Lab MATCH Prize
The DOE Office of Technology Transitions Lab MATCH (Laboratory Making Advanced Technology Commercialization Harmonized) Prize is a $620K, three-phase competition aimed to accelerate national laboratory intellectual property (IP) licensing and commercialization.
Lab MATCH, which is funded by the Technology Commercialization Fund, is part of the American-Made Challenges suite of prizes. It provides an opportunity for innovators and entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds to work directly with national labs and their researchers to accelerate technology commercialization.
About the Prize
The goal of the Lab MATCH Prize is to offer commercialization-ready IP to the public, giving competitors direct access to lab-based insight and collaboration that will help develop licensing and commercialization plans. From these developments, competitors will work to implement actionable steps that advance IP commercialization.
This prize also aims to:
- Incentivize cutting-edge, for-profit companies and startups to expedite their plans and activities to license and commercialize national laboratory IP.
- Open the door for innovators to work with national labs and technology researchers that can help accelerate commercialization plans and action steps.
- Award prize money to the companies that make the most significant and actionable advancements in their commercialization plans throughout the competition. Participating national labs include:
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
- Sandia National Laboratories (SNL)
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).
Based on competitor interest and group expertise, each team will have the opportunity to choose from an array of IP developed within the three partnering national labs. Teams will then work with related Technology Transfer Offices to complete required paperwork, discuss progress, build partnerships, and connect with researchers to commercialize the IP.
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Prize Structure
The Lab MATCH Prize comprises three phases—Commitment, Plan, and Action—to incentivize national lab IP commercialization.
Phase 1: Commitment
In Phase 1, teams will provide details about their members and backgrounds, as well as their plan for licensing and commercialization. Teams will also agree to the basic terms and conditions of the lab agreements and select a national lab they would like to work with.
Phase 2: Plan
Winning teams from Phase 1 will work to create an in-depth and comprehensive engagement plan that describes their commercialization intentions, past experiences, and specific plans of actions. Teams will also complete documentation that illustrates their skills and qualifications, ensuring that the commercialization process will be successful based on their current plan of action, partners, timelines, and more.
Up to nine teams will receive $30,000 each in cash prizes and be eligible to compete in Phase 3.
Phase 3: Action
Winning teams from Phase 2 will make significant progress on their licensing and commercialization efforts by working closely with the national lab Technology Transfer Offices and relevant researchers, while also building strong commercialization partnerships with external customers, mentors, and colleagues.
Up to three teams will receive $100,000 each in cash prizes.
Read more about scoring factors and prize amounts in the official rules.
Competitor Eligibility
This competition is only open to private, for-profit entities (for-profits).
- Private entities must be incorporated in and maintain a primary place of business in the United States.
- Individuals, or groups of individuals, that wish to compete must incorporate in the United States as a private entity and maintain a primary place of business in the United States. It is expected that any manufacturing component of anticipated commercialization occur in the United States.
More details in the official rules coming soon! Read the Official Rules for full eligibility requirements.
Important Dates and Deadlines
All dates and deadlines for this prize are subject to change, including contest openings, deadlines, and announcements. Sign up for updates on HeroX, the official competition platform.
Solutions that Can Shape the Future
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