DOE's Innovation Crossroads 2025 Cohort Advances Energy Tech

The Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) announced the 2025 Innovation Crossroads cohort, comprising six entrepreneurs focused on energy and emerging technologies.

• The two-year fellowship program provides startup founders with access to ORNL’s scientific resources, mentorship, and a substantial grant, supported by DOE offices and the Tennessee Valley Authority. The 2025 cohort includes ventures addressing wildfire prevention, advanced materials coatings, scalable carbon fiber production, aluminum-air battery technology, algae-based biocomposites, and efficient data center cooling.
• Cohort members will also complete the Spark Cleantech Accelerator at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The program aims to accelerate commercialization of innovative energy technologies and strengthen U.S. competitiveness.

This initiative advances energy innovation by integrating national lab resources with entrepreneurial expertise to foster sustainable technology development and regional economic growth.