IPO administers and manages calls for two funding opportunities from DOE:
- Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Tech Transfer Opportunities (TTOs)
Twice a year, DOE issues a call to IPO for Tech Transfer Opportunities that fit the goals of SBIR/STTR programs. IPO coordinates with DOE on the TTO topics to include in the upcoming FOA. Typical candidate TTOs are existing Lab-developed technologies that:
- have received funding from DOE participating program office;
- require additional R&D to clarify their commercial potential; and
- align with the mission of the participating DOE program offices.
Each call involves participation from different DOE program offices. Details of the schedules for the call, the topics issuance, and award announcements, and the information on the participating program offices are listed in the table below. To be considered for the TTO call, an existing patent application, issued patent, or copyrighted work has to be filed with IPO. See below for additional details. For more information or questions, please contact Shanshan Li, shanshanli@lbl.gov.
- Technology Commercialization Fund (TCF)
Each fall, DOE makes available ~$20 – $30 million to issue a call for Technology Commercialization Funding (TCF) opportunities. TCF is a gap fund that facilitates the commercialization of promising energy technologies developed at DOE Labs/facilities. Excellent candidates for TCF are existing Lab-developed technologies that:
- have received funding from DOE participating program office;
- are capable of demonstrating commercial potential with a partner that is willing to support the commercialization efforts e.g. tech maturation or cooperative development; and
- align with the mission of the participating DOE program offices.
Details of the schedules for the call, response deadline, and award announcements, and the information on the participating program offices, are listed in the table below. To be considered for the TCF award, an existing patent application, issued patent, or copyrighted work has to be filed with IPO. See below for additional details. See below for additional details. For more information or questions, please contact Shanshan Li, shanshanli@lbl.gov
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Tech Transfer Opportunities (TTOs)
Key considerations:
- Small businesses are the only qualifying applicants.
- Award money goes to the small business applicant.
- ~20-30% of the award can be subcontracted back to the Lab.
- Talk with your DOE project manager early to make sure your IP aligns with program office’s mission.
| Calls | Issue Date | Submission due to DOE | Topics Issue date | Participating Program Offices | Award notification |
| Phase 1 Release 1 | early March | mid April | mid July
mid August (public FOA issues) |
Office Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR)
Office of Basic Energy Sciences (BES) Office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER) Office of Nuclear Physics (NP) |
January the following year |
| Phase 1 Release 2 | early July | early August | early November
mid December (public FOA issues) |
Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER)
Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation (NA) Office Electricity (OE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Office of Fossil Energy (FE) Office of Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) Office of High Energy Physics (HEP) Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) |
May the following year |
For a list of current/past SBIR/STTR FOAs, visit here.
Technology Commercialization Fund
Key considerations:
- LBNL employees with PI status are the only qualifying applicants.
- Award money goes to the Lab researcher applicant.
- 50% cost share is required. Cost matches can be in-kind.
- Alignment with program office’s mission (talk with your DOE project manager early)
| Calls | Issue Date | Proposal Eligibility Declaration due date | Proposal submission due date | Award notification |
| Fall | Early Sep | Early Oct | Mid Dec | Spring the following year |
Sample of participating DOE program offices and estimated funding:
| FY21 Participating DOE Program Office | Estimated FY21 Funding Range |
| Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) | $15M -$17.5M |
| Nuclear Energy (NE) | $5.5M –$6.7M |
| Fossil Energy (FE) | $1.1M -$2.5M |
| Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (OE) | $1.1M -$1.3M |
| Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER) | $0.2M -$0.4M |
| Total TCF | $23.1M -$28.5M |
Information on 2021 solicitation and 2021 awardees.
Past Awardees:
- Mike Tucker (ETA) (2 awards)
- Brett Helms (MF)
- Tianzhen Hong (ETA) (software)
- Ning Sun (ABPDU)
- Gao Liu (ETA)
- Maxim Martchevskii (AASU) (2 awards)
- Nick DeForest (ETA) (software)
- Anup Singh/ Nathan Hillson (JBEI)
- Nem Danilovic (ETA)
- Edith Bourret-Courchesne (ESA)
- Eric Sundstrom (JBEI)