Solar Prize Round 8

Are you ready to make your impact in the solar industry? Since 2018, the American-Made Solar Prize has awarded nearly $30 million in cash prizes and technical support to help competitors bring their innovative technologies to the solar marketplace. 

Entrepreneurs compete in three phases over the course of one year to advance their idea toward market-readiness. Many competitors have gone on to create their own businesses, making solar more affordable, accessible, and reliable in communities across the United States. 

Check out our latest video to learn more about how the Solar Prize works and how it supports solar startups.

Did you know there’s a list of other Solar Prize video resources on HeroX? See the new Video Resources page for webinar recordings, winner highlights, and advice from Solar Prize alumni.

The Solar Prize is your fast track to entrepreneurship, innovation, and impact. Apply to Round 8 by Sept. 26 to join the next cohort of competitors! 

Through the first seven rounds of the Solar Prize, 160 teams have won $22.6 million in contest cash prizes, $6.4 million in technical support vouchers, and $800,000 in bonus cash prizes for the JEDI and Power Up Contests. That means Round 8 competitors have an abundance of winning teams to learn from as you search for inspiration and insider tips for submitting a successful application! 

The two grand prize winners of Round 6, announced in September 2023, demonstrate how both innovative software and hardware solutions can excel in the Solar Prize. Check them out:

• Solar Prize Round 6 Winner: Latimer Controls is developing an intelligent control software that enables utility-scale photovoltaics to provide power reliably and on demand. 

• Solar Prize Round 6 Winner: ReJoule is converting decommissioned electric vehicle batteries into solar storage and deploying it in critical infrastructure. ReJoule was also named the Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Contest winner for their focus on advancing solar in underserved communities. 

And the entrepreneurial process doesn’t stop once we cut the big checks. Check out what other previous winners are up to and see how their work has progressed since competing in the Solar Prize. Round 8 is your opportunity to follow in their footsteps and leverage the Solar Prize to help take your idea to commercialization! 

Visit the American-Made YouTube Channel and HeroX Video Resources page for additional inspiration and educational videos.

The Solar Prize aims to accelerate the entrepreneurial process in order to fast-track the introduction of new, innovative solutions to the solar marketplace. To achieve this goal, the prize requires competitors to demonstrate the commercial viability of their innovation. So, what does that mean for you?

Commercialization is the process of turning a research-based idea into a market-ready solution, and Solar Prize competitors must show that their solution can be commercialized and achieve market entry within the next 3 to 5 years. The Ready! Set!, and Go! Contests are designed to help you advance your solar technology through the early phases of the commercialization process:

• The Ready! Contest supports the research and development phase. Competitors identify an impactful idea or solution addressing a critical need in the solar industry, and that idea has the potential to be in the solar marketplace within 3 to 5 years.
• The Set! Contest enables competitors to work to advance their technology solution toward a viable and promising proof of concept.
• The Go! Contest helps competitors substantially advance their solution from proof of concept to a refined prototype and find a partner to perform a pilot test of the prototype.

Later phases of the commercialization process include steps related to testing and optimization; mass production scale-up and manufacturing; regulatory approvals; market analysis and strategy; and launch and distribution. These phases would be completed by teams after the conclusion of the Solar Prize but are still included in the 3-to-5-year commercialization timeline. 

For the purposes of entering the Solar Prize, your submission should demonstrate that your idea can complete the full commercialization process (through launch and distribution) in 3 to 5 years. Still have questions? Reach out to a Power Connector to help you plan for commercialization.

The submission deadline is approaching – remember to apply for Solar Prize Round 8 by Sept. 26!

With more than 475 organizations in the American-Made Network, you should never feel alone while developing your application and competing in the Solar Prize. This robust network is comprised of national labs, incubators, investors, facilities, and seasoned industry mentors who are eager to support competitors like you on your innovation journeys.

The American-Made Network provides resources and builds connections that enhance, accelerate, and amplify competitors’ efforts. While Solar Prize competitors are encouraged to leverage our Power Connectors for complimentary submission support, the larger American-Made Network also includes diverse entities that can provide specific resources, technical insight, business development expertise, product validation, and other support throughout the competition.

Learn more about the American-Made Network and explore organizations ready to partner with you.

Our goal is to link participants with the people, resources, financing, perspectives, and industry expertise necessary for long-term success. In addition to application support, competitors can tap into the growing American-Made Network to gain momentum during the competition and continue developing your innovation beyond the Solar Prize. Join and connect with network members to find the support you need! 

Are you attending RE+ this September? This four-day event is the largest renewable energy conference in North America, and the American-Made team will be on site to talk about upcoming prizes and share insights during educational sessions. Come visit our booth to ask questions about the Solar Prize, network with energy industry professionals, and see the live Solar Prize Round 7 finale!

RE+ participants are encouraged to attend Solar Prize Round 7 Go! Demo Day on Sept. 10 to see firsthand what kind of innovations are coming out of this competition. Ten teams will take the stage to pitch their creative solar solutions in front of a live audience! Then, expert reviewers will crown two winning teams who will each receive $500,000 in cash prizes and $75,000 in vouchers. If you’re gearing up to submit your application for Solar Prize Round 8, you won’t want to miss this opportunity to watch competitors in action and experience what it takes to excel in the Solar Prize.

Plus, make sure to check out the other American-Made events at RE+ 24, including: 

• Tuesday, September 10
  • 1:30–2 p.m., Innovation Stage: How to Get $100,000 to Develop Your Ideas at a National Laboratory
  • 4–6 p.m., Industry Trend Stage: Solar Prize Round 7 Go! Demo Day
• Wednesday, Sept. 11
  • 9:30–10 a.m., Innovation Stage: Find Your Funding Fairy Godmother
  • 11 a.m.–12 p.m., Innovation Stage: EPIC Pitch Competition
  • 12:30–1:30 p.m., Innovation Stage: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) Awardee Showcase
  • 4–4:30 p.m., Innovation Stage: EPIC Pitch Competition Winner Announcement

We hope to see you there! Learn more about the American-Made program at RE+.