Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program

LEEP’s mission is to enable the most promising cleantech entrepreneurs to develop game-changing technologies. These innovators are our clean energy future. New innovations, derived from investments in basic and applied energy research at universities and national labs, are critical to building and scaling America’s clean energy economy.

Calling all dreamers with great clean tech-related ideas who are ready to take their technologies from concept to commercialization! This program was designed for early-stage small-business owners and entrepreneurs whose startups will benefit the American economy and transform clean energy at a global level, if given the chance.

To be eligible to apply for LEEP, you must:

• Have a technical degree.* 
• Have at least four or five years of technology R&D experience.* 
• Be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident at time of application and maintain legally authorization to work in the U.S. for the full duration of the two-year fellowship.
• Be willing to work on your project full-time and forfeit other primary employment during your fellowship.
• Not be currently enrolled in a Ph.D. or post-doctoral program at the start of the fellowship.
• Be willing and able to relocate to the metropolitan area of the national lab where you have been accepted.
• Reside in local proximity to the national lab for the full duration of the fellowship.
• Be a novice or first-time technical founder and not a serial entrepreneur.
• Apply as an individual; Group applications on behalf of a company or team are not supported.

*Specific eligibility requirements differ between the four LEEP nodes. Please refer to the specific webpage of each node for a full list of eligibility requirements and for differences therein.

LEEP's four programs or “nodes” offer participants direct access to the facilities of one of four national laboratories, along with the opportunity to work alongside scientists within those labs, while they work to develop their technological startups. 

Participants receive funding from the DOE to address innovations in the following areas:

• Advanced materials
• Improving manufacturing efficiency
• Industrial decarbonization
• Lowering building carbon and energy footprints
• Solar energy
• Quantum computing
• Energy storage and the electric grid
• Circularity (Re-X pathways; circular economy; life cycle analysis)
• Food, water, energy nexus
• Carbon dioxide removal (CDR)
• Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS)
• Other technologies that further the DOE’s mission of ensuring America’s security and prosperity by addressing its energy, environmental, and nuclear challenges.

Fellows receive:

• A paid personal living stipend for the full two-year duration of the program.
• Healthcare benefits and insurance coverage.
• A yearly travel allowance for LEEP-related purposes.
• Access to equipment and scientists at one of four national laboratories.
• Grant funding to use on collaborative R&D within the national lab where they are placed.
• Comprehensive mentoring assistance to build a sustainable business model.
• Speaking opportunities at DOE-sponsored events, including the annual LEEP Summit and LEEP Demo Day, both of which convene ecosystem partners and investors to learn about current LEEP startups and technologies.

DOE offices that support LEEP include:

• The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
  • Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office (core funding office)
  • Industrial Efficiency and Decarbonization Office
  • Building Technologies Office
  • Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office
  • Solar Energy Technologies Office
• Fossil Energy and Carbon Management
  • Carbon Management Technologies
• Office of Electricity
  • Energy Storage
  • Grid Controls and Communications
• Office of Science
  • Advanced Scientific Computing Research
  • Basic Energy Sciences
  • Biological and Environmental Research

Other key supporters and partners of LEEP:

• Activate (Cyclotron Road) 
• Colorado School of Mines (West Gate)
• Tennessee Valley Authority (Innovation Crossroads)