Regional & Bonus Prize Finalists Selected in EnergyTech University Prize 2024

Washington, D.C. –  The EnergyTech University Prize (EnergyTech UP), sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Technology Transitions (OTT), has named the 28 student finalist teams selected to earn cash prizes and compete in the EnergyTech UP National Pitch Event this April. 

The finalists—made up of multidisciplinary teams of post-secondary students —were chosen from among the 225 competing teams representing 117 schools and invited to compete in regional Explore Events in late February. To prepare for the events, teams identified a DOE National Laboratory-developed or other high-potential energy technology, assessed its market potential, and then created a business plan for commercialization. Students pitched their plans to a panel of industry judges during their regional Explore Events.  

“It is so exciting to have 28 incredible teams leading up to the National Pitch Event",” said DOE Chief Commercialization Officer and Director of OTT, Dr. Vanessa Z. Chan. “By increasing the number of teams competing at the national event by more than 50% this year, the door is wide open for students to explore the energy technologies they’re curious about, get creative with their business plans, and take home cash prizes for their efforts.” 

The following teams were awarded $3,000 each and are now eligible to compete in the Refine and Pitch Phases of the EnergyTech UP competition. In the Refine Phase, teams will refine their market analyses and business opportunities, leveraging tailored mentorship before moving on to the Pitch Phase.    

Regional Finalists 

• Applying PCM to Cut Down on Energy of Reefers, University of Colorado Boulder 
• Blaze Power, University of California, Los Angeles
• Biomass to Jet Fuel, University of Arkansas 
• Carbon Negative Chemicals from Plastic Waste, The University of Chicago 
• Charge Bay, University of South Florida 
• EarthFlow AI, Stanford University 
• Flow Battery Diagnostics for Energy Reliability, University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University 
• GarboCarbo: Decarbonizing the Paper Industry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Harvard University, and the University of California, Berkeley 
• “LiSED”—Lithium Selective ElectroDialysis Systems, Rice University 
• Non-Toxic Bio-Solvents for Lithium-Ion Batteries, Northeastern University and The University of Massachusetts Amherst 
• On Demand Electricity, Emory University 
• Oxylus Energy: Novel CO2 Electrolysis to Methanol, Yale University 
• Removing the Barrier to Entry to Net-Zero Biofuels, Purdue University 
• State-of-the-Art Power Generation Dispatch, Duke University 
• Touchless Electrostatic System for PV Cleaning, Hawai’I Pacific University 

Undergraduate-Only Finalist  

• Redefining Renewable Fuel, University of Michigan and the University of Pennsylvania 

National Lab IP Licensing Finalist 

• EcoGrains – ‘Sustainable Bioenergy Solutions,’ University of Notre Dame 

Technology Bonus Prize Finalists  

• Building Technologies Office: Heat Recovery as a Service, Georgia Institute of Technology 
• Geothermal Technologies Office: Advanced GDHC + Thermal Storage System at Colleges, Massachusetts Institute of Technology 
• Hydrogen Fuel Technologies Office: ECHO Solutions, University of Houston 
• Office of Electricity  
  • MASTERI Commercialization, Rice University 
  • Marketing Gaussian Process Voltage Distribution, Purdue University 
  • ElectroFlow: Accelerating Adoption of Flow Batteries, Georgia Institute of Technology 
• Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management: Helix Carbon: Unlocking CO2 as a Viable Feedstock, Massachusetts Institute of Technology 
• Office of Manufacturing & Energy Supply Chains: COMPScan, Texas A&M University  
• Office of Nuclear Energy: Computational Molten Salt Research Company, Snow College 
• Solar Energy Technologies Office: Agrivoltaic Design Studio, Cornell University 
• Water Power Technologies Office: KelpNext, University of Michigan  

All finalist teams are now eligible to move onto the Refine Phase to further hone their business plans in advance of the EnergyTech UP National Pitch Event at the Energy Thought Summit in Austin, Texas, on April 15.  

After the pitches conclude, up to three National Winners will be selected to share an $80,000 prize pool. Additionally, teams will compete for the National Lab IP Licensing, Undergraduate-Only Team, and technology bonus prizes of $22,000 each from the respective DOE technology offices.   
 
Follow the EnergyTech University Prize for more competition updates.