training Program Development, and Funding to Boost Successful Deployment of DOE Technologies
Office of Technology Commercialization
September 11, 2025
minute read time
Washington, D.C. - The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC) today announced the spring 2026 round of the Energy I-Corps program. DOE National Laboratories, plants, and sites are invited to apply to receive commercialization training and support. The Energy I-Corps program consists of three topic areas aimed at boosting in-house commercialization knowledge and skills and driving DOE laboratory technologies into the private sector. See the official solicitation on OTC Exchange.
Energy I-Corps is a flagship program at OTC that has garnered involvement of 21 DOE program offices and has supported 13 National Labs, plants, and sites. This program has trained over 500 National Lab researchers in commercialization, and their technologies have collectively attracted more than $197 million in post program funding, with an average of $1.7 million per team. The impact extends far beyond program participants, as they bring their learnings back to their teams to inform a culture of market awareness and boost the viability of DOE technologies.
OTC expects to make awards to Topic 1 proposals and may make additional awards in other topics, pending FY26 appropriations. Additional funding may be available based on proposals’ alignment with non-OTC DOE program office and partner agency goals. Please note, OTC’s ability to publish an additional Energy I-Corps lab call within the next fiscal year is subject to FY2026 appropriations and Departmental priorities.
The following topic areas are now open for applications:
- Topic 1 - Pipeline Development: Topic 1 seeks proposals from DOE National Laboratories and DOE plants and sites for projects and programming that have the potential to directly increase participation in future Energy I-Corps Training Cohorts. Individual projects with a single DOE lab, plant, or site applicant will be considered up to a total of $100,000. Individual projects with at least three DOE labs, plants or sites applying together will be considered up to a total of $200,000.
- Topic 2 - Cohort 22: This topic seeks team applications to participate in Cohort 22. Selected teams of researchers will participate in an intensive two-month, curriculum-based program during which they will learn commercialization skills, interview at least 75 stakeholders, and develop a business model for the market’s adoption readiness of their lab technology. Each selected team will receive $100,000 to support their participation in the training.
- Topic 3 - Post Energy I-Corps: This topic is an opportunity to continue advancing promising Topic 2 technologies toward commercialization. The technology must 1) be from a DOE Laboratory, plant, or site AND 2) have gone through either an Energy I-Corps Training Cohort (Topic 2) or the U.S. National Science Foundation's Innovation Corps. Training Cohort graduates and non-graduates can apply to this topic. However, non-graduates are limited to individuals who are employed by or have a contractual relationship with a DOE National Lab, DOE plant or site (e.g. Technology Transfer Office personnel).
Submissions for all 3 topics are open through Friday, October 17, 2025, 3:00 PM (ET).
Submit questions to the following email: EnergyICorps@hq.doe.gov. DOE will not respond to questions about the solicitation except from eligible entities. Eligible entities are DOE’s National Laboratories, plants, and sites.
About the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Technology Commercialization
The Department of Energy (DOE) is one of the largest champions of technology transfer and commercialization in the federal government. Congress established the Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC) to advance this critical mission. By unlocking the tremendous potential within the Department and its 21 National Labs, plants and sites, and catalyzing private sector investment in novel technologies, OTC is driving innovation - and with it, American energy dominance and national security. Visit us at energy.gov/otc to learn more, and subscribe to receive our latest opportunities and accomplishments via email. Follow us on X and LinkedIn.