Idaho Falls, ID— June 25th, 2024 — Idaho National Laboratory (INL), in collaboration with FirstIgnite and seven other national laboratories, has been awarded a $1.9 million grant by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The grant supports the AI Technology Licensing Accelerator Solution (ATLAS), a pioneering two-year project designed to enhance licensing outcomes for DOE-funded innovations.
About ATLAS
The AI Technology Licensing Accelerator Solution (ATLAS) aims to revolutionize technology transfer processes through the application of artificial intelligence (AI). By leveraging AI, ATLAS intends to triple the number of successful technology licensing agreements annually across all DOE labs and other government and university tech transfer offices in the United States.
Jason Stolworthy, Director of Technology Deployment at INL, stated, “My goal with the ATLAS grant is to develop AI techniques that can help triple the licensing outcomes for not just DOE labs but all government and university tech transfer offices in the US.”
Chase Bonhag, CEO of FirstIgnite, added, “Our mission with ATLAS is to ensure that the United States remains the best in the world at driving commercial outcomes from R&D.”
Building on INL’s Success
The foundation of this grant is built upon INL’s success in integrating AI to significantly boost licensing agreements. Previous efforts have resulted in a 70% reduction in the time required for technology transfer processes, a 350% increase in outreach efforts, and a threefold increase in successful licensing agreements. ATLAS will expand these achievements, creating valuable methods and applications that will be shared across all DOE labs.
FirstIgnite’s Role
FirstIgnite specializes in accelerating technology commercialization by connecting research institutions with industry partners. FirstIgnite is the developer of AI powered software focused on helping research institutions monetize their intellectual and research assets. This software is currently used by 50+ universities, hospitals and national labs around the world. Their involvement in the ATLAS project is integral to achieving the project’s goals.
Collaborative Effort
ATLAS is a collaborative project involving several national laboratories: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). This partnership aims to develop standardized AI-driven approaches to optimize technology transfer processes across the DOE lab network.
Supporting Clean Energy
The ATLAS project is part of the Fiscal Year 2024 Core Laboratory Infrastructure for Market Readiness (CLIMR) projects. These projects are funded through the DOE’s Office of Technology Transitions (OTT) with an investment of $41.4 million across 50 clean energy initiatives. The CLIMR projects are dedicated to advancing clean energy technologies, addressing commercialization challenges, and contributing to the broader decarbonization goals set by the United States government.
About Idaho National Laboratory
Idaho National Laboratory is a world leader in nuclear energy research, development, and demonstration, as well as other clean energy technologies. INL is committed to advancing the nation’s energy security with safe, competitive, and sustainable energy systems and unique national and homeland security capabilities.
For more information about the ATLAS project, please contact:
Contact Information:
Name: Alexa Bruttell
Title: Marketing Associate
Phone: 313-286-4905
Email: [email protected]
INL Website: https://inl.gov/
About the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Technology Transitions
The Office of Technology Transitions (OTT) is responsible for the commercial deployment of DOE research outputs. The OTT coordinates technology transfer activities across all 17 national laboratories, ensuring that scientific innovations contribute to economic growth and national security.
FirstIgnite is available for license at: https://firstignite.com/
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