Innovation Crossroads

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Applications for Innovation Crossroads Cohort 2027 will be accepted September 15–October 30, 2026.

This is your opportunity to join a dynamic community of entrepreneurs working to solve critical challenges in energy and advanced manufacturing.

About Innovation Crossroads

Innovation Crossroads is a two-year entrepreneurial and technology commercialization opportunity hosted by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Technology Commercialization’s (OTC) Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program (LEEP). The program provides innovators with early-stage energy startups and/or emerging technologies with a two-year funded fellowship, supporting them as they develop and transition their ideas toward the market.

Innovation Crossroads supports and mentors entrepreneurial researchers whose early-stage innovations are presently too challenging or technically uncertain to pursue in a venture capital-financed startup. Innovators are selected through an annual competition and embedded at ORNL for up to two years to receive entrepreneurial mentorship and conduct cooperative R&D, with the goal of translating innovations from proof of concept to proof of product.

Since its founding, Innovation Crossroads has been supported by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL); the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), including the Office of Technology Commercialization, Advanced Mining and Mineral Production Technologies Office, Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office, Building Technologies Office, Industrial Technologies Office, Office of Electricity, Office of Science’s Advanced Scientific Computing Research program, and Basic Energy Sciences program; and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).

Accelerating Your Innovation at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

By embedding the next generation of top technical talent within ORNL, Innovation Crossroads positions entrepreneurial research fellows to address fundamental challenges identified by industry. Learn more about the unique scientific resources, facilities, equipment, capabilities, and experts available at ORNL in the following science and technology areas:

Biology and environment
Energy science
Fusion and fission
Isotopes
Physical sciences
National security
Neutron science
Supercomputing

Opportunity

Innovation Crossroads will help selected innovators in the physical sciences and energy technologies to mature their early-stage innovations. DOE and TVA will provide funding to ORNL to support selected innovators in developing their technologies. Additionally, program sponsors will provide an Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education fellowship to the selected innovators for the first year with the possibility of renewal, subject to a one-year review, for support of up to two years through this program. ORNL is presently searching for innovators for cohort 2027. Benefits to selected innovators may include up to 24 months of Innovation Crossroads resources, subject to performance and availability of funding, including the following:

  • A two-year fellowship—Innovators receive a yearly living stipend of $115,000; health insurance stipend; and professional development allowance for travel funding, educational training and development, and customer discovery activities.
  • World-class lab access and research funding—In addition to unparalleled access to facilities, research tools, equipment, and expertise at ORNL, innovators receive R&D funding to support collaboration opportunities with researchers across the lab.
  • Business mentors, entrepreneurial training, and networking—Innovators receive access to experienced business mentors, entrepreneurial training programs, and exclusive networking opportunities. Innovators are also connected to a wide range of leaders from academia, industry, government, and finance who can serve as advisors and partners.

Application Timeline

  • Applications open: 8 a.m. ET, September 15, 2026
  • Applications close: 8 p.m. ET, October 30, 2026
  • Written application review: November–December 2026
    Applications are reviewed by the Innovation Crossroads team, as well as scientific and industry subject matter experts.
  • Internal prescreening interview: December 2026
    The Innovation Crossroads team will invite candidates who meet all required eligibility criteria to an informal, virtual prescreen interview to learn more about the candidates and their technologies/companies and address any questions about the program or process.
  • Virtual semifinal interviews: January 2027
    Semifinalists are invited to present to a review panel of representatives from the local entrepreneurial ecosystem and internal program champions.
  • In-person final interviews: March 2027
    Finalists are invited to visit ORNL to tour facilities; connect with potential collaborators, principal investigators, and mentors; and present to a talented team of investors, business executives, and experienced entrepreneurs from across the country.
  • Cohort 2027 selected: May–June 2027
  • Cohort 2027 starts at Innovation Crossroads: August 2027

Eligibility Criteria

For acceptance into the program, applicants must

  • apply as an individual, not as a company or organization (if you are part of a team, each member of your team can apply as an individual);
  • have a doctoral degree or equivalent experience;
  • leverage ORNL R&D capabilities and have alignment with DOE’s and/or TVA’s mission;
  • be willing to relocate to the Knoxville–Oak Ridge area for two years;
  • be a US citizen or lawful permanent resident at the time of application;
  • have raised no more than $2 million USD in debt or equity funding from nongovernment sources within three years prior to program application;
  • successfully execute a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) with ORNL; and
  • disclose background intellectual property rights, if necessary, that may be needed to freely operate on R&D-related tasks as outlined within the CRADA.

