The Department of Energy’s IMPEL initiative at Berkeley Lab has welcomed its sixth cohort of innovators, with a total of 43 participants from across the United States, including six Indian Americans. The program, known as Incubating Market-Propelled Entrepreneurial Mindset at the Labs and Beyond (IMPEL), is funded by the DoE’s Building Technologies Division and is based at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
IMPEL’s primary goal is to accelerate the adoption of next-generation building decarbonization technologies in order to achieve a net-zero, sustainable future. The program aims to support early-stage innovators in overcoming the challenges of commercializing their technologies and bringing them to market. Reshma Singh, the Program Director and DOE Senior Advisor, emphasized the importance of bridging the gap between the prototype phase and the commercial launch phase for these innovators.
Since its inception six years ago, IMPEL has supported over 250 innovators from 36 U.S. states and territories. These innovators have raised over $125 million in funding, created approximately 211 green jobs, and secured over 209 pilots, awards, grants, and prizes. The program connects innovators to public and private sector pipelines, investors, and industry experts to help them reach their next milestone.
Among the six Indian Americans in the cohort, Amit Bharti, CEO of CtrlZ Climate, is focused on carbon removal in commercial buildings. Chokha Palaymkottai, CEO of Integral and Open Systems Inc., is developing an AI-driven platform for sustainable energy management. Nishant Basil Kanapilly, co-founder of Monaire, is working on energy and maintenance solutions for light commercial HVAC and refrigeration. Rohit Arora, Chief Product Officer of dodda.ai, is streamlining permit processing for high-performance buildings. Roshan Revankar, Chief Customer Officer of Genesys, is offering a closed-loop advection device for heating and cooling buildings. Vamsi Kumar Kotla, CEO of ReMo Homes, is focusing on industrialized construction for zero-carbon homes.
The IMPEL program continues to make strides in supporting innovative solutions for building decarbonization and sustainability. With a diverse network of researchers, investors, entrepreneurs, and policy experts, IMPEL is driving towards a greener future for the building sector. The program’s impact is evident in the success stories of its past participants, and the current cohort of innovators is poised to make significant contributions to the field.
As a Staff Writer for The American Bazaar, Mythili Devarakonda aims to provide quality news coverage for the Indian American and South Asian communities. With a background in journalism and experience in reporting for various publications, Mythili is dedicated to delivering informative and engaging content to her readers.
