Oak Ridge Lab Program Turns Energy Startups Into Success

A government program is proving that clean energy startups don't have to fail to succeed.

Six entrepreneurs just earned spots in Innovation Crossroads, a unique program that gives energy startup founders something most entrepreneurs only dream of: direct access to Oak Ridge National Laboratory's world-class scientists, million-dollar equipment, and technical expertise. The two-year fellowship doesn't just write a check and wish them luck. It embeds innovators inside one of America's premier research facilities.

The results speak louder than any pitch deck. Since the broader Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program launched in 2015, it has supported 239 fellows who created more than 200 startups. Those companies have pulled in over $6 billion in follow-on funding and generated nearly 4,000 jobs across America.

Here's the number that matters most: a 92% success rate. Most hard-tech startups fail within five years, but this program flips those odds by giving founders what they need most at the start.

This year's cohort includes Ernesto Borrego, whose company HAND Technologies is slashing carbon composite manufacturing time from nine months to weeks for aerospace and defense applications. Eric Heikkenen is making large-scale metal 3D printing affordable and accessible through his company NXT MFG. Erick Hoegberg developed diamond-based sensors that monitor radioactive materials faster and cheaper, already attracting $2.9 million in funding.

The program focuses on technologies America needs right now: advanced manufacturing, clean energy, and critical materials. The Office of Technology Commercialization now manages the program alongside the Tennessee Valley Authority, expanding resources for entrepreneurs tackling national priorities.

The Ripple Effect

Innovation Crossroads has supported 51 startups since 2017, and more than half stayed in the Oak Ridge region. Those companies have generated over $100 million in sales revenue and $326.8 million in follow-on funding while building a thriving innovation ecosystem in Tennessee.

The economic impact extends beyond dollars. These startups strengthen domestic supply chains, create high-quality jobs, and keep cutting-edge manufacturing on American soil. When entrepreneurs develop faster ways to build aircraft parts or safer methods to handle nuclear materials, they're not just building companies but securing strategic advantages.

Fellows also complete the Spark Cleantech Accelerator, a 12-week program at the University of Tennessee that connects them with mentors, investors, and business networks. The combination of technical resources and business guidance gives founders a rare competitive edge.

Anthony Pugliese, DOE's Chief Commercialization Officer, said successful startups create jobs, strengthen supply chains, and build a more competitive American economy. The program proves that strategic investment in entrepreneurs today creates the companies that will lead tomorrow's industries.

Six new founders just got the resources to turn their energy innovations into reality, and if history is any guide, most of them will succeed.