Chain Reaction Innovations Cohort 2027

Chain Reaction Innovations (CRI) is a two year fellowship at Argonne National Laboratory for founders who build energy and science technologies. It is part of the Lab Embedded Entrepreneurship Program of the U.S. Department of Energy. Each year four to six innovators are chosen and work inside the lab on their own startup technology.

Selected innovators get a stipend of $115k per year for two years, plus healthcare benefits. They also get non dilutive funding to reduce the risk of their technology, access to Argonne experts and facilities, and contacts with investors, mentors and corporate partners. Neither Argonne nor the Department of Energy takes equity in the startups.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent U.S. residents. CRI looks for first time technical founders with hands on lab experience and at least five years of R&D technology experience. You must not have raised more than $2 million in private funding. You do not need a company to apply, but an existing startup must be incorporated in the U.S. Selected innovators must live in or move to the Chicago area.

The call lists many technology areas, for example critical minerals and recycling, manufacturing for energy, building technologies, batteries, grid storage and security, data center energy, AI and advanced computing, biotechnology, nuclear, fusion and geothermal energy. Applications are judged on fit with Argonne resources, technology potential and the merit of the innovator.

Applications for Cohort 2027 opened on 15 September 2026 and close at 5 p.m. CT on 30 October 2026. You must apply through the online portal on ProposalSpace. A PDF template helps you prepare the answers. Semi finalists present online in January, finalists pitch at Argonne on 10 and 11 March 2027, and the new cohort starts on 1 October 2027. CRI holds Zoom office hours on 2, 16 and 30 October.