Founded in 2015, Breakthrough Energy is a global team of climate leaders committed to accelerating the world’s journey to a clean energy future. BE takes a comprehensive view of the climate challenge and drives innovation across technology, policy, and markets to reduce emissions from each of the five sources: manufacturing, electricity, agriculture, transportation, and buildings (see Five Grand Challenges).

Working with our world-class network of partners, investors, and policy makers, BE supports the innovation of zero-carbon technologies at every stage — from discovery to development to deployment. Our work includes investment vehicles, philanthropic programs, policy advocacy, and other activities — aligned toward building a future where it’s cheaper and more efficient to do everything without emissions – a future that is cleaner, healthier, and more prosperous for everyone.

Breakthrough Energy Fellows is designed to tackle early-stage barriers to climate technology innovation, accelerating discovery and increasing the number of technologies working toward commercialization. By providing scientists, innovators, and entrepreneurs with research funding and hands-on support, our program ensures projects have the time, resources, and community to advance to the next stages of development.

Each year, the program selects and funds two types of Breakthrough Energy Fellows: Innovator Fellows – world leading scientists, engineers, and innovators – and Business Fellows – visionary builders, industry experts, and entrepreneurs – to commercialize breakthrough decarbonization technologies. 

The program also funds Explorers, projects that are typically led by researchers at university labs or research institutions and require deeper technical de-risking before leaving the lab.  

Early-stage climate technology innovation faces unique barriers to funding and development.

• Capital intensive: Climate “hard technology” has world-changing potential but requires different types of support and resources than asset-light technologies like software.
• High-risk: Many ideas and projects will fail before leaving the lab. 
• Long-term: Discovery and development require time – while acceleration is possible, climate technology projects may not appeal to those who seek quick returns.
• Lack of incentives: Established industry is conservative and lacks incentives to take risks on early or emerging technologies.

The Breakthrough Energy Fellows program is designed to bridge these “valleys of death” for early-stage climate innovations. We provide research funding, active technology management, world-class curriculum, and access to a broad network of industry experts to ensure our Fellows have the time and resources needed to continue their path towards commercialization.

At the time of application, successful applicants typically meet the following criteria:

• Technology readiness level 1-4
• Demonstrate the potential to reduce or capture greenhouse gas emissions, at scale, by 500 million tons per year 
• Typically, have raised less than $2M in dilutive funding (not including grant funding)
• Legally incorporated by the start of the program in September 2025

Business Fellows will have deep expertise and experience in markets, economics, business models, rapid scale-up of technologies, and overall industry expertise across our identified focus areas. They are, above all, passionate leaders who are excited about the power of science and engineering to transform the world's biggest industries. Most likely, they will have:

• Experience accelerating hardware technology on the path to market
• Applicable business experience within the climate space

Applications to become an Innovator Fellow will be reviewed and scored by technical experts on the following criteria:

• Technical innovation and feasibility
• Breakthrough potential
• Project plan

During the selection period, applicants may be asked to participate in a virtual or in person meeting.

All applications will undergo a business and legal diligence process, and applicants should be prepared to answer additional inquiries from evaluators or provide additional information, as may be requested.

The Breakthrough Energy Fellows program provides:

• Funding for research, development, and technology de-risking 
• Active technology project management alongside our team of experts to reduce failure risk and speed progress
• Access to a world-class network of partners across business, policy, government, technology, and finance 
• Curriculum and 1:1 mentorship designed to support skills growth and acquisition

Building a new climate startup is a full-time endeavor. Innovator Fellows and Business Fellows should not have external commitments such as employment, consulting, or enrollment in academic programs outside of their startup company.

Innovator Fellows should expect to spend 10-15 hours per month in Fellows-related curriculum and activities.

Business Fellows should expect to spend all of their time supporting Innovators and participating in program curriculum.

If you are not prepared to spend full-time efforts scaling your startup during the Fellowship, you should consider our Explorer program.