Technology Areas of Interest

Innovators must focus on an emerging technology that will advance the development of next-generation energy, advanced manufacturing, a shared integrated grid, and/or smart buildings. Innovation Crossroads seeks entrepreneurs who are advancing technologies that address complex scientific challenges and require a lengthy development cycle of about two years to reach the precommercial prototype stage. Technology areas of interest, as identified by our sponsors, are as follows:

  • Advanced Fuel and Feedstock technology
  • Advanced Technologies for Domestic Critical Mineral Extraction, Midstream Processing, and Recycling
  • Advanced Transportation Technologies
  • AI and Advanced Computing Technologies
  • Battery Technologies for Dual-Use Applications
  • Coal Technologies
  • Cutting Edge Energy Generation and Power Management Technologies
  • Cyber and Energy Security
  • Data Center Energy Technologies
  • Geothermal Technologies
  • Grid Energy Storage
  • Grid Information Security
  • Innovations in Manufacturing and Scale-up for Energy Applications
  • Next-generation Technologies for Industrial Competitiveness
  • Next-Generation Building Technologies
  • Nuclear Energy Technologies
  • Oil and Gas Technologies
  • Platform technologies to advance scientific research
  • Transmission and Distribution Technologies
  • Water Power and Energy-Water Technologies
  • Other technologies that further DOE’s mission of ensuring America’s security and prosperity by addressing its energy and nuclear challenges

Application Materials

Applicants should complete the official application template, which will be available through the Valid Evaluation application portal beginning September 15 at 8:00 a.m. ET. The completed application should consist of a single 8-page PDF containing the following information:

  • Cover Page: Include only your completed “Basic Information” table.
  • Abstract: Briefly summarize your application.
  • Problem and Solution:
    • Problem Statement: Describe the problem your innovation addresses and its impact.
    • Technology Description: Summarize your product/solution and how it solves the problem.
    • Scientific Feasibility: Explain the soundness of the science behind your solution.
    • Tech Development Plan: Outline your development plan and risk mitigation strategies.
    • Alternative Approaches: Justify why your solution is superior to alternatives.
  • Mission Impact:
    • Importance of the Problem: Highlight the urgency and significance of the problem.
    • Relevance to Sponsors: Discuss the potential impact on DOE, TVA, and ORNL missions.
    • Time to Market: Estimate the timeline for your first commercial sale.
  • ORNL Fit:
    • Program Resources: Explain how your team will benefit from Innovation Crossroads and ORNL’s resources.
    • Passion/Motivation: Demonstrate your commitment and drive to commercialize your technology.
  • Business Potential:
    • Competitive Edge: Explain your advantage in the marketplace.
    • Market Understanding: Describe your expertise in the market and identify opportunities.
    • Market Share: Estimate the market share your innovation could capture and why.
  • Personal Narrative: Share the origin of your idea and your motivation for pursuing it.
  • Additional Information: Include any other relevant details.
  • Résumé: Provide your résumé (a maximum of 1 page is recommended), which is included in the 8-page limit.

Submit Your Application: Applications for Innovation Crossroads Cohort 2027 will be accepted September 15–October 30, 2026.

The online application will be available here beginning September 15 at 8:00 a.m. ET. A link to the application will be added to this page when applications open.

Learn More

Are you an entrepreneur interested in learning more about Innovation Crossroads? Join us for a virtual program overview covering program qualifications, benefits, and the application process, followed by an opportunity to ask questions of the Innovation Crossroads team.

Webinar Dates:

  • Thursday, October 1 | 3:00 PM ET
  • Tuesday, October 20 | 12:00 PM ET

Register for a Cohort 2027 Webinar

Note: Your registration confirmation email from Innovation Crossroads will include Microsoft Teams connection information and instructions.

Apply Now

Applications for Innovation Crossroads Cohort 2027 will be accepted September 15–October 30, 2026.

The online application will be available here beginning September 15 at 8:00 a.m. ET. A link to the application will be added to this page when applications open.

Questions?

Contact us at [email protected].

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