Apply

Learn how to apply to the West Gate Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program.

West Gate is looking for talented scientists, engineers, inventors, and founding entrepreneurs with promising technologies to commercialize. Selected innovators must relocate to Golden, Colorado, or the greater Denver area and commit at least 80% of their time to building their companies for the duration of the 2-year fellowship.

West Gate Cohort 5 Application Now Open

Apply for West Gate Cohort 5 by 11:59 p.m. MT Nov. 7. Candidates selected to advance to the semifinalist phase will be notified in December.

Attend an informational webinar to learn more about the West Gate program—including the application process, eligibility criteria, timeline, and submission tips:

West Gate Cohort 5 Informational Webinar 1
Thursday, Sept. 25
noon–1 p.m. MT
Register for Webinar 1

West Gate Cohort 5 Informational Webinar 2
Monday, Oct. 20
noon–1 p.m. MT
Register for Webinar 2

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible to participate in the West Gate program, you must:

Apply as an individual, not as a company or organization (West Gate will only review one applicant per company/team)
Be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident at the time of application and maintain legal authorization to work in the United States for the full duration of the 2-year fellowship
Have a technical degree (bachelor's, master's, or doctorate)
Have 4-plus years of post-baccalaureate scientific research, engineering, or technology development experience
Be willing to relocate to Golden or the greater Denver area for 2 years
Be a novice startup founder
Have a technology that is at least proof-of-concept stage (Technology Readiness Level 3+)
Have raised no more than the $2 million in debt or equity funding from nongovernment sources within the 3 years prior to applying to the program
Successfully execute a cooperative research and development agreement with NREL
Disclose background intellectual property rights, if necessary, that may be needed to freely operate on R&D-related tasks as outlined within the cooperative research and development agreement.

A formed company is not a requirement to apply to the program. However, if selected to participate in West Gate, you will be required to incorporate your company upon acceptance into the program. Your company must be based in the United States.

If you already have a formed company, to be eligible to apply for the program, you must have an ownership stake in the company, and the company must be U.S.-based.

This program is not intended for serial entrepreneurs who have already demonstrated an ability to successfully launch one or more startup companies.

Technology Areas of Interest

West Gate seeks entrepreneurs advancing technologies that address large societal needs hindering American competitiveness or energy efficiency. Innovators must focus on emerging technologies that leverage NREL's research areas and align with the U.S. Department of Energy's mission.

Technology areas of interest that fall under the Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program's mission space:

Advanced computing technologies
Advanced manufacturing processes
Advanced materials
Building energy technologies
Critical minerals and materials
Energy technologies and their manufacturing
Energy-water nexus
Grid components
Grid energy storage
Industrial efficiency technologies
Manufacturing digitization
Platform technologies to advance scientific research
Recovery, reuse, and recycling technologies
Semiconductor manufacturing
Transportation efficiency
Other technologies that further the U.S. Department of Energy's mission of ensuring America's security and prosperity by addressing its energy and nuclear challenges

Application Steps

Review the eligibility criteria above to determine whether you meet the basic program requirements.
Register for an account in the application portal using your valid email address.
Complete and submit the application.
If invited via email, participate in the subsequent rounds of the selection process.

Selection Process

PHASE 1: SEP–NOV

Application
Opens

Applicants register for an account on the application portal.

PHASE 2: DEC–FEB

Semi-Finalists
Selection

Up to 20 semi-finalists are invited to participate in a virtual roundtable interview with a panel of experts.

PHASE 3: MAR

Finalists
Selection

Up to 10 finalists are invited to participate in an in-person pitch competition in front of a panel of judges and an audience.

PHASE 4: APR-MAY

Innovator
Selection

Three to five selected innovators are invited to participate in West Gate.

PHASE 5: AUG

Innovator
Onboarding

Innovators who accept the offer to participate in West Gate relocate to Golden, Colorado, to embark upon their 2-year West Gate journey.