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Register for the Virtual 2021 ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit

May 24-27, 2021

This May 24, 2021, ARPA-E will kick off the 11th ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit, with this year’s Summit taking on a new all-virtual format! While things are going to look different this year in the new online format, the 2021 Summit will still feature all the signature programming that attendees are familiar with from years past. In addition to switching to an all-online format, this year we’ve expanded the Summit agenda to four days (up from our normal three) providing attendees with an additional day of energy innovation action at the 2021 Summit!

Every year, the Summit convenes leaders from academia, business, and government to discuss cutting-edge energy technologies, facilitate relationships to move technologies to market, and showcase innovations that will advance solutions to current and future energy challenges. This strategic combination of leaders makes the Summit the perfect forum for developing energy solutions for the United States to combat climate change and strengthen our culture of innovation.

Main Stage Speakers at the Virtual 2021 ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit

Our main stage speaker programming, where government thought leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs from across the energy industry will be discussing the biggest challenges in energy technology development. Some highlights of this year’s main stage include:

ARPA-E 2021 Virtual Summit Speakers Group One

ARPA-E 2021 Virtual Summit Speakers Group Two

Panel Discussions

12 exciting panel discussions over the four days of programming, where experts will talk about some of the most pressing issues in energy innovation including:

“The Impact of Electrifying Buildings – What New Technical Challenges Are Ahead of Us?”

  • Discussing the challenges associated with electrifying the buildings and what new technical solutions could address them to keep the lights on and maintain the occupant comfort

“You Can’t Stop the Work: Pathways to Net-Zero Carbon Energy Systems”

  • Covering what companies are doing in the near term and longer term as part of their plans for 100 percent carbon-free electricity. Potential pathways to advance from mild decarbonization to net-zero carbon.

“Intellectual Property Protection and Licensing Strategies 101: Case Studies in Successful Tech Transition Pathways”

  • Discussing the range of options for ARPA-E teams in protecting and transferring their IP, with a particular focus on the strategic considerations for when and why each option may be the best choice for them.

“May the Circle Be Unbroken – Challenges to a Truly Circular Economy”

  • The technical, business, and societal breakthroughs that are necessary to really turn our waste into an asset in a Circular Economy.

“The Blue Economy: An Ocean Full of Energy and Climate Opportunities”

  • Covering the technological, economic and regulatory drivers that need to be addressed to allow emerging ocean technologies like offshore wind and hydropower to move towards environmentally sustainable deployment at scale.

“Transitioning from University to Start Up: What to Expect and What to Avoid”

  • Shared experiences from energy leaders that made the leap from university project to start-up company, to help entrepreneurs determine what fits your needs to start your own energy company.

“Zero Carbon Flight on the Horizon: Setting the Flight Path to Zero Carbon Aviation 2030+”

Different perspectives and steppingstone efforts towards the future of electrified flight.

“Join the Team That’s Changing What’s Possible”

  • A moderated discussion with ARPA-E staff about working at ARPA E, giving a window into what ARPA-E looks for in its team members, including a personalized picture of what it’s like to work at ARPA-E

“The Evolving Climate Tech Investment Landscape”

  • Exploring the various stages in the innovation finance capital stack, providing guidance on factors in investment decisions and how to navigate from one stage to the next.

“Transmission System of the Future”

  • The challenges and growing interest in building electrical transmission and its importance in achieving a clean energy future.

“Accelerating Climatetech: A New Wave of Ecosystem Partners”

  • Pioneering leaders in new funding, partnership, and incubation models will discuss how they’re assisting energy and climate innovators achieve transformational impact.

“Low-cost, Large-scale Carbon Removal and Management via Biological Systems Engineering”

  • Exploring biological approaches to carbon management, with an emphasis on the scalability, deployment, and rate of impact of biotic carbon dioxide removal (CDR) strategies as compared to abiotic CDR strategies.

Fast Pitch Sessions

Program Director “Fast Pitch” sessions, where ARPA-E’s Program Directors will give their best rapid-fire pitches on the future of game-changing energy technologies and answer questions from attendees! This year’s “Fast Pitch” sessions are broken out into:

Day 1:

  • Carbon (Oceanic)

Day 2:

  • Heat
  • Carbon

Day 3:

  • Materials

Day 4:

  • Systems

Technology Showcase

The Summit’s Technology Showcase is also BACK this year where participants will be able to interact with and learn about the exciting innovations that over 250 ARPA-E teams and some of the nation’s leading research and development entities have been working on.

ARPA-E Summit Technology Showcase

The Tech Showcase will also feature Technology Demonstrations from a selection of ARPA-E teams, highlighting innovations in the electric aviation, fuel cell design, advanced building materials, energy generation, nuclear fusion, and  spaces, from performers in our OPEN 2018, CIRCUITS, REBELS, DAYS, and other programs. A selection of current Tech Demo teams are below, with more being confirmed soon:

OPEN 2018

CIRCUITS

DAYS

Coffee With ARPA-E

Our popular “Coffee with ARPA-E” is also back, where starting Tuesday May 25, attendees can attend virtual networking “Coffee Hours” with ARPA-E leadership, Program Directors, and Tech-to-Market staff. “Coffee with ARPA-E” is a great chance to all attendees to network with the ARPA-E team, and to learn about how we’re “Changing What’s Possible” for the energy technologies of the future!

The Student Program

And finally, the Summit’s Student Program offers graduate students their own specialized program, providing featuring student-focused panel sessions and networking opportunities with corporate recruiters looking for new talent. Students also will have access to the Summit’s main program and Technology Showcase, where they can learn about new energy initiatives and see the latest in technology research and development.

This year, the Student Program is complimentary for qualifying graduate student applicants and qualified attendees can visit the Student Program page to apply for registration before May 17.

Register for the Summit Today!

The 2021 ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit promises to deliver four days of exciting programming, and we can’t WAIT to welcome everyone to the Summit this May 24-27, 2021.

Visit the Summit’s website to register today, and let us know you’re attending the 2021 Summit by following us on social media (@ARPAE on Twitter) and using the hashtag #ARPAE21!

ARPA-E Virtual Summit Registration Graphic