Power Connectors
Power Connectors are contracted with the American-Made program to support its participants with specialized coaching and mentorship, technical assistance, event hosting, and recruitment efforts.
Since 2019, American-Made has invested nearly $4 million in more than 25 Power Connectors nationwide to enhance the program by:
- Providing mentorship and coaching to advance team knowledge and connect teams to the resources required to be successful
- Offering pitch consulting to improve presentations and pitch session successes
- Enhancing prize-recruitment efforts to bring in new and diverse participants
- Developing educational models and curricula to help applicants better understand how to navigate prize competitions and other opportunities within the U.S. Department of Energy
- Offering technical assistance and focused support to prize competitors
- Assisting in metrics tracking and reporting across funding applications
- Hosting events and meetings to advance program implementation goals.
Prize administrators select Power Connectors for support based on their areas of expertise. Once contracted, the Power Connectors may provide some or all the services above. Depending on the challenge, competitors may leverage Power Connectors for support from launch to conclusion. Visit each challenge’s page on HeroX to view the level of support available.
Power Connectors
The following Power Connectors were selected based on their industry experience and support they can offer competitors. Sign up for the American-Made Newsletter to learn about future opportunities to apply for membership.
, Boston, MA
ADL Ventures works to support climate tech startups at scale in areas that include new venture strategy, go-to-market strategy, capital strategy and fundraising, non-dilutive funding strategy and execution, market insights, and team development.
, Washington, D.C.
The American Association of Blacks in Energy ensures the input of African Americans and other minorities in discussions and development of energy policies, regulations, research and development technologies, and environmental issues.
, Lansing and Detroit, MI; Washington, D.C.
Banks & Company is a public relations and marketing company with expertise that spans strategy, marketing, diversity and inclusion, and reputation management, offering comprehensive advice across all sectors.
, North Kingstown, RI
Bluewater Network is a consulting firm that helps companies evaluate existing business models and identify opportunities to adopt circular economy principles that deliver tangible social, environmental, and economic benefits.
, Southfield, MI
Centrepolis Accelerator is accelerating the growth of Michigan’s advanced manufacturing, innovative hardware entrepreneurs, and small manufacturers by providing access to funding, experts, and key business and product development resources.
, Washington, D.C.
Clean Energy Business Network is the small business voice of the clean energy economy, working to enhance opportunities for clean energy providers through policy support, market and technology information, and business development.
, Las Vegas, NV
Encolor Consulting provides diagnostic, analysis, planning, and implementation support for individuals and organizations as they navigate through their cultural journey, bringing a lens of inclusiveness that results in a more diverse, equitable, and just organization.
, Raleigh, NC
IVT is a technical management and strategic communications firm that helps organizations tackle real-world challenges, bridge gaps, and develop innovative solutions that have the potential to make a difference in the world.
, Portland, OR
Intellectual Assets is an extensive network of R&D and licensing professionals that deliver a suite of intellectual property (IP) products and management services across an array of industries, with a focus on helping companies build value in IP assets and then capturing that value.
, Washington, D.C.
MSRDC is a collective of high-performing researchers and collaborative partners on a mission to elevate research.
, Sterling, VA
Positive Deviancy is helping to accelerate the development of new technologies that can contribute to a more sustainable and resilient energy future.
, Triangle Park, NC
Research Triangle Institute is an independent, nonprofit research institute dedicated to improving the human condition by providing expertise across the social and laboratory sciences, engineering, and international development.
, San Diego, CA
The San Diego State University Foundation is a nonprofit auxiliary corporation founded to support and further the vision and research objectives of San Diego State University and to help faculty and staff find, attract, and administer their research and sponsored programs.
, Tucson, AZ
The University of Arizona Center for Innovation offers leaders of science and technology startups the expertise, incubation programs, and office and lab space needed to turn ideas and inventions into strong, scalable and sustainable businesses.
, Hadley, MA
VentureWell is growing, funding, and training a pipeline of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics innovators and entrepreneurs driven to solve the world’s toughest challenges.
, Waltham, MA
Yet2 is an open-innovation-services company working for an international corporate client base, leveraging a proprietary database of several million startups and solution providers to scout cutting-edge companies and technology beyond the reach of most clients.