Yes, Breakthrough Energy Fellows is a global program. We accept applications from around the world. 

Currently, all communication and curriculum for the Fellowship will be in English.

We are looking for innovators with a critical climate technology to commercialize, and commitment to pursuing that endeavor full-time. While professors, faculty members, and full-time researchers are encouraged to apply, they cannot become Innovator Fellows while staying in-position.

If you are not prepared to spend your full-time efforts on the Innovator Fellowship, you may be a better fit for our Explorer program. 

The Fellows program targets very early-stage technologies but is not designed to be a substitute for basic scientific research. 

Before applying, we expect that innovators have advanced their innovation to practice and that they have supporting data to share. We target technologies in the Technology Readiness Level range of 1 to 4.

Typically, teams or companies have raised less than $2,000,000 in investment funding (including equity, notes, and safes) prior to the start of the program.

There is no limit to the amount of grant funding teams may raise prior to start. 

We expect our Fellows to actively engage with one another and the Breakthrough Energy Fellows staff as a cohort of innovators working collaboratively to help commercialize critical climate technology. Fellows are expected to participate in Fellowship events, provide updates to program staff, and contribute positively and professionally to the larger cohort. 

A critical aspect of our Innovator program is Active Technology Management. This includes monthly meetings with our program team to review milestone progress and budget, a formal semi-annual review, and periodic reporting. Fellows are expected to prepare for and attend all Technology Management meetings. 

The Fellows is supported through Breakthrough Energy Foundation (BEF), which is a 501(c)(3) charity. As part of our scientific and educational charitable mission, Fellows are required to contribute to the field by sharing learnings and publishing information (ex: technical publications or presentations) regarding the results of their research, which helps increase the body of knowledge available to the public regarding climate change mitigation technologies. These learnings and publications do not require you to share any proprietary technology.

After the Breakthrough Energy Fellows program, teams graduate and become program alumni. As alumni, teams continue to have access to the resource portal, curriculum, events, mentors, and resources through the Breakthrough Energy Network.  

We will work with you throughout the Fellowship to help define the best path for your technology venture and help you develop the relationships needed to be successful at the end of the Fellowship.

As the Fellowship concludes, we anticipate that most Fellows will pursue a commercialization pathway. 

Breakthrough Energy is focused on technologies, processes, or materials that have the potential, at scale, to reduce greenhouse gases by at least 500 million tons per year. 

Our first four cohorts of Fellows are working on innovations across our Five Grand Challenge areas – Manufacturing, Electricity, Transportation, Food & Agriculture, and Buildings.

We continue to welcome high-impact innovations across all technology categories that meet the emissions threshold. 

Most notably, we are looking for breakthrough technologies that are not incremental, but a step change improvement to incumbent technologies and solutions. 

The Breakthrough Energy Fellows program will provide Fellows with funding to support research and development costs such as lab space, equipment, supplies, staff, and more.

Innovator Fellow projects typically receive up to $500,000. Explorers receive between $50,000-$250,000.

Breakthrough Energy Fellows is a global program, supporting climate technology innovators from all over the world. 

BEF recently launched a partnership with Enterprise Singapore and Temasek with a commitment to advance early climate technology companies in Singapore and the broader Southeast Asia region. 

Southeast Asia is the first regional hub of the global program and reflects the enormous opportunity for early-stage clean energy innovation throughout Asia Pacific.

SEA Innovators are part of the global cohort and will participate in and have access to the same curriculum, network opportunities, technology management guidance, and company building support. 

In addition, SEA innovators will receive access to local resources and commercialization mentorship within Singapore as a part of this partnership.

Innovator Fellows are world-leading scientists, engineers, and innovators who enter the program with critical climate technology to commercialize. Innovator Fellows are bold thinkers, some of the best and brightest scientists in the world who are ready to take the leap from lab to a commercialization-focused environment. Many will have PhDs in their field. Most importantly, we’re looking for people who want to create global impact outside the lab.

