After seven successful Countdown Contests starting in March 2021 and the ongoing Liftoff Contest, the Perovskite Startup Prize is officially closed.

Thank you to everyone who competed along the way. Your work is accelerating the growth of the U.S. perovskite industry and supporting the rapid development of solar cells and modules that use perovskite materials. 

Congratulations to the six finalists and one grand prize winner! Finalists each received $200,000 for building a perovskite-focused team, developing technical and business goals, and securing access to equipment and labs. The winner of the final phase, the Liftoff Contest, was awarded $500,000 plus a $100,000 technical support voucher for demonstrating substantial progress, undergoing technology validation, and solidifying a network of mentors and partners. Learn about the winning teams:  

Liftoff Winner:

  • Verde Technologies Inc. (Burlington, VT):  This team is working to demonstrate a high-performing single-junction perovskite device, with the goal of developing a flexible all-perovskite tandem module for the residential solar market.

Countdown Finalists: 

  • American Perovskites (San Jose, CA): This team’s innovation is industrial synthesis of a novel family of polymer hole transport materials with unbeatable reliability, optical properties, and cost.
  • Beyond Silicon (Tempe, AZ): This team is developing a perovskite-on-silicon tandem cell that has the potential to surpass the efficiency limit of standard silicon solar cells.
  • MujiElectric LLC (Renton, WA): This team’s innovation aims to produce and commercialize state-of-the-art high-efficiency perovskite solar cells.
  • Perotech Energy (Chapel Hill, NC): This team’s innovation is developing perovskite bifacial modules using high throughput and low-cost solution processes with high stability and energy yield.
  • SoFab Functionalized Inks (Louisville, KY): This team is developing high-performance inks to be used in perovskite devices.

If you’re attending RE+ in Anaheim, CA, this September, stop by the American-Made booth space! Say hi to the Verde Technologies team and learn more about their perovskite technology. They’ll be at booth #MM1226 in the Marriott Marquis ballroom.

Lastly, let’s stay in touch! Sign up for the American-Made newsletter to learn about future prize opportunities.