Technology Deployment
INL helps move laboratory innovations into practical use through technology licensing, research partnerships and technical assistance.
What Is Technology Deployment?
INL is a critical hub for research, design, development, and deployment — but our mission doesn’t end with discovery. Technology Deployment exists to convert government-funded research into new job opportunities, businesses, and an improved way of life for the American people. Through licensing, cooperative R&D, sponsored partnerships, and small business support, we connect INL’s hundreds of technologies, unique facilities, and world-class expertise to national and international industry, universities, and other national laboratories.
Technology Deployment provides multiple pathways for organizations to access INL technologies, expertise and research capabilities.
Ways to Work with INL
- License INL technology
- Partner on research and development
- Access INL expertise or facilities
- Start or grow a technology-based business
Partnership Pathways
Technology Deployment offers different pathways depending on your organization’s goals, capabilities and stage of development.
For research institutions
INL collaborates with universities, other national laboratories, and research organizations on joint R&D, co-funded commercialization projects, and technology licensing.
For entrepreneurs
Whether you're building a clean energy startup or commercializing a technology, INL's Technology Deployment programs offer incubation, market validation, federal funding, and licensing pathways.
For small business
INL offers small businesses no-cost technical assistance, federal funding pathways, collaborative R&D, and licensing access to world-class laboratory research.
For industry
Access INL's researchers, facilities, and technology portfolio through flexible partnership and licensing mechanisms designed for companies of all sizes.
Find Programs by Audience
Technology Licensing
Organizations can license INL technologies for further development, manufacturing, sale or use in the marketplace.
Technology Licensing
Patents, Software & Datasets
Licensing is the most direct way to access INL technology. Licensing INL technologies allows a business to reproduce, manufacture, sell, or use INL-developed or owned intellectual property. Licensing terms vary greatly by the specific company and technology involved. INL is committed to providing favorable licensing terms for both parties.
Portfolio Size
900+ active patents
Activity
64+ licenses issued / year
Coverage
12 technology area
Technology Commercialization Fund (TCF)
INL welcomes TCF projects involving university or national lab co-investigators alongside an industry partner.
Technology Commercialization Fund
DOE Funding Program
The Technology Commercialization Fund (TCF) is a DOE program that helps move innovations developed at national laboratories, plants, and sites into the marketplace. Established by Congress in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, TCF invests millions of dollars each year to bridge the gap between research and commercial application by sharing costs with industry, universities, and other partners.
Funding
DOE-funded, industry-matched
Typical Award
$100k-$500k
Solicitation
Annual
Cooperative R&D Agreement (CRADA)
CRADAs involve universities and research organizations as co-participants alongside industry on pre-competitive R&D.
Cooperative Research and Development Agreement
Joint R&D partnership
A CRADA enables DOE laboratories to collaborate with non-federal partners, such as private industry or universities, on research and development projects where both parties contribute resources and share in the potential intellectual property. Participants may negotiate an exclusive license within the scope of work, and information generated under the CRADA is protected for up to five years if marked confidential. Because most national laboratories operate on full cost recovery, a funding source must be identified before work can begin, typically requiring an advance payment or a structured pay plan.
Cost Structure
Shared or paid by partner
Typical Uses
- To develop a new product
- To conduct scientific research
Advantages
- Pool resources and knowledge
- Lab and private entity can own inventions developed under the CRADA
SBIR / STTR
Federal funding helps small businesses and startups develop and commercialize innovations with INL.
SBIR/STTR
Federal Funding Program
The SBIR and STTR programs let eligible U.S. small businesses partner with DOE national labs across three funding phases, from proving initial feasibility through commercial application.
Phase I Award
Up to $250,000 (non-dilutive)
Phase II Award
Up to $1,500,000 (non-dilutive)
Solicitation
Biannually
Strategic Partnership Projects (SPP)
Research institutions can sponsor INL R&D through an SPP, accessing unique facilities and expertise
Strategic Partnership Projects
Industry R&D partnership
An SPP (formerly Work for Others) allows industry, government agencies, and other non-federal entities to engage INL to perform a defined scope of work on a full-cost recovery basis, drawing on facilities and expertise unique to the laboratory. Rights to inventions arising from the work typically vest with the sponsor if they’re a U.S. entity paying with private funds, though the government retains a license for its own use. As with CRADAs, a funding source must be identified before work can begin, typically requiring an advance payment or a structured pay plan.
