Initiative in Houston Chosen for DOE Program Fostering Clean Energy Innovation Hubs

Houston has been chosen as one of the hubs supported by a new program from the United States Department of Energy aimed at fostering communities for clean energy innovation.

The DOE’s Office of Technology Transitions recently announced the first phase of winners of the Energy Program for Innovation Clusters (EPIC), Round 3. Houston’s initiative, known as “Texas Innovates: Carbon and Hydrogen Innovation and Learning Incubator” (CHILI), was awarded 0,000 as one of 23 incubators and accelerators selected to support energy startups and entrepreneurs.

The CHILI program in Houston is designed to nurture startups for the DOE’s HyVelocity program and other regional decarbonization efforts. The EPIC program, now in its third year, seeks to drive innovation locally and facilitate the commercial success of energy startups. The winning participant of the competition will enter into a three-year cooperative agreement with OTT worth up to million.

Vanessa Z. Chan, DOE Chief Commercialization Officer and Director of OTT, emphasized the crucial role that Incubators and Accelerators play in providing startups with mentorship, technology validation, and essential business development support. The EPIC program aims to provide consistent funding to organizations developing robust programming for innovative energy startups.

As the only participant in Texas, CHILI will advance to the second phase of the competition, where they will develop a project continuation plan and programming to be submitted in September. Phase 2 includes two national pitch competitions offering a total of 5,000 in cash prizes for startups. The first EPIC pitch event for 2024 is scheduled to take place at the 2024 Small Business Forum & Expo in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Last year, the DOE selected the Gulf Coast’s HyVelocity Hydrogen Hub to receive a portion of the billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The hub is set to receive up to .2 billion, the largest amount allocated to any hub.

The DOE’s OTT selections have a nationwide reach, showcasing the commitment to driving clean energy innovation across the country.