ConnectWerx, a Partnership Intermediary of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), intends to open an initial Small Business Innovation Research – Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) Phase I funding opportunity in collaboration with the Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC). As the first Phase I funding opportunity under OTC’s management of the DOE SBIR/STTR Programs, this Genesis Mission opportunity introduces a more streamlined, applicant-focused approach to the Phase I program. A broader Phase I funding opportunity covering additional technology topics will follow later this summer. Through the Genesis Mission opportunity, DOE intends to make approximately 40 awards totaling in $10M, representing up to $44M of cumulative SBIR/STTR funding over the projects’ lifecycles. Please note that total funding to be requested by a Small Business Concern in their full application should not exceed $250,000 (or $256,500 if the proposal includes a request for TABA).

Applicants must meet the eligibility requirements for SBIR/STTR Phase I awards as outlined on the Eligibility Page, as well as adhere to the below topic language in their proposals.

1. Scaling the Biotechnology Revolution
This topic area calls for proposals to leverage advanced AI for biotechnology, including for biochemicals and bioproducts applications. Areas of interest include AI tools to support biomolecular design, establish genotype-phenotype relationship, support predictive microbiome engineering and microbiome gene expression, accelerate bioreactor design and biomanufacturing, and otherwise enhance genome engineering.

2. Realizing Quantum Systems for Discovery: AI for Quantum Computing and Networking
This topic seeks proposals that leverage AI to characterize and mitigate decoherence in qubits; develop and implement effective quantum error correction codes; control quantum processing units and quantum network systems; automate and optimize quantum resource estimation tools focusing on scalability and interoperability for multiple quantum computing architectures; develop computationally efficient and scalable tools for quantum computing performance verification and validation; develop tools to translate high-level problem descriptions into executable quantum programs; develop tools to manage computational workflows that integrate classical high-performance computing, AI, and quantum resources; and ensure the scalability of quantum processors and network systems.

3. Designing Materials with Predictable Functionality
This topic area seeks proposals that leverage advanced AI frameworks to facilitate easier materials design. Successful proposals should accelerate the discovery and deployment of advanced materials that are essential for American competitiveness in energy, manufacturing, and technology by enabling “inverse design,” where materials are engineered to meet specific property requirements.

4. Achieving AI-Driven Autonomous Laboratories
This topic area seeks proposals that integrate AI directly into experimental workflows to accelerate discovery, improve repeatability, and generate richer datasets. Areas of interest include advanced robotics, AI for Network Operations, diagnostics, remote handling, and neuromorphic computing circuit primitives.

All applicants will be required to submit an initial Pitch application for review before they can have the opportunity to access the full application. Only successful Pitch applications will be invited to submit a full application.

How to Participate

1. Review this page for details on eligibility, evaluation criteria, and how to apply.
2. Attend one or both of the two (2) virtual Office Hours sessions in mid-August.
3. Download the Pitch Development Guide template, answer the 4 questions paying mind to maximum word counts.
4. Gather Bibliography & References Cited (if applicable).
5. Complete the Submission Form in the SBIR/STTR Acquisition Management Portal (AMP) (application link coming soon). Submissions are due no later than September 10, 2026 at 2:00 PM ET.

Timeline:

• Wednesday, 7/22: Program is announced, opportunity and resources posted, applicants can request access to AMP
• Mid-August: AMP Applications Open
• Wednesday, 8/5 at 3 PM ET: Watch virtual Office Hours Part I with DOE and CWX representatives here. – COMING SOON!
• Wednesday, 8/12 at 3 PM ET: Virtual Office Hours Part II with DOE and CWX representatives
• Thursday, 9/10 at 2 PM ET: Application Closes

Future Considerations:

Selected Phase I awardees will enter into a funding agreement with DOE and ConnectWerx. Selection for award negotiations is not a commitment by DOE to issue an award or provide funding. Before funding is issued, DOE and the applicants will undergo a negotiation process, and DOE may cancel negotiations and rescind the selection for any reason during that time. Based on their successful completion of project milestones, a subset of Phase I awarded companies will be granted Phase II awards. Follow-on Phase II, II.2 and Strategic Breakthrough Awards will be made to this selected cohort based on go/no-go decision points, awardee performance, and funding availability in later years.

Complete the online application and upload the appropriate project information and supporting documentation in the AMP application portal (application link coming soon).

Submissions are due no later than September 10, 2026 at 2:00 PM ET. Late submissions will not be accepted. Submissions can be made in advance of the deadline and updated (or files replaced) up to the deadline.

