NEW ORLEANS – Energy innovators in Louisiana are invited to showcase their start-ups and compete for funding in the Future Use of Energy in Louisiana (FUEL) Super Pitch competition designed to award innovative ways to increase energy production while reducing carbon intensity, emissions, and waste.
Reasons for funding innovations that reduce carbon emissions abound, but one reason is the sheer scale of global and local demand for more energy in any form, whether from traditional oil and natural gas or from wind, solar, nuclear, and hydropower. Prompted in large measure by astronomical increases in the demand for electricity to power Louisiana’s thirteen data centers, with two more on the way including Meta’s massive $10B data center in Richland Parish and Hub 8’s $2B data center in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana is fully embracing its “all of the above” approach to energy production to meet this growing demand.
Future Use of Energy in Louisiana (FUEL) spearheads the Louisiana Energy Transition Engine which is funded by National Science Foundation (NSF) Regional Innovation Engines with a groundbreaking $160 million award — its largest and most competitive award ever provided — and an additional $67.5 million from Louisiana Economic Development. The NSF Regional Innovation Engines program was authorized through the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022.
FUEL was specifically established to position Louisiana as a global energy transition leader through high-impact technology development and innovation that supports the energy industry in lowering carbon emissions. FUEL brings together more than fifty private and public sector partners including universities, community and technical colleges, state agencies, industry partners, and investment partners led by Michael Mazzola, FUEL’s executive director at LSU. This year FUEL also opened a field office in New Orleans.
FUEL’s Super Pitch competition, taking place in New Orleans on February 5, 2025, will feature three applicants who will each give a 10-minute pitch followed by a 10-minute Q&A from the judges. The first-place prize is set at $100,000, second place will be $50,000, and the third-place prize is $25,000. Applicants must submit their proposals by January 16, 2025.
Eligible businesses include those with a majority of their ownership based in Louisiana or ones that are willing to relocate the majority of their operations to Louisiana if they win the Super Pitch, businesses with start-up technology readiness at level 3 (which means their product has reached critical function levels or the proof of concept has been established), businesses with less than $750,000 in revenue within the last 12 months, and businesses that have innovative technical solutions that fit into one of FUEL’s technical areas. Businesses that applied for FUEL’s Proof-of-Concept Fund are also eligible to apply.
FUEL will also host a webinar on January 6, 2025, with speaking coach Abbey Kish providing tips and strategies for successfully pitching a business idea to judges and an audience. The three businesses chosen to compete are required to work with Abbey before the pitch day.
