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Energy Program for Innovation Clusters (EPIC) Prize Round 3

The Office of Technology Transitions EPIC Round 3 incentivizes incubators that implement high-impact ideas to support energy startups.

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Energy, Environment & Resources Government
stage:
Judging Closed
prize:
$4,000,000

This challenge is closed

Energy, Environment & Resources Government
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Overview

EPIC Round 3 

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Technology Transitions (OTT), EPIC Round 3 is a $4 million competitive funding program for the nation’s most innovative incubators supporting energy startups. EPIC Round 3 awards cash prizes and a three-year cooperative agreement to regional incubator teams that submit the most creative and impactful plans, then implement those plans to develop strong programming, connections, and support for energy startups and entrepreneurs. 

Technology startups require more than capital to launch, grow, and scale their innovations. Incubators provide the mentorship, technology validation, business development, connections to manufacturers, and other resources that are critical to a startup’s success. The prize seeks to address a capital gap in supporting these incubators by providing both short-term financial gains through a prize competition and a multi-year, stable funding program to be applied where domestic incubators need it most. 

The new approach to EPIC—combining a prize competition with a cooperative agreement negotiation with OTT—encourages bold and impactful ideas, while providing incubators with the long-term funding needed to scale those ideas. Together with OTT and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, who manages EPIC Round 3, these incubators will strengthen the small business ecosystem in the United States and advance our clean energy future.  

Program Structure

EPIC Round 3 is composed of three phases to support energy incubators and accelerators: 

Phase 1: Competitors will create a plan to support energy startups and entrepreneurs and define their metrics for success. Up to 20 competitors will win $150,000 each. 

Phase 2: Phase 1 finalists will begin to implement their novel programming and create a continuation plan worthy of selection for a cooperative agreement. Select Phase 2 winners will then be invited to negotiate a cooperative agreement with OTT worth up to $1 million. 

Phase 3: Winning teams will negotiate their three-year cooperative agreement with OTT. 

Phase 2 will include two pitch competitions in which all past and present EPIC incubators can nominate energy startups for a chance to win the $100,000 grand prize. 

Competitor Eligibility

OTT welcomes incubator organizations that aid in the development of new business ventures, including incubators, accelerators, co-working startup communities, or any other organizations that self-identify as advocates for innovation and entrepreneurship. We encourage these organizations, including organizations that have competed in prior rounds of the EPIC Prize, to compete in EPIC Round 3. 

This funding program is open to private entities (for-profits and nonprofits) and academic institutions that meet all eligibility requirements.  

  • Private entities must be incorporated in and maintain a primary place of business in the United States. 
  • Programming proposed by incubators must have an emphasis on supporting startups with a hard-tech focus.  
  • While National Laboratories are not eligible to compete, they may support teams in the competition if they are engaging the teams in compliance with lab partnership requirements.  

For more eligibility information, review the official prize rules.

Guidelines

Please review the official rules for the complete application process and instructions for competing. 

If you want to receive updates on the prize or have any questions, please subscribe by using the contact feature on the HeroX platform, or message us directly at epicprize@nrel.gov. 

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Timeline
Updates18

Challenge Updates

Phase 2 Submission Deadline Sept 30

Sept. 24, 2024, 9:20 a.m. PDT by NREL Prize Administrator

The second phase of the EPIC Round 3 Prize is closing this Monday, Sept. 30 at 5 p.m. ET! Phase 2 competitors, all of whom must be Phase 1 winners, will need to submit their submission materials by this date.

 

Remember – Teams can find the Phase 2 submission requirements in the Official Prize Rules and optional templates to help craft their Phase 2 submissions under the Prize "Resources" tab.

 

Phase 2 competition results are anticipated to be announced in early November, and winning teams will be offered the chance to negotiate a three-year cooperative agreement with the Office of Technology Transitions (OTT)!

 

We look forward to seeing the progress our Phase 1 winners have made. Good luck to the competitors!

Winners Announced Live at Fall 2024 EPIC Pitch Competition

Sept. 11, 2024, 6:01 p.m. PDT by NREL Prize Administrator

Three startups and have been named winners in the Fall 2024 EPIC Pitch Competition! More than $100,000 in cash prizes were awarded after startups pitched their groundbreaking energy technologies to a crowd of professionals and panel of experts at the RE+ Convention in Anaheim, CA. 

