Department of Energy (DOE) FY2026 Phase I

DOE Opens Fall 2026 SBIR/STTR Phase I Opportunity Across 25 Technology Topics

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has opened its Fall 2026 SBIR/STTR Phase I opportunity, with initial pitch applications due December 16, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. ET / 1:00 p.m. CT. The opportunity expands beyond the earlier Genesis Mission competition to support small business research and development across energy technologies, scientific discovery, and nuclear security.

A Broader Opportunity Than the Genesis Mission Release

DOE’s earlier Genesis Mission opportunity focused on four areas using AI to advance biotechnology, quantum systems, materials discovery, and autonomous laboratories.

The Fall opportunity covers 25 topics, including manufacturing, buildings, energy generation, transportation, batteries, critical minerals, cybersecurity, nuclear energy, scientific instrumentation, and nuclear security. Companies whose technologies did not fit the Genesis Mission topics should review this broader release.

Required Registrations

• System for Award Management (SAM.gov)
• SBA Company Registry
• DOE SBIR/STTR Application Hub, administered through ConnectWerx and the Acquisition Management Portal (AMP)

Applicants must complete and maintain an active SAM.gov registration. SAM.gov provides the company’s Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), which is needed for the SBA Company Registry. Follow DOE’s instructions for an “All Awards” registration.

SAM.gov registration may take up to eight weeks. DOE estimates less than 10 minutes for SBA registration after receiving a UEI and less than five minutes to request Application Hub access. Begin early and review DOE’s registration guidance.

Key Dates

• October 30, 2026: Pitch applications opened in AMP
• November 13, 2026: Topic summary videos scheduled to become available
• November 19, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. ET / 2:00 p.m. CT: Office Hours Part I
• December 1, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. ET / 2:00 p.m. CT: Office Hours Part II
• December 16, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. ET / 1:00 p.m. CT: Initial pitch deadline

Phase I Funding

DOE anticipates approximately 160 Phase I awards totaling up to $50 million.

• Maximum Phase I funding request: $300,000, or $306,500 with a request for Technical and Business Assistance (TABA)
• Period of performance: DOE’s general Phase I guidance describes six to 12 months; confirm the applicable schedule in the full application instructions.
• Award structure: Fixed-price funding with payments tied to negotiated milestones
• Purpose: Establish technical feasibility, demonstrate proof of concept, and begin commercialization planning

The Phase I cap has increased from the earlier Genesis Mission opportunity’s $250,000, excluding approved TABA expenses.

Topic Areas

The topics are organized into three groups. The list below summarizes their scope; applicants should review the complete topic descriptions for requirements, subtopics, and exclusions.

Applied Technologies — Topics 1–14

• 1: Domestic critical mineral extraction, processing, and recycling
• 2: Manufacturing innovation and scale-up for energy applications
• 3: Technologies for industrial competitiveness
• 4: Next-generation building technologies
• 5: Energy generation and power management
• 6: Transportation technologies and fuels production
• 7: Batteries for dual-use applications
• 8: Cybersecurity, resilience, and energy system risk mitigation
• 9: Hydrocarbons and geothermal energy
• 10: Nuclear reactor concepts
• 11: Nuclear fuel cycle research and development
• 12: Nuclear energy enabling technologies
• 13: Used nuclear fuel and high-level waste disposition
• 14: Electric grid capacity and innovation

Science — Topics 15–23

• 15: Commercialization of Advanced Scientific Computing Research / Exascale Computing Project-funded software
• 16: Cybersecurity for scientific high-performance computing
• 17: Instrumentation for X-ray and neutron facilities
• 18: Data, synthesis, and characterization for superintelligence-driven materials and molecular discovery
• 19: Bioengineering technologies and quantum science-based sensors
• 20: Fusion fuel cycle and enabling technologies
• 21: Particle and radiation detectors
• 22: High-performance electronics and data acquisition
• 23: Accelerator science and technology

National Nuclear Security Administration — Topics 24–25

• 24: Proliferation detection
• 25: Nuclear detonation detection

What Is Required in the Pitch?

The pitch remains the required first step. Only invited applicants may submit a full application. Use the current Pitch Development Guide to prepare responses.

The four narrative responses cover:

• Project Summary, Topic, and Mission Alignment: Up to 100 words
• Technical Promise: Up to 200 words
• Commercialization Potential: Up to 200 words
• Team Qualifications: Up to 200 words

The Fall pitch also includes three short-answer questions and seven structured selection questions. These explore technical objectives and uncertainties, evidence of demand, commercialization barriers, and other aspects of project readiness. The four narratives alone do not constitute the complete pitch.

Draft outside AMP, follow each response limit, and consult the Pitch Example. An optional bibliography may support the submission. Do not include proprietary or business-sensitive information in the pitch.

The guide also asks applicants to disclose whether and how generative AI/SI tools were used to develop the submission. Applicants remain responsible for its accuracy and authorship.

Office Hours

DOE and ConnectWerx will host two virtual sessions:

• November 19 at 2:00 p.m. CT: Register for Part I
• December 1 at 2:00 p.m. CT: Register for Part II

Other Notes

• Pitch limit: DOE will review only the last three pitches submitted by a company.
• Milestone-based advancement: The opportunity uses a Fast-Track structure combining Phase I and Phase II. Progression depends on go/no-go decisions, performance, and available funding; Phase II funding is conditional.
• Research partnerships: STTR requires an eligible nonprofit research institution partner. SBIR permits research partnerships but does not require them. Review the applicable work-share and PI requirements.
• National Laboratory technologies: Lab Innovation Opportunities may offer a route to commercialize DOE laboratory intellectual property. Explore relevant opportunities through Lab Partnering Services.

Before Preparing a Pitch

Prospective applicants should:

• Confirm fit: Read the full topic and subtopic, including technical targets and exclusions.
• Define the R&D: Explain what remains technically uncertain and what measurable result would demonstrate feasibility.
• Support the market opportunity: Identify likely customers, competing approaches, and evidence of demand.
• Check eligibility and resources: Review ownership, PI employment, research partnerships, and work-share requirements.
• Prepare the complete pitch: Use the current guide and example, complete all question types, and request AMP access early.
• Resolve open questions: Use Office Hours to clarify project scope, the full application schedule, milestone expectations, and TABA requirements.

Minnesota-based small businesses seeking assistance with SBIR/STTR readiness and proposal development may begin with the MNSBIR Start Your Journey page.

*Approved MNSBIR Catalyst Program participants should reach out directly.

Official Resources

• Fall 2026 Opportunity and AMP Access
• Complete Phase I Topic Document
• Pitch Development Guide
• Pitch Example
• DOE SBIR/STTR Program Overview
• DOE Required Registrations
• Eligibility Criteria
• ConnectWerx Resources and FAQs

Information reviewed November 5, 2026. Refer to the official opportunity and current application instructions for updates.