Hawaiʻi students can apply for US Energy Department’s university competition

Honolulu-based Elemental Excelerator invites college students to submit proposals for the US Department of Energy’s competition called EnergyTech UP.

Cash prizes from the $370,000 national pool are available to Hawaiʻi, Guam, American Samoa and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands teams that successfully identify clean-tech opportunities and submit a business plan.

Honolulu-based Elemental Excelerator, a non-profit investor focused on scaling climate solutions and social impact for all communities, was selected by the US Department of Energy as its Hawaiʻi/Pacific Island regional partner for the competition.

University student teams can submit proposals now through Jan. 26, 2023, at 5:59 p.m. HST.

Prizes are awarded to student teams that successfully identify a promising energy technology, assess its market potential, and create a business plan for commercialization.

One regional winner will receive $3,000 and move on to the national competition.

“We are honored to have been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy to inspire and facilitate submissions in our region,” said Tiffany Huynh, Elemental’s Director of External Affairs. “The enthusiasm around this nationwide contest underscores the opportunity and need to identify energy technologies that are poised to change the future climate landscape —especially here in the Pacific where we see the effects of climate change on our communities, from the high cost of energy to homes and businesses affected by rising sea levels.”

The 2022 competition welcomed more than 500 competing students from 113 schools who had an opportunity to build their entrepreneurial and leadership skills, taking an idea from vision to impact. Click here for a list of last year’s winners.

An informational webinar is scheduled for Dec. 6, 2022 at 9 a.m. HST. Interested applicants can sign up for the webinar here. Interested students or faculty are encouraged to start following EnergyTech UP to stay up to date on submission deadlines and requirements, prize rules and more.