Solar Business Support

Solar Business Support is sponsored by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). This opportunity supports mission-aligned projects and measurable outcomes.

Solar Small Business and Entrepreneurial Support | Department of Energy Solar Small Business and Entrepreneurial Support Launching a new venture in the solar and cleantech industries can be incredibly challenging for small business owners and entrepreneurs.

Resources available through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), national laboratories, nonprofit organizations, and other government agencies can help small businesses and entrepreneurs work through the steps necessary to develop and advance their solar technologies. Where can I apply for funding to help move my innovation closer to market?

The American-Made Solar Prize is a competition designed to support entrepreneurs as they develop transformative technology ideas into concepts and then into early-stage prototypes ready for industry testing. During the competition, entrepreneurs are supported by: The American-Made Network , which is comprised of national labs, incubators, investors, and seasoned industry mentors who help guide competitors.

Some prize programs also utilize Power Connectors , organizations that are deeply involved with prize program execution, recruitment, and support. The Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) programs, administered by the DOE Office of Science, provide awards to support research and development efforts at small businesses that have a specific scope of work and concrete objectives.

The Technology Commercialization Fund , administered by OTT, promotes federal research and development investments in technologies with commercial potential, where DOE National Laboratories are the lead applicants.

The SETO Incubator Program provides financial assistance to for-profit entities to cross technological barriers to commercialization that the private investment community is unable to address, to develop and demonstrate new products with high likelihood of entering the market, and to encourage private sector investment in the process.

Several other government funding sources for solar small businesses and entrepreneurs exist outside of SETO: DOE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency­­–Energy (ARPA-E) Tech-to-Market Program helps prepare technologies to transfer from the laboratory to the marketplace. It also helps technology teams and organizations prepare and execute T2M plans.

DOE’s Building Technologies Office Tech-to-Market Initiative addresses market readiness and resource access to drive technologies from early-stage research and development to the marketplace. The Small Business Administration provides small businesses and entrepreneurs with mechanisms of funding, plus counseling, training, and contracting guidance.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Office of Advanced Manufacturing provides cost-shared funding to pursue innovative technology R&D and increase energy efficiency across the manufacturing sector. The National Science Foundation’s Seed Fund provides up to $256,000 in seed capital to startups, small businesses, and newly formed companies to conduct research and development that involves high technical risk.

How can I leverage resources and funding from DOE’s National Laboratories? There are several National Lab programs that can provide assistance to solar small businesses and entrepreneurs: The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center helps connect emerging clean energy businesses with the financial community, NREL technical expertise, and facilities.

In a partnership with NREL and the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, the Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator provides funding and technical assistance leveraging the lab’s capabilities, facilities, equipment and deep expertise in the respective labs. The Shell GameChanger Accelerator Powered by NREL provides promising cleantech startups with access to financial resources, state-of-the-art facilities, and world-class technical experts.

How can I work directly with National Lab researchers to improve my solar innovation?

There are several programs at our National labs that allow small businesses and entrepreneurs to work side-by-side with our country’s top researchers: Argonne National Laboratory’s Entrepreneurial Ventures offers many resources and opportunities for those interested in learning about and pursuing entrepreneurship, including programs that enable mentorship and partnerships with scientists and engineers.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s Intellectual Property Office offers entrepreneurship training and resources that provide networking, pitch training and practice, funding information, and resources for scientist-entrepreneurs. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s Industry Partnerships collaborates with organizations ranging from entrepreneurial startups to multinational corporations to find the best technological solutions.

Where can I access clean rooms to conduct testing on my solar innovations? Washington Clean Energy Testbeds are operated by the University of Washington’s Clean Energy Institute and provide access to instruments for fabricating prototypes, testing devices and modules, and integrating systems.

The American-Made Network , which is part of DOE’s American-Made Challenges initiative, is designed to strengthen and scale critical connections to accelerate and sustain innovation. The network consists of the national labs, industry experts, and fabrication and manufacturing facilities that help teams competing in the Challenges to turn ideas into real-world products.

Perovskite Photovoltaic Accelerator for Commercializing Technologies (PACT) aims to develop, validate, and document testing standards capable of accurate characterization of field performance and degradation, which helps to develop a fair and level playing field for the emerging perovskite photovoltaic (PV) industry. Where can I conduct outdoor field testing on my solar innovations?

DOE’s Regional Test Center (RTC) Program for Solar Technologies is a network of outdoor testing facilities located in the major climate regions of the United States where standards and guidelines are developed to validate the performance and operation of photovoltaic modules and systems under a variety of field conditions over time.

The Solar Technology Acceleration Center (SolarTAC) is a test facility for research, demonstration, testing, and validation of solar technologies at the early-commercial or near-commercial stage of development. Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories ensure that your products meet the safety requirements to enter the United States and are recognized by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Pecan Street conducts data research and product testing in the energy, water, and transportation sectors, from startups to large corporations. The American-Made Network , which is part of DOE’s American-Made Challenges initiative, is designed to strengthen and scale critical connections to accelerate and sustain innovation.

The network consists of the national labs, industry experts, and fabrication and manufacturing facilities that help teams competing in the Challenges to turn ideas into real-world products. Are there any organizations that can provide me with validation/certification that could potentially make my company or innovation more appealing for financing?

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory program that certifies products that meet construction and industry requirements. The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) is a public-private partnership consisting of industry experts who work side by side with manufacturers.

The MEP National NetworkTM consists of 51 MEP centers in all 50 states and Puerto Rico that provide a wide range of services and initiatives to enable manufacturers to identify opportunities that will accelerate and strengthen growth and competitiveness in the global marketplace.

The Solar Technology Acceleration Center (SolarTAC) is a test facility for research, demonstration, testing, and validation of solar technologies at the early-commercial or near-commercial stage of development. Where can I receive business or technical support as a new entrepreneur that will enable me to develop my idea and validate my research?

Cyclotron Road provides entrepreneurial scientists and engineers with funding, access to Berkeley National Lab, and the University of California, Berkeley, intensive mentorship, professional development, and networking. Argonne National Laboratory’s Entrepreneurial Ventures program offers many resources and opportunities for those interested in learning about and pursuing entrepreneurship.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Innovation Crossroads matches innovators with technology leaders, mentors, and business and investment networks that can help accelerate and transition ideas to the marketplace. Where can I learn from examples or experiences of other solar energy entrepreneurs?

The American-Made Network , which is part of DOE’s American-Made Challenges initiative, is designed to strengthen and scale critical connections to accelerate and sustain innovation. The network consists of the national labs, industry experts, and fabrication and manufacturing facilities that help teams competing in the Challenges to turn ideas into real-world products.

DOE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) developed the ARPA-E University webinar series , which provides energy-technology professionals with expert advice and information to help transition technologies into the market.