U.S. Department of Energy Awards $100,000 Community Energy Innovation Prize to Circular Venture Lab, UE Center for Innovation & Change

Evansville, Ind. (08/29/2024) — In March 2024, Circular Venture Lab (CVL) and the University of Evansville's Center for Innovation and Change (CIC) teamed up on the "IMPACTT - Technology Transfer for Impact Ventures" program. IMPACTT was chosen as one of ten initial winners in the 2024 Manufacturing Ecosystem Track of the U.S. DOE's American-Made Community Energy Innovation Prize. The IMPACTT team was awarded $100,000 in prize money from the March partnership, allowing them to recruit students through the ChangeLab program that can help identify new uses for materials and products through CVL's mentorship.

Since the March award, the team has made significant progress toward the goals of the grant, and garnered interest from students and stakeholders in Evansville and across the state. The IMPACTT team added the STARTed UP Foundation as a project partner for the second phase of the prize. Together, they detailed plans to launch an online technology transfer curriculum for Indiana High School students in early 2025. This progress impressed the review team at the DOE, who awarded another $100,000 in late August to implement the statewide program.

The DOE's Community Energy Innovation Prize supports capacity building, innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic development related to clean energy and climate for disadvantaged communities in accordance with the Justice40 Initiative. The IMPACTT team and other national winners will present their program accomplishments at the Finals event in December 2024.

Through the IMPACTT curriculum, participants identify, research, and critically analyze technology inventions and patents available for license through universities and U.S. federal agencies. Though specifically focused on technology transfer, the early entrepreneurship program has significant roles in economic, community, and manufacturing workforce development.

Logan Jenkins, Executive Director of Evansville's Circular Venture Lab, states, "Understanding technology transfer and its importance to research and development in the U.S. is a critical skill for young entrepreneurs, early startups, and for corporate innovation teams. These concepts generally are not learned in undergraduate classes, let alone in high school. Our program allows students an early look at the process through engagement with universities and federal research labs, including the Department of Energy, NASA, and the Department of Defense. High School students prepared with a technology transfer background possess a unique skillset as they enter college, one that their fellow students likely will not have."

UE's Center for Innovation & Change now sits at the nexus of multiple transformative investments in this region. Evansville Promise Neighborhood, CVL Partnerships, High School Changemaker Challenge, and the recently announced $2 million dollar investment from Toyota in STEM education are all administered out of the CIC. This builds resources for early technology education in the Evansville region and across Indiana." Executive Director Erin Lewis stated, "As Indiana's only Changemaker Campus, we are focused on bringing these opportunities to those who normally don't get to experience them. Thanks to these investments, all Hoosier kids - not just those with privilege or access to high tech schools - can receive an inspirational STEM education and access to mentoring from world class tech leaders."

Don Wettrick, Founder and CEO of the STARTed UP Foundation, explains, "As a partner in the IMPACTT project, STARTedUP is thrilled to be part of the only high school technology transfer program in the nation. Through Innovate WithIN, we're excited to offer new possibilities for students to learn about innovation and entrepreneurship. By partnering with Circular Venture Lab and the Center for Innovation & Change, we're equipping educator fellows with the tools to inspire the next generation of innovators and drive economic growth."

"We now have validation from our region, our state, and the U.S. Department of Energy for our early entrepreneurship training program," said Jenkins. "In the next year, we will launch across the state, add value to fantastic early entrepreneurship programming, and provide a unique pipeline to multiple industries in Indiana."

The Community Energy Innovation Prize is part of DOE's American Made Program and is administered by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. People or businesses interested in partnering should contact Circular Venture Lab.