Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program Demo Day 2024

West Gate and NREL hosted the U.S. Department of Energy Laboratory-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program's (LEEP's) 2024 LEEP Demo Day, which showcased promising cleantech entrepreneurs who are developing transformative energy technologies.

The event featured business pitches from startups across LEEP, including innovators from Chain Reaction Innovations at Argonne National Laboratory; Cyclotron Road at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Innovation Crossroads at Oak Ridge National Laboratory; and West Gate at NREL.

When

Wednesday, May 1, 12:30–5:30 p.m. Mountain time

Where

Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center (Mineral Ballroom)
650 15th St.
Denver, CO 80202

Event Details

See the agenda for more information about speakers, exhibits, and pitches from 21 participating startups.

Keynote Speakers

Jeff Marootian

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

Jeff Marootian leads and directs the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, focused on creating and sustaining American leadership in the transition to a global clean energy future. In this role, he oversees the planning and execution of the organization’s $3.2 billion portfolio of research, development, demonstration, and deployment activities, including LEEP.

At LEEP Demo Day, he will underscore DOE's commitment to pioneering technologies and innovation that will decarbonize the economy and continue to propel the nation’s climate stewardship.

Justin Whiteley

Co-Founder and Senior Technical Advisor, Meati Foods

Justin Whiteley is an alumnus of Argonne National Laboratory's inaugural Chain Reaction Innovations LEEP cohort. During the program, he focused on mushroom root growth to produce various high-value products, such as a porous carbon material for batteries, water filters, and alternative meat.

He co-founded Meati, which sells a full suite of whole cuts made almost entirely from MushroomRoot, available at U.S. retailers such as Sprouts and Whole Foods Market.

Participating Startups

The following LEEP innovators presented a 5-minute company pitch.

Chain Reaction Innovations

Aeternal Upcycling: Ryan Hackler converts single-use plastics into chemical feedstocks for consumer goods.

Hyfé: Michelle Ruiz transforms food processing wastewater into alternative feedstocks for several industries, including food, fuels, and materials.

Låkril Technologies: Christopher Nicholas has a game-changing technology for the production of a drop-in sustainable acrylic acid.

MemQ: Manish Kumar Singh is building hardware to connect quantum computers together over long distances.

Mycocycle: Joanne Rodriguez's patent-pending process improves the natural functions of fungi to transform construction waste into low-carbon raw materials for the built environment.

Cyclotron Road

Aepnus Technology: Bilen Akuzum is electrifying and decarbonizing the chemical manufacturing industry.

Ludwig Computing: Behtash Behin-Aein is building a next-generation probabilistic computer.

Root Applied Sciences: Sarah Placella created an automated monitoring system that alerts farmers to airborne pathogen risk.

Sunchem: Daniel Sun is developing nanofilters for the precision separation of critical metals.

Tyfast: Gj Ia O' developed a battery with extended life and ultrafast charging to electrify heavy-duty construction equipment.

VERDE Nanomaterials: Danielle Pascoli created a simple and scalable process for nanocellulose production from residues and waste.

Innovation Crossroads

Agriwater: Bianca Bailey is innovating a mobile wastewater treatment system to purify livestock manure into clean water.

Ateios Systems: Rajan Kumar is developing innovative coating and processing technologies necessary to scale solid-state batteries.

Captis Aire: Kim Tutin captures air pollutants from wood product manufacturing sites.

Holocene: Keeton Ross designs chemical plants that efficiently remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Vitriform3D: Alex Stiles utilizes recycled glass as a feedstock in powder bed 3D printing.

New Mexico LEEP

Filtravete: Yun Li developed ultrafiltration membranes to improve the throughput of critical separations in bioproductions.

West Gate

BrightSpot Automation: Andrew Gabor is pioneering ultraviolet fluorescence technology for enhanced solar panel defect imaging.

Tereform: Mikhail Konev enables textile circularity by using oxygen to break down plastics into their basic components.

Renewell: Stefan Streckfus converts inactive oil and gas wells into gravity energy-storage systems.

Zero Homes: Grant Gunnison offers homeowners an app-driven platform that significantly reduces home electrification project times and costs.

Transportation

The Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center is 27 miles from Denver International Airport.

Sponsors and Partners

Thanks to the following sponsors and partners for making this event possible:

Activate – A nonprofit empowering scientists by bringing their research to market
Colorado Cleantech Industries Association – A nonprofit fostering growth and innovation in Colorado's clean technology sector
Colorado School of Mines Beck Venture Center – A hub of entrepreneurial activity and technological advancement within Colorado School of Mines
Integrous – A financial management and accounting services firm dedicated to cleantech innovators
Tennessee Valley Authority – A federally owned entity providing electricity and economic development to the Tennessee Valley region, focusing on environmental stewardship and sustainable practices.

For sponsorship opportunities, contact West Gate Program Director Shelly Curtiss.

Contact

If you have any questions about LEEP Demo Day 2024, please contact the West Gate team.