7 Startups Turn Lab Science Into Clean Energy Solutions

Seven startup founders are getting a powerful boost to bring their clean energy innovations to market, and the timing couldn't be better for American manufacturing and energy independence.

The National Laboratory of the Rockies welcomed its newest West Gate fellows this month, giving seven entrepreneurs two years of access to world-class expertise, equipment, and resources. These aren't just any startups. They're tackling some of the country's toughest energy and manufacturing challenges with genuinely novel approaches.

Boris Chubukov's Big Blue Technologies is on a mission to make magnesium in America again. Since 2021, no U.S. company has produced this critical mineral, forcing manufacturers to rely entirely on imports for everything from lightweight batteries to soda cans. Chubukov's team invented an automated, electrified smelting process that could finally make domestic production affordable and competitive globally.

The stakes are high. In the past 20 years, about 12 magnesium production projects launched in North America, and every single one failed. But Chubukov's team has been refining their approach since graduate school, and with NLR's help, they're planning a full-scale plant that could supply 10% of America's magnesium needs.

Alexei Tcherniak's GeoKiln is taking a different approach to energy. His company turns the Earth's existing geology into a giant kiln, using natural heat from rocks to generate affordable, reliable energy. It's the kind of solution that could power modern manufacturing and artificial intelligence without disrupting electricity for families.

The West Gate program is part of the Department of Energy's strategy to speed up the journey from laboratory discovery to commercial reality. These fellows get something money can't easily buy: access to specialized equipment, decades of research expertise, and guidance on navigating the complex path to market.

The Ripple Effect

What happens at NLR over the next two years could reshape American energy and manufacturing for decades. If Big Blue succeeds, U.S. manufacturers won't have to worry about supply chain disruptions for a critical mineral. GeoKiln's technology could tap into an entirely new source of clean, constant energy.

The program represents a smarter way to support innovation. Instead of leaving entrepreneurs to figure everything out alone, it connects them with people who've spent careers solving similar technical challenges. The fellows bring fresh ideas and entrepreneurial drive. The lab provides the tools and knowledge to make those ideas work at commercial scale.

These seven teams are proving that American innovation is alive and well, tackling big problems with creative solutions that could benefit everyone.