TLDR: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has allocated over $35 million from its Technology Commercialization Fund (TCF) to 42 projects. These initiatives aim to transition emerging energy technologies, including those in artificial intelligence, grid security, nuclear energy, and advanced manufacturing, from national laboratories to the market. The total investment, including over $21 million in cost-share from partners, exceeds $57.5 million.
WASHINGTON, September 3, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced a significant investment of over $35 million through its Technology Commercialization Fund (TCF). This funding will support 42 projects dedicated to advancing cutting-edge energy technologies, facilitating their transition from DOE National Laboratories, plants, and sites to the commercial market.
The selected projects encompass a diverse range of critical areas, including grid security, artificial intelligence, nuclear energy, and advanced manufacturing. This strategic investment is further bolstered by more than $21 million in cost-share contributions from private and public partners, bringing the total funding for these initiatives to over $57.5 million.
The TCF program, managed by the Office of Technology Commercialization’s Core Laboratory Infrastructure for Market Readiness (CLIMR) Lab Call, is designed to enhance America’s economic and national security. It achieves this by fostering public-private partnerships that maximize taxpayer investments, drive American innovation, and maintain the United States’ competitive edge in the global energy landscape.
Secretary Wright emphasized the crucial role of the DOE’s National Labs, stating, “The Energy Department’s National Labs play an important role in ensuring the United States leads the world in innovation. These projects have the potential to accelerate technological breakthroughs that will define the future of science and help secure America’s energy future.”
This year’s selections are distributed across 19 DOE National Labs, plants, and sites, highlighting a broad commitment to technological advancement. Notable projects include:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory will launch “America’s Cradle to Commerce (AC2C),” an initiative that expands upon the successful Cradle to Commerce (C2C) program. AC2C will provide comprehensive support for lab-to-market innovation. The original C2C program has already demonstrated significant impact, with participating startups raising over $15 million and launching five commercial pilots within just 18 months.
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory plans to enhance and expand its free-to-use Visual Intellectual Property Search (VIPS) tool through a “VIPS 2.0” project. This updated platform will offer seamless search capabilities across an extensive catalog of National Lab innovations available for licensing or open-source utilization.
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Argonne National Laboratory is also among the institutions receiving funding for their innovative projects.