 

The six finalists presented their technology, market strategy, business model, and team as reviewers scored their presentation skills, content, and investment potential. Winning teams were then selected before being announced in front of a live audience at the conference.  

 

Read the full announcement on energy.gov.  
 
Meet the Fall 2024 EPIC Pitch Competition Winners 

  • First Place - $50,000: Safire Technology Group, Inc. (Knoxville, TN)
  • Second Place - $20,000: Helix Earth Technologies (Houston, TX)
  • Third Place - $10,000: AtmosZero, Inc. (Fort Collins, CO) 

  First Place Nominating Incubator - $25,000: Spark Innovation Center

 

The prize team would like to thank and recognize all of the competition finalists for presenting their innovative technologies that are driving our nation’s sustainability efforts forward. Stay tuned for news on future EPIC opportunities!     

Announcing the Finalists for the Fall 2024 EPIC Pitch Competition in Anaheim!

Aug. 1, 2024, 12:42 p.m. PDT by NREL Prize Moderator

Six cleantech startups nominated by past EPIC winners have been selected as finalists to compete in the upcoming Fall 2024 EPIC Startup Pitch Competition in Anaheim, CA! These teams will pitch theirideas on September 11 at the national RE+ Energy Conference – the largest clean-tech conference in North America - in the hopes of capturing the $50,000 grand prize! Winners will be announced live at the conference on the same day. 

Congratulations and good luck to the finalists: 

We look forward to seeing which innovative team will take home the top prize. 

Good luck, finalists! 

EPIC Prize Official Rules - Now Updated!

June 17, 2024, 12:24 p.m. PDT by NREL Prize Moderator

 The official rules now include cash prize and event details for OTT's- Fall 2024 EPIC Pitch Competition!    
You can access the updated rules here and on the 'resources' tab on the prize page! 

Announcing Winners of the Summer 2024 EPIC Pitch Competition

June 5, 2024, 11:41 a.m. PDT by NREL Prize Administrator

The winners of the first 2024 EPIC Pitch Competition have been announced! 

Hosted at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Small Business Forum & Expo in Minneapolis, six startups took to the stage to pitch their clean energy technologies to industry experts and a diverse audience of investors, government officials, National Labs, and small businesses.

Four winning startups won more than $160,000 in total for their presentations on groundbreaking technologies and market strategies. 

Competing startups were nominated by incubators who have successfully participated in the EPIC program, and the incubator that nominated the first-place winner was awarded $25,000. 

Congratulations to the winners!

 

Summer 2024 EPIC Pitch Competition Winners: 

First Place: Hertha Metals (Conroe, TX) - Hertha Metals is at the forefront of environmentally responsible steel. Their technology reduces steelmaking process emissions by 95% with advanced solutions using existing infrastructure for a scalable economy. Hertha Metals technology offers affordable green steel for a low-carbon future via a process accessible to all without a premium price tag. Hertha Metals won $100,000. 

  • Nominating Incubator: Greentown Labs Houston won $25,000 for nominating the first-place startup, Hertha Metals. 

Second Place: Sensatek Propulsion Technology, Inc. (Daytona Beach, FL) - Sensatek Propulsion is commercializing a technology that makes wind energy systems more cost-competitive and resilient using video images with pixel vibration sensors. The technology incorporates video cameras, software, and algorithms to eliminate drone inspections, mitigate blade failures, and increase turbine uptime. Sensatek Propulsion Technology, Inc. won $40,000. 

Third Place: Torev Motors (Arlington, VA) - Torev Motors is a next-generation electric motor capable of increasing electric vehicle (EV) range while cutting rare earth content in half. Designed for the electric vehicle (EV) transportation space, Torev’s next generation motor uses a revolutionary, patented double axial flux motor, which reduces the use of rare earth metals and improves vehicle efficiency and performance. Torev Motors won $20,000.

Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Prize: NitroCat Energies (Fort Collins, CO) - is a clean chemical manufacturer focusing on decarbonizing the fertilizer industry. Their proprietary technology converts nitrogen feedstock into ammonia and urea fertilizer while capturing carbon and creating valuable chemicals. This process avoids energy-intensive industrial production methods while increasing efficiency, scalability, and environmental sustainability. NitroCat Energies won $5,000. 

At the event, DOE also announced the Fall 2024 EPIC Pitch Competition happening this September in Anaheim, CA. More details will be shared on HeroX soon! 

 

Read the full announcement on energy.gov.

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