Business Fellows will have deep expertise and experience in markets, economics, business models, rapid scale-up of technologies, and overall industry expertise across our identified focus areas. They are, above all, passionate leaders who are excited about the power of science and engineering to transform the world's biggest industries. Most likely, they will have:

• Experience accelerating hardware technology on the path to market
• Applicable business experience within the climate space

• Industry-competitive living stipend
• Freedom to work anywhere globally
• Programming that offers access to industry experts and insights from leading organizations across many sectors of the industrial decarbonization value chain
• Opportunity to take an active role in developing the commercial pathway for several early-stage climate technologies
• Access to a robust network of industry partners to advance their skills and networks, as well as access to Breakthrough Energy’s ecosystem of mentors, policy experts, investors, technologists, and government entities

Business Fellows should expect to spend all of their time supporting Innovators and participating in program curriculum.

If you are not prepared to spend full-time efforts scaling your startup during the Fellowship, you should consider our mentorship program.

Yes, Breakthrough Energy Fellows is a global program. We accept applications from around the world. 

Currently, all communication and curriculum for the Fellowship will be in English.

We expect our Fellows to actively engage with one another and the Breakthrough Energy Fellows staff as a cohort of innovators working collaboratively to help commercialize critical climate technology. Fellows are expected to participate in Fellowship events, provide updates to program staff, and contribute positively and professionally to the larger cohort. 

Business Fellows will commit to supporting the cohort of Innovator teams on a variety of projects advancing their technology toward commercialization.

After the Breakthrough Energy Fellows program, teams graduate and become program alumni. As alumni, teams continue to have access to the resource portal, curriculum, events, mentors, and resources through the Breakthrough Energy Network.  

We will work with you throughout the Fellowship to help define the best path forward for your career.

Explorers receive funding to seed breakthrough climate innovations for earlier stage, higher technical risk endeavors. These projects are typically led by scientists at university labs or research entities.  

Similar to Innovators, Explorers’ technology must demonstrate the potential to reduce CO2 emissions by at least 500 million tons per year.

Explorers will be selected by technical experts based on the following criteria:

• Technical innovation and feasibility
• Breakthrough potential
• Project plan

During the selection period, applicants may be asked to participate in a virtual or in person meeting.

• Approximately $50,000 - $250,000 in funding for lab space, office space, equipment, supplies, technical consultants, and staff to achieve pre-determined milestones
• Freedom to work anywhere in the world 
• Ability to remain employed at your current organization
• Access to the Breakthrough Energy network of mentors, policy experts, investors, technologists, and governmental entities
• Access to attend select Breakthrough Energy events

Explorers will work in accordance with their milestones. The Explorer and Breakthrough Energy Fellows program team will collaborate on establishing milestones and timeframes. It is then up to the Explorer to achieve those milestones by agreed upon due dates.

Explorers work with Breakthrough for approximately one year.

Yes. We seek applications from around the world.

Currently, all communication will be in English.

Explorers are expected to meet technological milestones and deadlines agreed upon before the contract start date. Funding requires that recipients contribute to the field by sharing learnings and publishing information regarding the results of their research, independently or in collaboration with the Breakthrough Energy Foundation, to increase the body of knowledge available to the public regarding climate change mitigation technologies. These learnings and publications do not require you to share any proprietary technology.

We expect Explorers to engage and utilize the Breakthrough Energy network to further their technology development. They are expected to participate in select events and contribute positively and professionally to the Breakthrough Energy ecosystem.

Breakthrough Energy is focused on technologies, processes, or materials that have the potential, at scale, to reduce greenhouse gases by at least 500 million tons per year.

Our first three cohorts of Fellows are working on innovations within hydrogen, electrofuels, steel, cement, food and agriculture, energy storage, offshore wind, solar, advanced materials, and carbon dioxide capture, storage, and sequestration.

This year, we are looking for new innovations within those sectors as well as other hard to decarbonize sectors. We also invite high-impact innovations that meet the emissions threshold within other technology categories.