Status: Open. Pitches due Wednesday, December 16, 2026, 2:00 PM ET through ATI's Acquisition Management Portal (AMP). Only invited pitches can submit a full proposal.
Executive Summary
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funds energy, nuclear and basic science research and runs the national laboratories. Its Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs (SBIR/STTR) are now administered by DOE's Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC) through ConnectWerx, a DOE partnership intermediary managed by Advanced Technology International (ATI).
The FY26 Fall Phase I opportunity opened October 30, 2026. It covers 25 topics across DOE's technology areas, and DOE intends to make about 160 awards totaling up to $50 million. Each company can request up to $300,000 through a fixed-price, milestone-based Fast-Track award. The first step is a short pitch, due December 16, 2026, 2:00 PM ET.
Key Hack: Partner With Someone DOE Already Knows
Start by lining up a partner DOE already knows, ideally one of DOE's national laboratories. The labs have tagged technologies, software, datasets and other intellectual property they want small businesses to commercialize as Lab Innovation Opportunities (LIOs) on DOE's Lab Partnering Service, and each LIO lists a lab contact.
Partnerships count in the review. The pitch asks about team qualifications, the full proposal scores Partnerships under Team Qualifications, and ConnectWerx says demonstrating active partnerships early "can help elevate your pitch."
The rules allow it. A national lab that is a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) can be proposed as a team member: as a subcontractor within the SBIR Phase I limit (up to 33% of the research effort), or as the required research institution partner for STTR. The cognizant DOE Agreements Officer must authorize a DOE/NNSA lab's role in writing. That authorization is not required to submit, but the lab cannot start work until it is approved, and ConnectWerx strongly recommends requesting it as soon as possible and including it with your application if you have it. Lining up the lab and the approval takes time, so building that partnership is the main reason to start now.
Solicitation at a Glance
- Agency: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Technology Commercialization, through ConnectWerx (ATI)
- Opportunity: FY26 Fall SBIR/STTR Phase I opportunity (the second under OTC, after the Genesis Mission topic)
- Funding: About 160 awards, up to $50,000,000 total; up to $300,000 per Phase I request ($306,500 with Technical and Business Assistance, TABA)
- Award Type: Fixed-price, milestone-based Fast-Track awards combining Phase I and Phase II; Phase II funding depends on a go/no-go decision
- Due Date: Pitches by Wednesday, December 16, 2026, 2:00 PM ET; no late submissions
- Submission: ATI Acquisition Management Portal (AMP); request an account first
- Limit: Up to three pitches per company
Think your company qualifies? Talk with BW&CO before the December 16, 2026 pitch deadline.
The 25 Topics
Estimated number of awards in parentheses.
- 1. Domestic critical mineral extraction, midstream processing and recycling (3)
- 2. Manufacturing and scale-up for energy applications (2)
- 3. Technologies for industrial competitiveness, including data centers and large loads (3)
- 4. Next-generation building technologies (2)
- 5. Energy generation and power management: hydropower, marine, energy-water, aero mechanical, thermal, photovoltaics, systems integration and permitting (5)
- 6. Transportation technologies and fuels production (5)
- 7. Battery technologies for dual-use applications (5)
- 8. Cybersecurity, resilience and energy system risk mitigation (1)
- 9. Hydrocarbons and geothermal energy: coal, oil and gas, and geothermal (14)
- 10. Reactor concepts research, development and demonstration (6)
- 11. Fuel cycle research and development (6)
- 12. Nuclear energy enabling technologies: sensors, materials, modeling and post-irradiation examination (6)
- 13. Used nuclear fuel and high-level waste disposition (6)
- 14. Grid innovations: grid cybersecurity, grid-enhancing technologies, microgrids, stationary storage and large-load interconnection tools (3)
- 15. Commercialization of ASCR/ECP-funded software (4)
- 16. Cybersecurity for scientific high-performance computing (4)
- 17. Novel instrumentation for X-ray and neutron facilities (12)
- 18. AI-driven materials and molecular systems discovery (13)
- 19. Bioengineering and quantum science-based sensors (16)
- 20. Fusion fuel cycle and enabling technologies (12)
- 21. Advanced particle and radiation detectors (7)
- 22. High-performance electronics and data acquisition systems (8)
- 23. Innovative accelerator science and technology (4)
- 24. Proliferation detection (6)
- 25. Nuclear detonation detection (2)
Full descriptions and areas of interest are in DOE's Topics Document.
