Through an annual call, four to six startups are selected to join Chain Reaction Innovations (CRI), a two-year program for innovators focused on energy and science technologies. Program participants will receive financial and technical support to mature and de-risk their technologies to the proof-of-concept level. CRI’s Cohort 5 will be embedded at Argonne from June 2021 through June 2023.
For Cohort 5, a record-breaking 177 applications were submitted. The semi-final pitch competition was held in December with 32 individuals that represented 29 startups participating. From this group, 16 of the best and brightest clean energy startups were selected for the Final Pitch Competition.
The event will be held virtually on Tuesday, February 9 and Wednesday, February 10. from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. Watch the video from the first day here.
Finals are open to the public. You are cordially invited.
9 A.M., TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9
9:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. Welcome Remarks
Steven Streiffer, Deputy Lab Director for Science & Technology
John Carlisle, Director, Chain Reaction Innovations
Session I Quantum, AI, Machine Learning, Sensing
12 minute pitch, followed by 10 minute Q/A and 3 minutes for panelists to record notes
9:15 a.m. Nathan Frey & Christopher Price, Atomic AI, analytics for nanotechnology
9:40 a.m. Jose Bahamonde, Lelantos, Inc., gas sensors for hazardous leak monitoring
10:05 a.m. Niall O’Dowd, optical in-situ monitoring for metal additive manufacturing
10:30 a.m. Alexey Galda, QuantumScale, quantum simulators and algorithms
1:00 p.m. – 1:05 p.m. Afternoon Welcome Remarks
John Carlisle, Director, Chain Reaction Innovations
Session II Manufacturing, Advanced Production & Materials
12 minute pitch, followed by 10 minute Q/A and 3 minutes for panelists to record notes
1:05 p.m. Rick Myers, Mjolnir Ultrasonics, acoustic quality control for ultrasonic welding
1:30 p.m. Aaron Fitzgerald, Mars Materials, Inc., renewable acrylonitrile via nitrilation
1:55 p.m. Abdul Raheem Bello, Afthon, jet engine for hydrogen aircraft
9 A.M., WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10
9:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. Welcome Remarks
Megan Clifford, Associate Lab Director, S&TPO
John Carlisle, Director, Chain Reaction Innovations
Session III Batteries & Renewable Energy
12 minute pitch, followed by 10 minute Q/A and 3 minutes for panelists to record notes
9:15 a.m. Claudiu Bucur, Piersica, solid state battery with 2x energy density of li-ion
9:40 a.m. Caleb Alexander, DayLyte, Inc., membranes for high energy na-air batteries
10:05 a.m. Sanza Kazadi, Kazadi Enterprises, entrochemical systems technology
10:30 a.m. Kwaku Jyamfi, Farm To Flame Energy, biomass electricity generator
1 p.m. – 1:05 p.m. Afternoon Welcome Remarks
John Carlisle, Director, Chain Reaction Innovations
Session IV Buildings, Advanced Production, Materials
12 minute pitch, followed by 10 minute Q/A and 3 minutes for panelists to record notes
1:05 p.m. Tommy Gibbons, Hempitecture, Inc. carbon-negative, bio-based insulation
1:30 p.m. Gregory Houchins, carbon-free electrochemical synthesis of Portland cement
1:55 p.m. Arsheen Allam, GOLeafe, graphene-based deionization water filtration
2:20 p.m. Hongjun Zeng, carbon nanotube composite materials for energy applications
