ARPA-E IGNIITE (Early-Career Innovators)
Supports United States early-career energy researchers building disruptive energy solutions beyond conventional approaches.
IGNIITE β Inspiring Generations of New Innovators to Impact Technologies in Energy β is ARPA-E's early-career researcher award, providing approximately $500,000 per project over 24 months to individual principal investigators within roughly ten years of receiving their terminal degree. The program targets disruptive, unconventional energy research ideas that an early-career researcher can lead indβ¦
All ARPA-E mission areas: energy technology breakthroughs from early-career scientists and engineers. Topic priorities aligned to America's most critical energy technology challenges in the program year.
Sign up free to see the funding breakdown
Sign up free to see the industries in scope
Sign up free to see the full eligibility
Sign up free to see how to apply
Sign up free to see what you submit
Sign up free to see how they score you
Sign up free to see the timeline
Sign up free to see where teams trip up
Guides for this application
All guides βGrant Financials and Co-Funding Evidence: Examples for Startup Applications
See examples of grant financials, match funding evidence, co-funding tables, accountant letters, investor commitments, and budget-to-work-plan checks.
Start hereTRL Levels Explained for Deeptech Founders
Learn what TRL levels mean, how to estimate technology readiness, and how TRL affects grants, EIC Accelerator, SBIR/STTR, funding stage, and application evidence.
DocumentsGrant Work Plan Template: Work Packages, Gantt, Milestones, and Risks
Use this grant work plan template to structure work packages, tasks, owners, deliverables, Gantt timing, dependencies, and risk registers.
Write proposalGrant Concept Note Example: Pre-Proposal Structure for Startups
See a practical grant concept note example, with a worked deeptech pre-proposal, section map, invite-to-full logic, and reviewer checks.
More from ARPA-E
All grants from this funder βARPA-E SCALEUP Ready
πΊπΈARPA-E Β· United States
Funds United States alumni technologies moving from prior support into commercial pilots and scale-out activity.
ARPA-E OPEN (next cycle)
πΊπΈARPA-E Β· United States
Funds high-risk energy technologies in United States with cross-cutting potential for climate and industrial transformation.
ARPA-E Focused Technology Programs
πΊπΈARPA-E Β· United States
Supports United States transformational technology workstreams such as fusion materials, advanced batteries, and carbon capture.
SUPERHOT
πΊπΈARPA-E Β· United States
Funds United States geothermal R&D teams developing super-hot reservoir technologies through ARPA-E cooperative agreements.
Similar grants
Browse the directory βInnovation Ecosystem Development
πΊπΈMTI Β· United States
Provides the Innovation Ecosystem Development grant to organizations building innovation infrastructure for Maine technology firms and growth networks.
Business Innovation Funding
πΊπΈMTI Β· United States
Funds Maine technology businesses with grants, loans, or equity ranging from ten to two hundred fifty thousand dollars.
INFUSE RFA Cycle
πΊπΈDOE FES Β· United States
Supports private fusion companies through annual partnerships with national laboratories.
Army SBIR Phase I
πΊπΈArmy Β· United States
Funds United States Army-focused small businesses demonstrating technology feasibility for soldier and mobility needs.
NSF SBIR Phase I
πΊπΈNSF Β· United States
Funds United States deep-tech startups demonstrating scientific feasibility of novel science and engineering innovations.
NSF STTR Phase I
πΊπΈNSF Β· United States
Funds United States deep-tech startups partnering with nonprofit research institutions for early-stage feasibility studies.