EnergyTech University Prize
The Florida High Tech Corridor is a regional convener of the EnergyTech University Prize (EnergyTech UP) competition, which challenges post-secondary student teams of two or more to build a business plan around high-potential energy technologies for the chance to win federal funding. This prize is sponsored by the Department of Energy’s (DOE) OTT, as well as several other program offices. 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 business proposals. Participating students are provided with a curated list of National Lab technologies that are ready for commercialization and that can be used for their business plan.
Starting in 2024, EnergyTech UP offers the ability for both students and faculty to compete in their own respective tracks.
Students: Develop and present a business plan that leverages National Laboratory-developed or other emerging energy technologies developed by students, faculty, or industry. Throughout the competition, they receive mentorship and materials to help them succeed, all while competing for part of $400,000+ in cash prizes.
Faculty: Develop and implement educational activities to engage more students in energy technology commercialization and entrepreneurship topics at their institution. While faculty have always been, and remain, welcome and encouraged to mentor a team competing in EnergyTech UP, this new track is designed to incentivize and support faculty directly, with $100,000 in cash prizes available.
2024 Florida Regional EnergyTech University Prize Competition
Prize Structure for Faculty Competitors
The faculty track is designed for educators who may benefit from mentorship and resources to create an implementation plan for their blossoming ideas for integrating or expanding energy technology commercialization or entrepreneurship activities at their home institution.
Faculty (or faculty teams) will compete for part of the $100,000 prize pool through three phases of competition. They will develop a proposal to expand energy technology commercialization or entrepreneurship activities at their home institution; receive access to a DOE mentor and DOE resources; and work toward showing how their plans could be integrated into student activities.
Prize Structure for Student Competitors
Student teams compete for more than $400,000 in cash prizes as they explore business opportunities for lab-developed or other high-potential energy technologies, assess commercialization opportunities through market analysis and present a viable business plan to industry judges.
Understanding that energy is often inherently local, competitor teams first present at their designated regional events in February, where regional finalists are identified. Teams that are invited to participate in the regional events receive free access to OTT’s Energy I-Corps curriculum. Finalists are provided exclusive mentorship to help students refine their ideas throughout February and March. Finally, the finalists pitch their complete business plan as part of Zpryme’s 2024 Energy Thought Summit in Austin, Texas on April 15, 2024.
Regional Event Details
Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024, 3–7 p.m.
The regional competition will be held virtually and is open to the public. Register to attend.
How to Compete
Are you a collegiate student or faculty member interested in transitioning energy technologies to market? The EnergyTech University Prize is for you! Here are next steps you can take to get started:
- Indicate your interest in competing by filling out this interest form
- Sign up to compete on HeroX, the official competition platform.
- Read the official prize rules
- Join the 2024 informational webinars:
- Learn about DOE National Lab-developed energy technologies to use for this competition on the OTT Lab Partnering Service.
- Send questions about EnergyTech UP to ott.energytechup@nrel.gov.
2024 Important Dates
Please see the official timeline in HeroX for the most current schedule of events. All dates are subject to change, including contest openings, deadlines, and announcements.
Contact
For more information about the regional EnergyTech UP competition hosted by The Corridor, contact Davena Brothers at davena.brothers@floridahightech.com.
Please direct general questions about EnergyTech UP to ott.energytechup@nrel.gov.
2023 Regional EnergyTech UP Competition
Congratulations to Mohammad Alsmadi and Anastasia Ramig from the University of Alabama for winning the 2023 EnergyTech UP Regional Competition! Their proposal, BatteryDoctor, scored the top prize. The proposed technology uses quick and intelligent Health Diagnosis (qiHD) to provide an accurate and fast analysis of lithium-ion batteries. It can estimate the health of a battery and predict an upcoming failure.
