Startup America
ORNL supports DOE’s entrepreneurship initiative: America’s Next Top Energy Innovator Challenge
As part of the Obama Administration’s Startup America Initiative, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced the “America’s Next Top Energy Innovator” challenge, which will give start-up companies the opportunity to obtain option agreements to license groundbreaking technologies developed by the National Laboratories for $1,000 and build successful businesses.
With more than 1200 patents in fields including Energy and Engineering, Material Science, Biology and Environment and Computer Science, Oak Ridge National Laboratory is well positioned to support and participate in America’s Next Top Energy Innovator Challenge.
As a part of America’s Next Top Energy Innovator Challenge, options and licenses to ORNL technologies will be available with start-up friendly terms to qualified entrepreneurs who have formed companies and have promising business plans.
ORNL has a searchable database of its entire portfolio of licenses at www.ornl.gov/partnerships. DOE also has a searchable database of energy-related technologies from all of the national laboratories at its Energy Innovation Portal. http://techportal.eere.energy.gov/
Since becoming the managing contractor for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in 2000, UT-Battelle has paced an emphasis on promoting Entrepreneurship and supporting start-up companies. UT-Battelle supports and continues to fund the Center for Entrepreneurial Growth. http://www.tech2020.org/ceg_about.html
Recent startup licensees of ORNL technologies include
AMDx, Inc., which is developing a product that could preserve the sight of millions of people at risk of vision loss from diabetic retinopathy. http://www.ornl.gov/info/press_releases/get_press_release.cfm?ReleaseNumber=mr20100505-00
Ampulse Corporation, which is combining high-temperature superconducting tapes to solar cell technology. http://www.ornl.gov/adm/partnerships/success_stories/apulse.shtml
LED North America, which licensed ORNL’s graphite foam technology to extend the life of energy efficient LED street lamps. http://www.ornl.gov/info/press_releases/get_press_release.cfm?ReleaseNumber=mr20100827-00
NellOne Therapeutics, Inc., which hopes to turn discoveries related to the Nell-1 gene into therapies for heart attack and muscle injury victims. http://www.ornl.gov/info/press_releases/get_press_release.cfm?ReleaseNumber=mr20100128-00
SecureWaters, Inc., which takes a technology that turns simple algae into a biosensing system that could help secure the safety of public water supplies. http://www.ornl.gov/info/press_releases/get_press_release.cfm?ReleaseNumber=mr20101207-00
Bridging the Gap Conference April 5-6
ORNL will highlight technologies with high potential to form the basis for a startup company at its upcoming Bridging the Gap conference, April 5-6. For details and registration go to http://www.ornl.gov/adm/partnerships/events/bridging_gap.shtml— Bill Cabage, March 29, 2011