Within the application, there will be 4 open-text questions to guide the formation of your pitch. Essentially a short “elevator pitch”, these questions are your opportunity to convince DOE to accept and then review a full application for your project. The four questions that make up the pitch portion of the application, guidance, and requirements can be found here. Because of strict word count requirements, it is highly recommended that you download and then draft your responses outside of the application portal and then paste them in when you are ready to apply.

You will also have the opportunity to upload a Bibliography & References Cited Document to support your pitch, but it is not required.

Files shall be submitted in Adobe Acrobat PDF (.pdf) format and not be larger than 5 MB. ZIP files and other application formats are not acceptable. All files shall be printable, without a password. Filenames must contain the appropriate extension and shall not contain special characters.

September 10, 2026 at 2:00 PM ET

The official announcement of the DOE FY26 SBIR/STTR Phase I Genesis Mission opportunity can be viewed here.

The Genesis Mission unites DOE National Labs, industry, academia, and more to harness AI for breakthroughs in energy dominance, discovery science, and national security. To learn more about this initiative go to genesis.energy.gov.

To assess your company’s eligibility for this opportunity, please see here.

DOE will accept up to 3 pitches per company. Only the last 3 submitted pitches for a given company will be reviewed.

Only invited pitches will be able to submit a full application. Reviewers will consider the following when reviewing pitches and making decisions about which ones to invite to the next application stage: Topic and Mission Alignment, Technical Promise, Commercialization Potential, and Team Qualifications. Program Policy Factors may also be considered. More details on each of these criteria are included in the following section on Full Application Evaluation Criteria.

Pitches that are invited to submit a full application may receive reviewer feedback. Unfortunately, pitches that are not invited to submit a full application will not receive detailed feedback.

Phase I applications are evaluated at the full merit review stage across three equally weighted core areas. Scores from each area will be averaged to produce the overall proposal score. All application materials will be considered holistically to inform these scores. The core areas are as follows:

1. Technical Promise, evidenced by:

• Significance: the importance and urgency of the scientific and technical foundation of your project. (Is the problem real, sizeable, and worth solving?)
• Innovation: the novelty of the proposed solution to help provide a viable product or service. (Does this represent a meaningful advancement or breakthrough?)
• Feasibility: the ability to successfully prove the concept within the proposed timeline and budget. (Is the Phase I work plan realistic and achievable?)

2. Commercialization Potential, evidenced by:

• Value Proposition: the technology’s ability to meet identified customer needs. (Is there a clear value case?)
• Competitive Advantage: a realistic assessment of the competitive landscape, including how the proposed solution compares to direct competitors, incumbent technologies, and alternative approaches. (What is your differentiation strategy?)
• Go–to–Market Strategy: the pathway to market, including supply chain planning, target customers, and sales channels. Acknowledge key hurdles and describe plans to overcome them. (Do you have a credible plan to validate market assumptions?)

3. Team Qualifications, evidenced by:

• Company: the qualifications and relevant experience of the principal investigator (PI), company staff, and management; the adequacy of equipment and facilities. (Does the team have the necessary expertise and resources?)
• Partnerships: the strength and relevance of external partnerships, advisors, subcontractors, or other collaborators that enhance the likelihood of the project’s success. (Have you identified strategic alliances that will strengthen your project?)
• Financials: a realistic yet promising revenue model and growth projections, and a sound proposal for using the award funds (Do you have a credible vision for growth? Will your use of award funds meaningfully advance your project?)

While the scores and comments of the expert reviewers will be carefully considered, it is the role of the DOE Selection Official to maximize the impact of award funds. OTC keeps an updated list of program policy factors that may be considered, in addition to expert scores and comments in determining funding recipients on their website here.

DOE and the Partnership Intermediary may use, review and evaluate application information, including Proprietary Information, using artificial intelligence (“AI”) technology. These AI systems adhere to all DOE security, confidentiality, and information handling requirements. By submitting an application or providing information related thereto, the Applicant is providing express consent to DOE and the Partnership Intermediary’s use of application information with DOE approved AI technology. DOE and the Partnership Intermediary will retain in confidence and maintain the protection of Proprietary Information used with AI technology. All decisions on eligibility, scoring, selection, and other inherently Governmental functions will be carried out exclusively by DOE federal employees.

Please visit the ConnectWerx SBIR/STTR Resource page for additional templates and FAQs.