American-Made Solar Prize
Accelerate and Sustain American Solar Innovation
The American-Made Solar Prize is a multimillion-dollar prize competition designed to energize U.S. solar innovation through a series of contests that accelerate the entrepreneurial process from years to months. Competitors must show their solutions can be commercialized and achieve market entry within the next three to five years.
The Solar Prize is not currently accepting submissions from new competitors. See results for past and current rounds and sign up for our newsletter for future prize opportunities.
A Prize Competition Structured for Success
The Solar Prize encourages the rapid development of innovative solar energy solutions capable of addressing the tough challenges facing the solar industry. Competitors participate in three progressive prize competitions: the Ready!, Set!, and Go! Contests.
Ready! Contest - Teams focus on innovative ideas that will address a solar industry technology need, proving that they have developed a great team, a game-changing solution, and an achievable plan.
Set! Contest - Teams make progress in developing and demonstrating early-stage proofs-of-concept.
Go! Contest - Teams focus on proving that their solutions successfully work and they have made substantial progress over the course of the contests.
These contests fast-track efforts to identify, develop, and test disruptive solutions for millions in cash prizes and support vouchers, which can be used at national laboratories and other voucher facilities to develop, test, and validate technologies. The amount of available prizes changes from round to round.
JEDI Contest: Creating Space for Change
Starting in Round 5, the Solar Prize added an optional challenge that focuses on advancing solar in underserved communities. Participants whose solutions advance solar in underserved communities have the chance to be considered for a Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Contest and earn part of the bonus cash prize.
Power Up Your Idea
The Power Up Contest started in Round 7 for those who have a great idea but need a boost to take their innovation to the next level. This contest is designed to support and advance new and diverse teams that have compelling applications but aren’t selected to advance to the Set! Contest. Up to 10 teams may be selected to split a prize pool and participate in the Power Up Program where they will receive tailored business support.
This support helps teams refine their technology development road map, improve their business plan, and validate their product/market fit.
The Power Up Program ends with the Power Up Pitch Competition where the Power Up teams can compete for a chance to win complimentary passes to an industry conference.
The American-Made Network
The American-Made Network is composed of national labs, incubators, investors, facilities, and seasoned industry mentors. Members of the network provide support to Solar Prize competitors throughout the competition. The American-Made Network strengthens and scales the critical connections needed to grow new businesses, develop solutions, and sustain American innovation.
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Who Can Compete?
Anyone with a big idea for solar can participate in the Solar Prize.
Competitors are entrepreneurial individuals or teams legally residing or based in the United States. Competitors can be individuals of one or multiple organizations, students, university faculty members, small business owners, researchers, or anyone with the desire and drive to transform an idea into an impactful solution.
Be Revolutionary
Are you a thinker, entrepreneur, facility or potential partner? Anyone with an innovative idea can help revolutionize the solar industry through the American-Made Solar Prize.
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