Department of Energy Announces Prize Competition Winners to Bolster Onshore Manufacturing
DOE's Build4Scale training, also released earlier this year, equips American scientists and engineers with knowledge of basic manufacturing processes, an understanding of product design for manufacturing, and the know-how to make and evaluate manufacturing-related decisions.
"Energy innovation and manufacturing are a cornerstone of the U.S. economy," said DOE Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Daniel Simmons. "AIM Onshore will enhance the ability of energy technologies invented in America to be manufactured in America."
After one year, the four winners will be evaluated by hard metrics, including the number of contracts developed between innovators and domestic manufacturers, and the dollars unlocked by private stakeholders to continue the activities. A final AIM Onshore prize will be awarded to the two best performing organizations ($250,000 for first place; $100,000 for second place).
By requiring winners to demonstrate a sustainable revenue stream to continue providing the training, DOE is leveraging a small initial federal investment in an initiative that will ultimately be sustained by the private sector. .
Innovation Works – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Innovation Works (IW) provides direct investment and strategic business services to southwestern Pennsylvania’s technology-based entrepreneurs, researchers, and small manufacturers.
Innovation Works will develop a 15-week curriculum utilizing the Build4Scale training that will complement its AlphaLab Gear, Scalable Innovation and Energy Alliance Initiatives bringing education and growth to southwestern Pennsylvania’s extensive manufacturing sector.
mHUB – Chicago, Illinois
mHUB is a nonprofit incubator and Chicago’s first innovation center focused on physical product development and manufacturing.
mHUB plans to implement a 12-month program to teach companies how to move through each stage of business development, providing a roadmap from Idea to Growth Stage, the tools needed to complete each stage, and access to tailored resources. Participants will have access to its 11-prototyping laboratories as well the mHUB technical team.
FuzeHub – Albany, New York
FuzeHub is a not-for-profit statewide organization that connects New York State’s small and mid-sized manufacturing companies to the resources, programs, and expertise for technology commercialization and business growth.
FuzeHub, in conjunction with Optimal Inc., will deliver Build4Scale training in three of New York State’s economic development regions: Southern Tier (Binghamton area), Western New York (Buffalo area), and Long Island. In each region, FuzeHub will deliver a full day of in-person training with the participation of regional Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) centers, contract manufacturers, and clean energy incubators.
ADL Ventures – San Francisco, California
ADL Ventures specializes in developing and deploying emerging technology-enabled business solutions for legacy sector companies.
ADL Ventures’ Build4Scale program will be a three-phase approach delivered through an online platform that will be accessible to people across all geographies. As a complement to the reach of regional incubators, this virtual classroom model can easily fill gaps in geographic coverage. ADL Ventures will leverage their partnership ecosystem, spanning corporate, entrepreneurial, and technical communities to ensure that the impact of Build4Scale is realized across the country.
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