IN2 Channel Partner Awards Program Objective

2 IN Channel Partner Awards Program – Fact Sheet

Wells Fargo and NREL are pleased to announce an expansion of their Innovation Incubator (IN2) partnership in the form of the IN2 Channel Partner Awards Program. NREL will administer the Wells Fargo IN2 Channel Partner Awards Program to enhance the program and strategically direct Wells Fargo Environmental Affairs funding in order to maximize impact.

The Wells Fargo IN2 Channel Partner Award Program serves to support the ecosystem by funding clean energy, cleantech and sustainability-focused incubators, accelerators, and university programs as key stakeholders in the clean energy economy. In addition to supporting the ecosystem financially, the program aims to further the ecosystem through promotion of a sustainable, robust network. The community will be convened and strengthened through activities and events that will provide opportunities for funded members to share learnings, discuss strategic objectives, and network in an effort to strengthen the Cleantech community.

This program aims to more strategically direct Environmental Affairs funding to address critical gaps and maximize impact toward enhancing clean energy technologies. Process / Program Phases

The IN2 Channel Partner Awards Program focuses on three phases:  Community Engagement  Summit / Ecosystem Engagement  Strategic Award Funding

Community Engagement:

Program participants will engage with their communities in order to identify gaps within their local, regional, and national ecosystem that hinder Cleantech development and commercialization.

The objective of this effort is to build a base of knowledge that is relevant to the partners (incubator, university, and accelerator grant awardees), their local communities and environments; and to build a base of support for future partnerships for execution and funding.

In year one, all existing IN2 Channel Partners will receive funding to participate in the program.

Summit / Ecosystem Engagement:

A Summit will be hosted at NREL to bring together IN2 Channel Partner Award partners, IN2 stakeholders, the investment community, and other key stakeholders such as industry and subject matter experts. This forum will allow for knowledge sharing and in-depth discussions aimed to inform decisions on new technology areas for IN2 as well as strategic initiatives for the IN2 Channel Partner Award program.

During the event, the IN2 Channel Partner Award partners will also come prepared to participate in the conversation to their share ideas, research, and findings from the community engagement phase. It will also provide an opportunity for each partner to hear new ideas and concepts that they could utilize or incorporate, helping to lift the overall quality of the program.

Strategic Award Funding:

Following the Summit, strategic program goals will be identified and a call for strategic funding awards will be issued. IN2 Channel Partner Award Program partners will have the opportunity to apply for strategic funding awards ranging from $15,000 – $500,000 to support these initiatives. Partnerships are required for consideration and preference may be given to proposals that incorporate matched or leveraged funding, industry engagement, diversity, education, and low to moderate-income impact. We anticipate funding approximately 9 proposals in key strategic areas, to be determined based upon funding availability each year.

Eligibility

The IN2 Channel Partner Awards Program is limited to US NGO 501c3 organizations that participate as existing IN2 Program Channel Partners.

If you would like to learn more about the IN2 program or channel partner process, please contact [email protected] or [email protected].