i6 Green Challenge
The i6 Green Challenge is part of the Obama Administration's Startup America initiative at the U.S. Department of Energy. The competition aims to inspire and promote entrepreneurship and aims to encourage and reward innovative Proof of Concept Centers that accelerate technology commercialization and help bridge the gap between university research and private sector job creation.
Led by the Economic Development Administration (EDA) at the U.S. Department of Commerce, the i6 Green Challenge includes partnerships with the U.S. Departments of Energy (DOE) and Agriculture, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the National Science Foundation, and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The combined federal funding is $12 million over two years, and focuses on areas that are economically disadvantaged. DOE provides approximately $750,000 to three of six centers that were awarded in 2011:
- Cleantech Innovations New England
- Florida Cleantech Acceleration Network (FL CAN)
- Innovate Washington
For more information, see the i6 Green Challenge Fact Sheet.