EnergyTech University Prize

Welcome to the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Technology Commercialization’s American-Made EnergyTech University Prize (EnergyTech UP)! In EnergyTech UP, student teams will compete for more than $460,000 in cash prizes for successfully identifying a promising energy technology, assessing its market potential, and creating a business plan for commercialization.

Follow this link for more details on the program and how you can apply!

About the Prize

EnergyTech UP aims to cultivate the next generation of energy innovators while accelerating the transfer of energy technologies to market. The prize seeks to attract the talented students of today and help them develop into the engineers, policymakers, entrepreneurs, market analysts, and project developers of tomorrow. Multidisciplinary student teams develop and present a business plan that leverages National Laboratory-developed or other high-potential energy technologies, including university-developed technologies or other technologies of interest to student competitors.  

This prize is sponsored by the Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC) at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), as well as several other program offices. EnergyTech UP, in partnership with American-Made Challenges, is designed to be approachable, fair, and scalable nationwide. Winners will be chosen based on the strength of their business proposals. Students interested in participating in this prize will be provided with a curated list of National Lab technologies that are ready for commercialization and that can be used for their business plan.

Prize Structure for Student Competitors

Student teams compete for more than $460,000 in cash prizes as they explore business opportunities for lab-developed or other high-potential energy technologies, assess commercialization opportunities through market analysis, and present a viable business plan to industry judges. Throughout the competition, they receive mentorship and materials to help them succeed.

Competitor teams first compete at the regional level, submitting recorded pitches in April, before regional finalists are identified. Teams that are invited to participate in the regional events receive free access to OTCs Energy I-Corps curriculum. Finalists are provided exclusive mentorship to help students refine their ideas throughout the coming months. Finally, the finalists pitch their complete business plan as part of a national event in summer 2025 (expected).