Tulane Innovation Institute Announces $40,000 in FUEL Grants for Energy Transition Technologies
The Tulane University Innovation Institute is now accepting applications to award four grants, each totaling $10,000, to advance energy transition technologies developed from Tulane research to commercial applications through technical development or customer discovery.
The funding opportunity, supported by the National Science Foundation's Future Use of Energy in Louisiana (FUEL) initiative, is available to Tulane faculty, research staff, graduate students, postdocs, fellows, and residents working on innovations that address Louisiana's energy transformation challenges. Applications are now open through November 21, 2025, with awards announced December 19, 2025, and projects beginning in January 2026.
The program offers two types of grants:
Customer Discovery Projects: Up to two $10,000 awards for teams to conduct market research and validate customer needs for their energy technologies over a 6-12 month period. Click here to learn more about eligibility, allowable costs, and to apply.
Pilot Projects: Up to two $10,000 awards for teams ready to test their technologies with early users and demonstrate real-world applications over a 6-12 month period. Click here to learn more about eligibility, allowable costs, and to apply.
Applicants may apply for both categories. All award recipients will participate in a regional I-Corps entrepreneurship training program within the first three months of their project.
To qualify, innovations must align with one of five FUEL technical priorities:
1. Reduction of Industrial CO2 Emissions through Carbon Capture, Usage, and Subsurface Sequestration (CCUS)
2. Sustainable Industrial Hydrogen (H2) Economy
3. Energy Efficiency and CO2 as a Feedstock
4. Sustainable Water Management for Innovative Energy and Hydrogen Transition
5. Structural Integrity and Sustainable Manufacturing for Energy and Hydrocarbon Transition
Technologies must be disclosed to Tulane's Office of Intellectual Property Management, and non-faculty applicants require a faculty sponsor.
The Future Use of Energy in Louisiana initiative is a statewide, NSF-funded effort that unites Louisiana universities, including Tulane, with industry leaders, nonprofits, and government partners to position Louisiana as a global leader in energy transition. FUEL creates pathways from fundamental research to commercial applications, supporting Louisiana's role in the evolving energy landscape.
Members of the FUEL team at the Tulane Future of Energy Forum (September 2025), from left to right: Michael Mazzola (Principal Investigator and Executive Director), Kimberly Gramm (Chief Innovation Officer at the Tulane Innovation Institute), Ashwith Chilvery (Director of Use-Inspired Research & Development), Girard Melancon (Director of Strategic Partnerships), and Stephen Loy (Director of Technology Commercialization).
