DOE Opens Applications for Fellowship Connecting Entrepreneurs with National Laboratory Expertise

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC) today announced that applications are open for the 2027 cohort of the Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program (LEEP). LEEP provides innovators who have early-stage energy startups and/or emerging technologies with a two-year funded fellowship in one of four National Laboratories (“nodes”), supporting them as they develop and transition their ideas into the market. 

“LEEP has a proven track record of helping entrepreneurs turn promising technologies into successful companies,” said DOE Chief Commercialization Officer and Director of the OTC Anthony Pugliese. “Newly a part of OTC’s commercialization programs portfolio, we are building on that record of success and strengthening connections between innovators, the National Laboratories and the resources they need to move technologies toward the market.” 

LEEP was launched in 2015 and has since supported more than 200 startups, which have attracted more than $6 billion in follow-on funding and created nearly 4,000 jobs. 

Selected fellows receive a two-year funded fellowship and are embedded at one of four LEEP nodes: 

• Chain Reaction Innovations at Argonne National Laboratory in Lemont, Illinois 
• Cyclotron Road at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, California 
• Innovation Crossroads at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, Tennessee 
• West Gate at the National Laboratory of the Rockies in Golden, Colorado 

Through their fellowships, participants receive technical and entrepreneurial support while working to develop and commercialize technologies across areas aligned with DOE’s mission. Fellows also gain access to facilities and scientists, comprehensive training and mentoring to build a lasting business model, and connections to strong support ecosystems. The fellowship also offers a living stipend, travel allowance, and healthcare benefits. 

LEEP is designed for innovators and entrepreneurs with early-stage technologies who are ready to take their work toward commercialization. Applications to the 2027 LEEP cohort are open through October 30, 2026. To apply to be a fellow, visit the linked website of the node(s) you’re interested in the bulleted list above.  

For more information about the Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program, visit DOE's LEEP webpage. 

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.