AMMTO Announces Funding Opportunity for Small Businesses to Advance Domestic Manufacturing

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) announced a $65 million funding opportunity for the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. As part of this funding opportunity, the Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office (AMMTO) will provide approximately $4 million in Phase I/Release 2 proof of concept grants. The SBIR program has helped thousands of small businesses and entrepreneurs develop the cutting-edge technologies required to accelerate our transition to a clean energy future.

Through the SBIR program, AMMTO provides non-dilutive funding to small business research and development projects that improve energy efficiency and material productivity and drive economy-wide decarbonization and competitiveness for American manufacturers.

The AMMTO-funded SBIR Phase I Release 2 topics include:

1. Energy Technologies: Innovations in Microbattery Manufacturing
   • Aimed at developing smaller batteries for applications including advanced sensors and wearable medical devices.
   • Focus on increased yield, incorporation of new materials, and cost reduction in microbattery production. 
   • Aligns with AMMTO’s mission by enhancing energy storage capabilities vital for the clean energy economy. 
      
2. Energy Technology: Eco-friendly Innovations in Manufacturing of Lithium Metal for Batteries
   • Aimed at developing sustainable and scalable lithium metal production, while reducing environmental impact.
   • Focus includes manufacturing cost reduction, elimination of toxic gases, and increased energy efficiency.
   • Aligns with AMMTO’s commitment to sustainable, circular manufacturing processes for clean energy technologies.
      
3. Next Generation Materials and Manufacturing Processes: Low-Cost, Scalable Manufacturing of High-Purity MAX Phase Powders for Use in Harsh Environment Energy Applications
   • Aimed at developing innovative material compositions and synthetic routes for MAX phase powders, used in harsh environment energy applications such as high-temperature coatings, heat exchangers, and other extreme condition components.
   • Focus on scalable, cost-effective production methods and improved stability in harsh environments.
   • Aligns with AMMTO’s efforts to develop advanced, cost-effective materials with increased energy efficiency and performance in harsh service conditions 
      
4. Atomically Precise, Solid-State Devices for Energy Efficient Quantum Computing
   • Aimed at accelerating advancements in energy efficient, solid-state quantum devices. 
   • Focus on robust design, energy efficiency improvement, and development of atomic-scale Si:P nanowires.
   • Aligns with AMMTO's Energy Efficiency Scaling for 2 Decades (EES2) initiative to increase microelectronics energy efficiency one thousand fold in the next 20 years.  

For information on the SBIR program, deadlines, and application portal, including full descriptions of these topics and their subtopics visit Phase I Release 2 Topics document under C58-20 and C58-21.  

The SBIR program was created by Congress to leverage small businesses to advance innovation at federal agencies. 

KEY DATES:

*Date Subject to Change

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Download the full funding opportunity on the SBIR website.
• For FOA-specific support, contact [email protected]
• Sign up for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) email list to get notified of new EERE funding opportunities. Also sign up for AMMTO’s Manufacturing Moment newsletter to stay current with the latest news from our office.