AMO Partners Named Energy Sector Finalists for 2018 Forbes 30 Under 30

This week Forbes released its list of energy sector finalists for the 2018 30 Under 30, which included four from the Department of Energy’s Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Programs. These innovators are leveraging the unique strengths and capabilities of their respective host national labs and regional innovation ecosystems to ready breakthrough, energy-related ideas for adoption by the private sector.

Launched in November 2014, the Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Programs embed top technical talent with new ideas within the national labs, allowing entrepreneurial researchers to address fundamental science and engineering challenges while also receiving business mentorship and entrepreneurial training. The programs provide institutional homes where talented scientific innovators become first-time entrepreneurs. They enable innovators to not only address energy challenges, but also grow their businesses and connect to private sector partners and investors. The Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Programs are funded by the Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO) within the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). The Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Programs include Cyclotron Road at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, California; Chain Reaction Innovations at Argonne National Laboratory in Argonne, Illinois; and Innovation Crossroads at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

Since 2012, Forbes 30 Under 30 has recognized the brightest entrepreneurs, innovators, and game-changers under the age of 30 who are transforming “business as usual” and changing the world. The annual list highlights 600 young stars across 20 diverse industries, including education, finance, sports, media, and energy. These finalists are selected from thousands of nominations and represent the most promising individuals working in their respective fields. Finalists are evaluated by a key set of quantifiable metrics, such as funding, revenue, and number of people impacted, as well as qualitative metrics such as inventiveness, social benefits, and promise.

The finalists for the 30 Under 30 in Energy include the following AMO partners:

• David Bierman, 28, founder, Marigold Power; Cyclotron Road
• Lauren Otto, 27, founder, Laminera; Cyclotron Road
• Justin Whiteley, 29, cofounder, Emergy Labs; Chain Reaction Innovations
• Ian Hamilton, 25, CEO, Atlas Energy Systems; Chain Reaction Innovations

Read more about these innovators and the full list of Forbes 30 Under 30 in Energy.

EERE's Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO) supports early-stage applied research and development of new materials, information, and processes that improve American manufacturing’s energy efficiency, as well as platform technologies for manufacturing clean energy products. AMO works closely with EERE’s Technology-to-Market Program on lowering barriers to market exploration of competitive energy technologies.