Deadline: 30-Nov-22
Can your clean energy technology help solve climate change? It takes a special type of innovator to tackle the world’s greatest challenges in clean energy. And it takes a special type of program to help that innovator succeed. Chain Reaction Innovations (CRI) wants to ensure innovators who are pursuing transformational technologies thrive by offering an unparalleled level of support that bridges the chasm between the creation of an idea and its readiness for the marketplace.
Funding Information
- Two-year fellowship includes stipend up to $110k per year
- Benefits include healthcare with family option
- Travel allowance up to $12k per year plus moving expenses
- Up to $220k for technical work
- Entrepreneurship and business training for first time founders
- Networking access to business experts, investors, mentors, and corporate partners
- Technical expertise from subject matter experts at Argonne
- Access to the world-class facilities at Argonne
- Argonne takes no equity stake
- Training and support in competing for non-dilutive SBIR /STTR opportunities
Eligibility Criteria
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In order to be considered for CRI, innovator applicants must meet the following criteria:
- CRI is a nationwide program for individuals who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. You do not have to started a company to apply to CRI. CRI is an educational research program that teaches the skills needed to become a successful entrepreneur and potentially launch a business. However, individuals who belong to startup companies at the time that they apply to CRI must have those companies incorporated in the U.S. Selected CRI participants are expected to make a full commitment to the CRI program. As such, individuals should expect to spend a significant portion of time in the Chicago area to work at Argonne to develop technology and with CRI partner mentor organizations on legal, financial, marketing, and business operations development and planning.
- Innovators must have a minimum of five years of technology R&D experience and be a first-time technical founder.
- Innovators must not have raised more than $2 million in private sector funding at the time of entry into the program.
- Individuals, and teams or small businesses each applying as individuals, may apply. Startups may have existing business partners and mentors, but that is not required.
- Innovators must go through a conflict of interest due diligence review and must comply with Argonne’s Prime Contract.
- Innovators must focus on developing technology that will advance the development of clean energy and advanced manufacturing products and processes for which development requires overcoming complex scientific challenges that require a lengthy development cycle of about two years to reach the pre-commercial prototype stage. The innovation must also focus on solving, at least in part, a large societal need that hinders American competitiveness or energy efficiency.
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Potential technologies for consideration in CRI
- Advanced manufacturing materials and processes
- Renewable energy sources such as wind and hydropower
- Energy storage systems
- Energy-efficient building materials, vehicles and light-weight alloys
- Fuels that reduce emissions and waste
- Water filtration and desalination processes
- Carbon and toxic waste sequestration materials
For more information, visit Chain Reaction Innovations.
For more information, visit https://chainreaction.anl.gov/apply/