The Inventions Innovation Program:Inventors and Very Small Businesses Solving Big Energy Problems

摘要

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Inventions & Innovation (I&I) Program helpsindividual inventors and very small businesses transform their technical inventions andinnovations into commercially successful technologies. Through DOE's Office of EnergyEfficiency and Renewable Energy, I&I selects technologies to receive grants in a competitiveprocess. The I&I Program also provides technical and commercial support that includes marketstudies, commercialization training, website descriptions of the technology, venture capitalcoaching, participation in conferences, and other individual assistance.I&I's approach has resulted in an outstanding success rate. One in four grantees has soldthe I&I-funded technology in the U.S. marketplace. Cumulative energy savings have totaled$4.9B through 2001.The emphasis of this paper is three-fold:? Provide information on how I&I uses every facet of its program to transform the new andemerging buildings technologies it funds.? Present a case history of the technical and market transformation of the D'MAND?system, one of I&I's most successful projects.? Briefly summarize three emerging technologies that I&I is funding and expects to be inthe marketplace within three years.