Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC) and the Foundation for Energy Security & Innovation (FESI) awarded $120,000 through the EPIC Pitch Competition, with $80,000 in cash prizes going to startups presenting bold energy technologies.
Office of Technology Commercialization
March 11, 2026
minute read time
Washington, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC) and the Foundation for Energy Security & Innovation (FESI) awarded $120,000 through the EPIC Pitch Competition, with $80,000 in cash prizes going to startups presenting bold energy technologies. The pitch competition is a key component of the Energy Program for Innovation Clusters (EPIC), which provides opportunities for the nation’s most innovative technology business incubators to continue their support of energy entrepreneurs.
Six startups gathered to compete on March 11 at the TechConnect World Innovation Conference and Expo in Raleigh, North Carolina. The competitors presented a variety of promising energy technologies and business strategies.
“The EPIC Pitch Competition gives startups from many sectors an opportunity to showcase how their technology could help enhance our nation’s energy resilience,” said DOE Chief Commercialization Officer and Director of OTC Anthony Pugliese. “The competition winners have great potential to advance their ideas through private sector partnerships and contribute to the future of American energy.”
Incubators who have previously been awarded through OTC’s EPIC nominated the competing startups. Many impressive startups were nominated, and six were selected as finalists to pitch their technologies at TechConnect World.
During the pitch event, finalists presented to a room full of attendees and a panel of reviewers, showcasing their technology, market opportunity and strategy, business model, and team members. Reviewers deliberated each competitor based on investment potential, technological innovation, and presentation skills before selecting the top three teams. Winners were announced by DOE and FESI leadership to a live audience at the conference.
Meet the Winners
Congratulations to the EPIC Pitch Competition winners:
First Place ($50,000): Eden GeoPower Inc. (Somerville, MA) — Building breakthrough technology that uses electrical energy to open natural pathways in deep rock, making it easier and more affordable to tap subsurface resources.
Second Place ($20,000): Lukera Energy Corporation (Carrboro, NC) — Producing methanol from waste gas and salt water in a simple one-step process, delivering a low-cost, energy-efficient fuel and chemical supply.
Third Place ($10,000): Modal Motors, Inc. (Farmington Hills, MI) — Manufacturing non-rare-earth U.S.-made electric motors that outperform foreign rare-earth motors and cost less to produce.
Incubator Awards
The incubator that nominated the first-place startup received a cash prize from the EPIC Pitch Competition prize pool to continue supporting energy entrepreneurship. Cash prizes were also awarded by FESI to the nominating incubators of the second- and third-place winners for demonstrating how their efforts can help strengthen our domestic energy resilience.
“Incubators play a key role in commercializing technologies critical to American energy security and resilience,” said Rick Stockburger, CEO of FESI. “As the congressionally chartered partner of DOE, FESI is uniquely able to strengthen regional innovation networks and accelerate the speed and scale of American technology development.”
First Place Nominating Incubator ($25,000 from EPIC): Greentown Labs
Second Place Nominating Incubator ($10,000 from FESI): LabStart
Third Place Nominating Incubator ($5,000 from FESI): Centrepolis Accelerator
Other Featured Startups
The three startups below also presented technologies that are expanding U.S. energy innovation. Congratulations to these startups for competing as finalists in the competition:
CurrentEdge Power Semiconductor LLC (Stony Brook, NY) — Reimagining the power grid with integrated converter blocks, enabling a more connected, efficient, and resilient energy future.
Found Industries (Boston, MA) — Creating best-in-class electrofuels that leapfrog the grid to bring inexhaustible energy to heavy industry.
Sensible Photonics, Inc. (Pittsburgh, PA) — Strengthening grid reliability and security through advanced transformer health monitoring in real time, enabling early disruption detection.
The TechConnect World event also included timely workshops, discussion panels, and networking events that gave EPIC competitors opportunities to build their industry knowledge and make critical connections. Impactful remarks were delivered by DOE Chief Commercialization Officer and OTC Director Anthony Pugliese as part of the keynote address, and by CEO of FESI Rick Stockburger ahead of the pitch competition award ceremony.
After the pitch competition award ceremony, winners and competitors gathered for a celebratory photo and networking session with DOE, OTC, FESI, and American-Made program representatives.
Learn More
The American-Made program fast-tracks energy innovation. Powered by the U.S. Department of Energy and administered by the National Laboratory of the Rockies, American-Made transforms innovative ideas into real energy solutions through prizes, collegiate competitions, technical assistance vouchers, and opportunities to work with a network of experts.
OTC’s EPIC program provides funds and support to place-based incubators to encourage the robust growth of regional energy innovation ecosystems across the United States. Email epicprize@nlr.gov with questions.
DOE is one of the largest champions of technology transfer and commercialization in the federal government. Congress established OTC to advance this critical mission. By unlocking the tremendous potential within the Department and its 21 National Laboratories, 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 energy.gov/otc to learn more, and subscribe to receive the latest opportunities and accomplishments via email. Follow OTC on X and LinkedIn.
The Foundation for Energy Security & Innovation (FESI) was created to help accelerate innovative solutions in support of American energy security, prosperity, and leadership. It is the official congressionally chartered, nonprofit partner of the DOE and an independent, nonpartisan organization. Founded in 2022 under the CHIPS and Science Act, FESI is uniquely positioned to serve as a bridge between the DOE, industry, researchers and funders helping to accelerate the speed, scale, and stability of American energy innovation. Learn more at fesi.org.
Media Contacts
otc@hq.doe.gov