Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program (LEEP)

The Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program is a DOE Office of Technology Commercialization fellowship that places early-stage energy founders inside National Laboratories for two years. It is built to accelerate founder development and technology translation through direct access to lab equipment, scientists, and a working research environment. The fellowship includes a paid living stipend, healthcare, and a yearly travel allowance. Applicants are individual founders, not teams, and the record limits eligibility to U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents with technical degrees, four to five years of R&D experience, and less than $2 million in prior funding. Fellows must relocate full time for the two-year term, and the four host nodes are Chain Reaction Innovations, Cyclotron Road, Innovation Crossroads, and West Gate. LEEP is strongest for a solo technical founder who wants intensive lab immersion and can commit to a full relocation. Each host lab runs its own portal and cycle, and the latest selection in the record was July 14, 2025, when 27 innovators were chosen.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.