Eligibility
- Small business: For-profit, with a U.S. place of business and 500 or fewer employees, including affiliates.
- Ownership: At least 51% owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents, or by a qualifying small business. DOE does not accept firms majority-owned by multiple venture capital, hedge fund or private equity firms.
- Location of work: All research and development performed in the U.S.
- SBIR: The principal investigator's primary employment must be with the company, and the company performs at least two-thirds of Phase I work.
- STTR: A formal partner, a U.S. nonprofit research institution (including FFRDCs such as most DOE national labs), with at least 40% of the work by the company and 30% by the partner, plus a written IP agreement.
- National lab partners: A DOE/NNSA FFRDC can join the team with written authorization from the cognizant DOE Agreements Officer. Authorization is not required to submit, but the lab cannot start work without it.
How to Submit
- Request an AMP account from ATI.
- Pick one of the 25 topics for each pitch (up to three pitches per company).
- Search for a lab partner. Look for Lab Innovation Opportunities in your topic on DOE's Lab Partnering Service and contact the listed lab staff.
- Draft the pitch in the Pitch Development Guide: four narrative questions, three short-answer questions and seven structured selection questions, within the word limits. Do not include proprietary information.
- Add an optional bibliography as a PDF of 5 MB or less.
- Submit in AMP by December 16, 2026, 2:00 PM ET. You can update the submission until the deadline.
Key Dates
- October 30, 2026: Pitch portal opened
- November 13, 2026: Video topic summaries posted
- November 19, 2026, 3:00 PM ET: Office Hours Part I
- December 1, 2026, 3:00 PM ET: Office Hours Part II
- December 16, 2026, 2:00 PM ET: Pitches due
What Happens After You Submit?
- Pitch screening: DOE checks topic and mission alignment and compliance, then reviews technical promise, commercialization potential and team qualifications.
- Full proposal: Invited pitches move to a full proposal, scored equally on scientific and technical merit, commercialization potential and team qualifications.
- Feedback: Declined pitches get brief standardized feedback and cannot be resubmitted.
- Award: Selected companies negotiate milestones before funding. A subset continue to Phase II based on go/no-go decisions.
Is This Opportunity a Good Fit for Your Company?
It fits battery, critical minerals, grid and energy hardware startups, nuclear and fusion developers, geothermal and oil and gas technology firms, sensor, detector and quantum sensing makers, cybersecurity firms, and AI and scientific software teams. Companies majority-owned by multiple venture capital or private equity firms are not eligible for this DOE opportunity.
How BW&CO Can Help
BW&CO has helped deep-tech and dual-use founders secure more than $350M in non-dilutive funding. For SBIR/STTR opportunities like this one, we help you:
- Pick the right topic among the 25 and decide how to use your three pitches.
- Find and approach a partner, including national lab Lab Innovation Opportunities.
- Write the pitch within the word limits.
- Build the full proposal if DOE invites one.
- Plan the path to Phase II and follow-on funding.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is it due?
Pitches are due December 16, 2026, 2:00 PM ET.
How much can I request?
Up to $300,000, or $306,500 with Technical and Business Assistance (TABA). DOE plans about 160 awards totaling up to $50 million.
How many pitches can my company send?
Up to three, to the same or different topics. Only the last three count.
Can I skip the pitch?
No. Only invited pitches can submit a full proposal.
Is venture-backed ownership allowed?
Not if the company is majority-owned by multiple venture capital, hedge fund or private equity firms.
Do I need a partner?
Not for SBIR, and STTR requires a U.S. nonprofit research institution partner. Either way, a partner DOE already knows, such as a national lab through a Lab Innovation Opportunity, strengthens the team score. That is the main reason to start now.
Can a national lab be on my team?
Yes. A national lab that is an FFRDC can be a subcontractor (within the SBIR Phase I limit of 33% of the research effort) or the STTR research partner. A DOE/NNSA lab needs written authorization from the cognizant DOE Agreements Officer before it can start work, so request it early.
What kind of award is it?
A fixed-price, milestone-based Fast-Track award that combines Phase I and Phase II. Phase II funding depends on a go/no-go decision at the end of Phase I.
Can BW&CO help with a DOE SBIR/STTR pitch?
Yes. BW&CO can help you pick the right topic, line up a national lab or other partner, write a pitch within the word limits and prepare a full proposal if DOE invites one. Book a call with our team.
Source: ConnectWerx, FY26 Fall Opportunity; ConnectWerx, Eligibility Criteria