Overview
The Small Business Investment Company-Energy (SBIC-E) Initiative encourages greater private capital investment in technologies critical to American energy production, advanced manufacturing, supply chain resilience, and national and economic security. Established through a Memorandum of Agreement between U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) in August 2026, the SBIC-E Initiative combines DOE’s scientific, technical, and commercialization expertise with SBA’s long-established Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) Program. Through DOE’s Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC), the Department will identify strategic technology priorities, provide technical and commercialization expertise, and help engage the investment community. The SBA Office of Investment and Innovation will administer the initiative and encourage the formation and growth of investment funds focused on those priorities.
The SBIC Program provides SBA-backed financing to licensed private investment funds, increasing the capital to invest in qualifying U.S. small businesses. Funds participating in the SBIC-E Initiative will commit to directing a significant portion of their investments toward DOE priority technology areas, helping expand access to private capital for companies developing technologies essential to America’s energy production, economic competitiveness, and national and economic security.
Initial Priority Areas
Initial investment priorities for the SBIC-E Initiative include technologies supporting:
The initiative also supports investment opportunities involving companies participating in DOE’s commercialization and innovation ecosystem, including the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) programs, ARPA-E, the Technology Commercialization Fund, and companies commercializing technologies developed through the Department’s National Laboratories.
Stay Connected
DOE and SBA will continue engaging with investors, entrepreneurs, and commercialization partners as the initiative develops. Additional information about investment priorities, participation opportunities, and future engagement activities will be updated on this webpage. Sign up to receive email updates and notifications about OTC's latest funding opportunities and program updates.