Applications for Cohort 7 of “Innovation Crossroads” are being accepted
Applications are now open for Cohort 7 of the “Innovation Crossroads” (IC) program operated by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).
Supported by ORNL, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Manufacturing Office and Building Technologies Office, and the Tennessee Valley Authority, the innovative program serves as a platform for supporting and mentoring entrepreneurial researchers whose early stage innovations are too challenging or technically uncertain to pursue in a venture capital-financed startup. IC embeds innovators at ORNL for up to two years through entrepreneurial mentorship and cooperative research and development. The unique fellowship allows selected innovators to leverage the Labs unique scientific facilities, equipment, capabilities, and experts to advance their early-stage scientific discoveries into potentially commercialize-able opportunities within an accelerated period of time.
For acceptance into the program, applicants:
- Must apply as an individual, not as a company or organization;
- Must have Ph.D. or equivalent experience;
- Must leverage ORNL R&D capabilities and have an impact on the Department of Energy and/or Tennessee Valley Authority missions;
- Must be willing to relocate to the Knoxville-Oak Ridge area for two years;
- Must be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident at time of application;
- Must have raised no more the $2 million in debt or equity funding from non-government sources within three years prior to program application;
- Must successfully execute a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with ORNL; and
- Must disclose background intellectual property rights, if necessary, that may be needed to freely operate on R&D related tasks as outlined within the CRADA.
More details can be found here. The deadline to apply is November 30.
For those interested in learning more, ORNL will host two upcoming virtual sessions. One will be from 3 to 4 p.m. EST November 1, and the other will be from 2 to 3 p.m. EST on November 18. Registration information can be found here.
