Innovation at Scale: Supporting Pilot-Scale Demonstrations I N T R

This would allow OCED to build a pipeline of highly innovative projects for its larger- scale programs and help to prepare the companies behind these projects to apply for larger awards. [...] Additionally, the innovation arm of the Department of the Air Force, AFWERXk, awards firm fixed price contracts to small businesses, significantly decreasing the administrative burden which can be overwhelming to companies at the Phase I stage. [...] The most common valley of death hurdle for companies in the pilot stage is the ability to validate that a market exists for the technology. [...] OCED could utilize a variety of approaches to achieve this goal, which may include: • Conducting strategic outreach to underrepresented groups, with particular focus on ensuring a promising company can obtain funding before they fall through the valley of death; • Building out a Phase 0 program to provide application assistance to first time and unsuccessful applicants (similar to the existing DOE. [...] OCED should take the lessons learned from the longstanding DOE SBIR/ STTR program and the ARPA-E SCALEUP program to develop a program that supports companies at the pilot-stage, explores promising clean energy and low-emissions technology solutions, and drives American innovation.