Cost Structure
Participant pays full cost
Typical Uses
- To test & validate products
- For modeling and technoeconomic analysis
Advantages
Fast (easy to execute projects that meet certain parameters)
Energy I-Corps
Industry mentors guide INL researcher teams through an immersive, two-month customer discovery program.
Energy I-Corps
Entrepreneurship Program
Energy I-Corps sends teams of INL researchers and industry mentors through an immersive two-month training, where researchers define technology value propositions, conduct stakeholder discovery interviews, and develop viable market pathways for their work. Experienced business leaders and entrepreneurs are always needed as Industry Mentors to guide teams through the commercialization process — a firsthand way to engage with INL’s research and researchers.
Format
Two-month immersive training
Participants
INL researchers & industry mentors
Outcome
Validated value proposition & market pathway
Technical Assistance Program (TAP)
Up to 40 hours of no-cost INL expert consultation helps solve a technical challenge.
Technical Assistance Program
No-cost technical assistance
TAP connects U.S. small businesses, municipalities, and non-profits with no-cost INL scientific and engineering expertise for challenges too complex to solve alone. The program is authorized by federal law, with limited DOE funding guiding project selection, and assistance is capped at 40 hours per request.
Eligibility
U.S. small business, municipality, or non-profit
Scope
Must fit INL expertise, not compete with industry
Assistance
Up to 40 hours
User Facility Agreements
Access DOE’s state-of-the-art laboratory facilities and equipment for proprietary or non-proprietary research.
User Facility Agreements
National facility access
External users from academia and industry can access INL’s specialized research facilities and equipment, with options for confidential proprietary work or lower-cost non-proprietary research intended for publication.
Cost Structure
Approved rate or shared cost
Typical uses
Specialized research, equipment access
Advantages
World-class facilities, expert collaboration
How to Work with INL
Every organization comes to us from a different starting point. Whether you’re licensing a technology, pursuing a funding opportunity, or seeking research expertise, Technology Deployment will help you find the right path forward.
Tell us what you need
Describe what you're trying to accomplish, and we’ll point you in the right direction.
Find the right opportunity
We'll recommend the programs, agreements, and technical resources best suited to your goals.
Take the next steps
Once we've identified the right pathway, we'll guide you from planning through execution.
Impact
by the Numbers
Technology Deployment Outcomes
The outcomes below highlight how INL research creates value through licensing, collaboration, technology deployment and other pathways to real-world use.
It is July, and Montana farmers are testing software from the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) on a tractor’s autosteer operating system. The software uses field data to tell a tractor where to travel for the most efficient drive path. Then, the tractor pulls a 90-foot-long agricultural sprayer that covers large swaths of a field with liquids such as fertilizers, herbicides...
When most people think of tree nuts, they imagine a tasty snack — not the parts of the nut that get left behind. But for Houston-based startup Vaulted Deep, a fibrous byproduct from nut agriculture...
The Idaho National Laboratory has changed the world for more than 75 years through work in nuclear energy, national security and other innovative technologies. From early nuclear reactor demonstrations to establishing tomorrow’s robust electrical grid,...
The pistachio trees of Coalinga, California, are thirsty. The nearest river is miles away, but beneath their roots lies an untapped water source — untapped because it’s full of salt and other minerals that give...
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a licensing agreement take?
A non-exclusive license can often be executed in 4–8 weeks. Exclusive or startup equity licenses may take 2–4 months depending on negotiation complexity.
What is the difference between an SPP and a CRADA?
An SPP is a reimbursable contract where the sponsor fully funds INL to perform R&D. A CRADA involves shared contributions from both INL and the partner — suited for collaborative, pre-competitive research.
How do I find out if INL has a relevant technology?
Start with the technology search on our Licensing page, or contact the licensing team directly. We also participate in the FLC Technology Locator.
Is the INEC Incubator only for Idaho-based companies?
No. Companies from anywhere can apply, but accepted companies must co-locate in the Idaho Falls area for the duration of the program.
Can a foreign company license INL technology?
Yes, subject to export control review. Some technologies are restricted for national security reasons. Contact the licensing team for an initial assessment.
Let's Build Something Together
Whether you’re ready to license a technology, explore a partnership, or just starting to explore — our team is here to help.