OTC is proud to celebrate the program’s 10-year anniversary and the completion of its 20th training cohort, which captures the program’s continued growth, measurable impact, and ongoing success.
Office of Technology Commercialization
June 16, 2025
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Over the past decade, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC) Energy I-Corps program has transformed how DOE researchers consider technology development—from discovery to deployment. What began in 2015 as a pilot training initiative is now a commercialization-driving force across DOE National Labs, plants, and sites.
OTC is proud to celebrate the program’s 10-year anniversary and the completion of its 20th training cohort, which captures the program’s continued growth, measurable impact, and ongoing success.
“For ten years, Energy I-Corps has helped DOE researchers sharpen their understanding of what the market needs and how their innovations can meet it,” said DOE Chief Commercialization Officer and Director of the OTC Anthony Pugliese. "It's not just a training - it's a mindset shift for the participating researchers, which positions DOE research and the people that power it to drive toward real-world outcomes."
Ten Years of Commercialization Leadership
Since its launch, Energy I-Corps has trained more than 540 DOE researchers and engaged over 260 industry mentors. Participants have conducted upwards of 18,500 stakeholder interviews, resulting in over 85 licenses and nearly $200 million in follow-on funding to date.
George Larsen, Principal Research Scientist at Savannah National Laboratory, and his team participated in Cohort 18. The team credits the Energy I-Corps program with sparking entrepreneurial thinking and inspiring future participation from lab colleagues.
“There’s so much to be leveraged from [Energy I-Corps] to make your research more impactful. It’s amazing to have an opportunity to look at out-of the-box applications to see how those might translate to real-world impact,” said Larsen.
In 2024, the program reached full participation across the DOE complex, with researchers from all DOE National Labs, plants, and sites now represented in at least one of the three topics offered by Energy I-Corps.
Progress in Action
Numerous teams continue to demonstrate Energy I-Corps lessons via lasting results:
- MemQ, is a quantum technology startup that received support from two DOE programs: Energy I-Corps and the Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program. Just like the internet revolutionized computing, memQ is working on developing the network infrastructure for quantum technologies. The startup closed out a $2.5M pre-seed round with private investors recently and employ eight staff. Learn more.
- Team Ultrasonic Technology Solutions (UTS) from Cohort 10 was able to refine its technology and overarching approach, ultimately launching a startup company and partnering with NASA. Learn more.
- Kyle Guin, CEO and co-founder of VastVision Technologies, has a unique distinction—he has participated in the Energy I-Corps program three times – twice while at the lab and once as part of industry. On his third go-round, he mentored a team AND successfully licensed the technology they developed at Sandia National Labs. Learn more.
These are just a few examples of how Energy I-Corps alumni are bringing DOE innovations into the hands of users, investors, and industry partners.
Looking Ahead
With 20 cohorts completed, Energy I-Corps is entering its second decade with more momentum than ever. With the support of DOE program offices and the National Nuclear Security Administration, the program will continue empowering researchers to explore market pathways, engage directly with stakeholders, and strengthen DOE’s impact beyond the lab.
As the program looks toward the next ten years, Energy I-Corps remains focused on preparing researchers to meet emerging market needs, strengthening connections with industry, and delivering greater returns on America’s investment in innovation.
Are you a researcher ready to take your technology to the next step? Keep an eye out for the next lab call and apply. Subscribe to OTC’s newsletter to be the first in the know of Energy I-Corps updates and more, including the upcoming 2025 annual report.