West Gate Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program
Climate & Energy · Run by National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), for the U.S. Department of Energy · Golden, CO
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The facts
All fields verified Sep 28, 2026- Terms model
- Non-dilutiveGives money that does not take equity: grants, prizes, or credits. Your ownership is untouched.
- Investment
- $115,000 per year living stipend for up to two years, plus $150,000 in technical assistance redeemed at NLR
- Equity taken
- Not publishedTwo-year fellowship at the National Laboratory of the Rockies in Golden, Colorado, one of the Department of Energy's Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program nodes alongside Chain Reaction Innovations, Cyclotron Road and Innovation Crossroads. Selected innovators receive a $115,000 annual stipend paid quarterly for up to two years; relocation, health insurance and travel stipends for qualifying candidates; and two-year technical assistance funding worth $150,000 that is redeemed at NLR for technical services rather than paid to the innovator or company. The FAQ says the program takes no equity. Applicants apply as individuals, must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents, must relocate to Golden or the greater Denver area, and must have raised no more than $2 million from nongovernment sources in the prior three years. Up to five innovators are selected per cohort. Cohort 6 applications opened September 15, 2026 and close October 30, 2026.
- Program length
- 104 weeks
- Format
- In person
- Location
- Golden, CO
- Cohorts per year
- 1
- Cohort size
- 3 to 5 innovators per cohort
- Stage focus
- first-time founders with a technology at TRL 3 or higher (a formed company is not required to apply)
- Sub-vertical
- lab-embedded fellowship for energy and hard-tech innovators
- Demographic focus
- Not published
- Backers
- U.S. Department of Energy
- Notable alumni
- Not published
Terms notes: Two-year fellowship at the National Laboratory of the Rockies in Golden, Colorado, one of the Department of Energy's Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program nodes alongside Chain Reaction Innovations, Cyclotron Road and Innovation Crossroads. Selected innovators receive a $115,000 annual stipend paid quarterly for up to two years; relocation, health insurance and travel stipends for qualifying candidates; and two-year technical assistance funding worth $150,000 that is redeemed at NLR for technical services rather than paid to the innovator or company. The FAQ says the program takes no equity. Applicants apply as individuals, must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents, must relocate to Golden or the greater Denver area, and must have raised no more than $2 million from nongovernment sources in the prior three years. Up to five innovators are selected per cohort. Cohort 6 applications opened September 15, 2026 and close October 30, 2026.
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Terms in plain English
West Gate pays a founder to spend two years building a company inside the National Laboratory of the Rockies in Golden, Colorado. Each selected innovator gets a $115,000 living stipend per year for up to two years, plus $150,000 of technical assistance that is spent at the lab on research and testing rather than paid out as cash. The program takes no equity and charges no fee. It is one of the Department of Energy's lab-embedded fellowships, alongside Chain Reaction Innovations and Innovation Crossroads.
Who this is actually for
Scientists and engineers who are first-time founders, with a technical degree, at least four years of research, engineering or technology development experience after it, and a technology at proof-of-concept stage or beyond in an area the lab works on. You must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, apply as an individual, relocate to the Denver area for two years, and have raised no more than $2 million from nongovernment sources in the last three years.
West Gate Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program application deadlines
Cohort 6: Opens Sep 15, 2026, closes Oct 30, 2026.
Verified Sep 28, 2026Source
Frequently asked questions
- When is the next West Gate Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program application deadline?
- The next confirmed application window for West Gate Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program closes Oct 30, 2026.
- How much does West Gate Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program invest?
- West Gate Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program lists an investment of $115,000 per year living stipend for up to two years, plus $150,000 in technical assistance redeemed at NLR.
- How much equity does West Gate Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program take?
- West Gate Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program does not publish the equity it takes, so we record it as not published.
- Where is West Gate Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program located and is it in person?
- West Gate Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program is based in Golden, CO and runs an in person program.
- Is West Gate Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program still active?
- As of our last check on Sep 28, 2026, West Gate Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program is active.
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Sources
Everything above was checked against these, verified Sep 28, 2026.