New EnergyTech University Prize Offers $545K in Funding to Student and Faculty Innovators

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Technology Transitions (OTT) this week launched the fourth round of the EnergyTech University Prize (EnergyTech UP). This $545,000 prize comprises two tracks, a Student Track and a Faculty Track, both with a common goal—accelerate the clean tech industry. With prize opportunities provided from an array of DOE offices, the competition aims to cultivate the next generation of energy innovators, educators, and entrepreneurs.  

“The EnergyTech University Prize is a unique and exciting way for OTT to play a role in the support and development of tomorrow’s changemakers,” said DOE Chief Commercialization Officer and Director of OTT, Dr. Vanessa Chan. “The innovative business plans and educational activities submitted to this prize will help shape the future of clean tech for our nation in ways we have yet to discover.” 

In the Student Track of EnergyTech UP, multidisciplinary student teams will compete for a share of more than $400,000 in cash prizes for successfully identifying a promising energy technology, assessing its market potential, and creating a business plan that leverages National Laboratory-developed or other high-potential energy technologies for commercialization. Select teams will have the opportunity to pitch their business plans to a panel of industry judges at a national competition in April 2025.  

The Faculty Track of the EnergyTech UP offers more than $100,000 in cash prizes to faculty members passionate about the development and integration of educational activities centered on energy technology commercialization and entrepreneurship topics at their home institution. The content provided by faculty through their submissions is expected to inform a toolkit to be developed by OTT following the conclusion of this competition. This toolkit will be a resource to other faculty across the U.S. build entrepreneurship and commercialization activities at their institutions. 

Interested applicants are encouraged to form teams and follow the prize to stay up to date on announcements, submission deadlines, and other key prize details.  

The American-Made program fast-tracks innovation through prizes, training, teaming, and mentoring, connecting the nation's entrepreneurs and innovators to America's National Labs and the private sector. Teams competing in EnergyTech UP 2025 will have access to the American-Made Network, which provides mentoring, tools, resources, and support to accelerate the transition of ideas into real-world solutions to achieve clean energy goals.  

This prize is administered by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and is funded by DOE’s OTT, as well as several other program offices for bonus prizes. EnergyTech UP, in partnership with American-Made Challenges, is designed to be approachable, equitable, and scalable nationwide. Winners are chosen based on the strength of their proposals.  

Visit Energy.gov to learn more about OTT's overall mission to spur commercialization of impactful energy technologies and expand public benefit of the U.S. Department of Energy's research, development, demonstration, and deployment portfolio.   

About the Department of Energy Office of Technology Transitions

The Department of Energy Office of Technology Transitions (OTT) is one of the largest supporters of technology commercialization in the federal government. Founded in 2015, OTT bolsters the technology industry's market skills and enables clean energy technologies to progress through research, development, demonstration, and to deployment into the private sector to meet our nation’s climate goals. Visit us at energy.gov/ott to learn more and subscribe to receive our latest opportunities and accomplishments via email. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.