The Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN2), an energy technology program funded by Wells Fargo and co-administered by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), announced its 2025 Channel Partner Strategic Award winners today. With $1 million in funding, this year’s awards support seven national projects, focusing on commercialization and pilot opportunities to drive advanced energy innovation.

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2025 Channel Partner Network

The selection committee evaluated applications based on the potential for capacity building, regional collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and action-oriented initiatives to strengthen the energy-tech ecosystem. Selection criteria prioritized proposals that address commercialization gaps for energy startups or created pilot opportunities by connecting startups with new markets through partnerships. Winners received funding between $100,000 to $200,000.

“This year’s awardees embody the bold, collaborative spirit that fuels energy innovation,” said Sarah Derdowski, IN2 program manager at NREL. “By closing commercialization gaps and building partnerships that connect startups with prospective end users, these projects are not just advancing individual ventures—they're shaping a more resilient and adaptable energy future.”

Awarded projects:

• Energy Tech Nexus (Houston, TX), in partnership with Browning the Green Space (Boston, MA), will facilitate technology pilots in Houston and expand upon a successful partnership with local organizations to serve the Gulf Coast region.
• Evergreen Climate Innovations (Chicago, IL), in partnership with Grid Catalyst (Minneapolis, MN), will develop a catalytic investment model for early-stage technologies in Minnesota. This initiative will launch a new fund to address the commercialization funding gap and deliver the first round of investments in the region. The awardees will develop a toolkit to help other regions replicate this impactful approach, driving innovation and fostering growth.
• Dominion Energy Innovation Center (Ashland, VA), in partnership with Spark Innovation Center (Knoxville, TN), will create an interstate coalition of resources, events, and networks, drawing on each partner’s programming strengths to fill gaps in the regional innovation ecosystem. The result will be a robust pipeline for startups in Virginia and Tennessee, leading to better commercialization outcomes.
• mHUB (Chicago, IL), in partnership with Centrepolis Accelerator (Detroit, MI), will develop a regional supplier, manufacturer, and entrepreneurial support network that will lower the barriers to hardtech development and create an economic engine of increased manufacturing activity. This partnership builds upon the organizations’ existing supply chain work in Illinois and Michigan by sharing additional knowledge, support, services, and referrals while connecting startups to more regional opportunities.
• Cleantech San Diego (San Diego, CA) will pilot a voucher program to provide startups in its Southern California Energy Innovation Network (SCEIN) support for engineering and manufacturing services needed in prototype development, design, and testing. The program will leverage partnerships with member companies and local prototype engineering firms to help SCEIN startups de-risk their energy technology for investors and accelerate their path to market.
• Launch Alaska (Anchorage, AK) will bridge the gap in regional project development by developing a toolkit and enhancing program elements for its Tech Deployment Track accelerator program. The funding will create a shared understanding that enables municipality leaders and startups to explore opportunities together.
• Urban Future Lab (New York, NY) at New York University’s Tandon School of Engineering will launch an action-oriented event featuring peer-to-peer workshops, where startups assess market readiness while collaborating with local organizations and industry experts to develop criteria for pilot project implementation.

“The variety of regional representation in these awards, from Alaska to Chicago to Tennessee and more, demonstrates the need for, and potential of, capacity-building and commercialization pathways,” said Jeffrey Schub, head of sustainability for Wells Fargo. “By fostering collaboration and connection among startups, organizations, and municipalities, these awards help support the deployment of energy innovation and resilient solutions nationwide.”

IN2 launched the Channel Partner Strategic Awards program in 2017 to nurture the Channel Partner ecosystem, which includes more than 60 energy technology incubators, accelerators, and universities. Since its inception, the IN2 Channel Partner Strategic Awards program has distributed more than $9 million, supporting 90 IN2 Strategic Awards.

About the Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN2)

The Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN2) is a $55-million energy technology program funded by Wells Fargo and coadministered by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory. IN2 advances innovative energy solutions from concept to commercialization. By bridging the gap between cutting-edge startups and market adopters, IN2 fosters collaboration across a growing ecosystem—convening entrepreneurs, industry stakeholders, and research institutions. Through this networked approach, IN2 accelerates real-world implementation and scaling of transformative technologies in the built environment and infrastructure sectors, driving a more resilient, adaptable future. For more information, visit www.in2ecosystem.com.

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