Energy I-Corps is a key initiative of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Technology Transitions (OTT) that provides meaningful real-world opportunities for the application of commercialization and entrepreneurial skills to DOE technologies. In 2022, OTT ushered two cohorts with 26 teams from ten National Labs through the immersive two-month training, as detailed in the Energy I-Corps annual report released in December 2022.
Now in its eighth year, Energy I-Corps offers on-the-job training that speeds the path to market for taxpayer-funded discoveries and further enables the private sector uptake of clean energy technologies. By supporting a clear path to commercialization, this program maximizes the public benefit not only of the entire National Laboratory complex, but for DOE as a whole.
In 2022, OTT deepened Energy I-Corps’ impact by replicating its success through offshoot programs for college students and a broader set of National Lab researchers. Through these efforts, OTT is opening doors of opportunity by investing in real-time, applicable training that will build a skilled, diverse workforce and spur green collar careers for years to come.
Public investments in research and innovation power the private engine of the American economy. With the activities of OTT’s Energy I-Corps, the National Lab community has increased capacity to ensure that research can have impact on our innovators, in our economy, and ultimately, for the public good.
Since 2015, Energy I-Corps technologies have collectively attracted more than $150 million in post-program funding. As of the end of the 15th training session in the fall of 2022, teams have collectively worked with more than 190 industry mentors and conducted more than 13,600 discovery interviews to determine the commercial impact of their technologies.
Delve into all of Energy I-Corps’ accomplishments over the past year and discover where the program aims to go in the future.