Commercialization funding (SBIR/STTR, Tech Commercialization Fund)

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)/Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Tech Transfer Opportunities (TTOs)

The SBIR and STTR programs are U. S. Government programs, intended to help certain small businesses conduct R&D. At DOE, funding takes the form of grants. Projects must have the potential for commercialization and meet specific DOE mission-specific R&D needs.

Twice a year, DOE issues a call to IPO for Tech Transfer Opportunities that fit the goals of SBIR/STTR programs. IPO coordinates with DOE on the TTO topics to include in the upcoming FOA. Typical candidate TTOs are existing Lab-developed technologies that:

1. have received funding from DOE participating program office; 

2. require additional R&D to clarify their commercial potential; and 

3. align with the mission of the participating DOE program offices. 

Each call involves participation from different DOE program offices (list below). To be considered for the TTO call, an existing patent application, issued patent, or copyrighted work has to be filed with IPO. View the list of current and past SBIR and STTR FOAs.

Note:

• Small businesses are the only qualifying applicants.

• Award money goes to the small business applicant.

• ~20-30% of the award can be subcontracted back to the Lab.

• Talk with your DOE project manager early to make sure your IP aligns with program office’s mission.

Participating program offices:

• Office Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR)

• Office of Basic Energy Sciences (BES)

• Office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER)

• Office of Nuclear Physics (NP)

• Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER)

• Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation (NA)

• Office Electricity (OE)

• Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

• Office of Fossil Energy (FE)

• Office of Fusion Energy Sciences (FES)

• Office of High Energy Physics (HEP)

• Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)

For more information or questions, please contact Shanshan Li, shanshanli@lbl.gov.

Technology Commercialization Fund

Each fall, DOE makes available ~$20 – $30 million to issue a call for Technology Commercialization Funding (TCF) opportunities. TCF is a gap fund that facilitates the commercialization of promising energy technologies developed at DOE Labs/facilities. Excellent candidates for TCF are existing Lab-developed technologies that:

1. have received funding from DOE participating program office;

2. are capable of demonstrating commercial potential with a partner that is willing to support the commercialization efforts e.g. tech maturation or cooperative development; and

3. align with the mission of the participating DOE program offices. 

To be considered for the TCF award, an existing patent application, issued patent, or copyrighted work has to be filed with IPO. 

Calls are typically issued in September, with proposal eligibility declarations due in October, proposals due in December, and award notification the following spring.

For more information or questions, please contact Shanshan Li, shanshanli@lbl.gov

Past Awardees:

• Mike Tucker (ETA) (2 awards)

• Brett Helms (MF)

• Tianzhen Hong (ETA) (software)

• Ning Sun (ABPDU)

• Gao Liu (ETA)

• Maxim Martchevskii (AASU) (2 awards)

• Nick DeForest (ETA) (software)

• Anup Singh/ Nathan Hillson (JBEI)

• Nem Danilovic (ETA)

• Edith Bourret-Courchesne (ESA)

• Eric Sundstrom (JBEI)