The National Science Foundation is one of the most diverse investors in revolutionary technology for small businesses and invests up to $1.5 million in seed funding per project taking 0% equity. This year the NSF is looking to invest in R&D for Energy and Power Systems in the private and public sector.
Projects details:
Phase I $225,000 (Proof of Concept - 6 months to a year)
Phase II $750,000 (Prototype- 1 to 2 Years)
Phase I Due Date: June 13, 2019
Energy and Power Systems:
Proposals are solicited in the areas of electronic systems for portable energy sources for mobile technologies and off-grid type applications, including new energy sources. Proposals in the areas of power management systems for energy scavenging/harvesting and compact energy conversion systems, conversion from renewable resources, interface devices between batteries and super-capacitors as well as smart power demand-response management systems are welcome. Proposals with ideas on nature-inspired processes for sustainable energy solutions and carbon storage, reducing the carbon and resource intensity of hydrocarbon extraction, energy conversion, and its uses are sought. Proposals involving energy storage from the scale of wearable devices to power plant, and energy conversion are encouraged. Proposals that address innovations in new technologies that support smart infrastructures (such as materials, sensors, devices, and control systems) to ensure efficient and sustainable energy transmission, distribution, monitoring, and management for micro grids, integration of diverse energy sources, and self-healing networks are sought. Innovations in the areas of novel voltage conversion, micro-inverters and DC-DC voltage converters, and compact high-voltage, high-power systems are welcome. Proposals covering new energy sources for portable and mobile devices, smart power demand-response management systems, inverters, motors, and generators for higher efficiency, smaller size and power factor corrections are encouraged.
Subtopics:
Energy Harvesting and Storage
Infrastructure and Smart Grids
Other Energy and Power Systems Technologies
And many, many more topics.