NASA, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. Department of State, and NIKE formed LAUNCH to identify, showcase, and support innovative approaches to global challenges through a series of forums. The LAUNCH: Energy Challenge has begun and focuses on sustainable energy challenges for the developed and developing worlds.

The challenge seeks to identify entrepreneurial efforts focused on the development of innovative products, services, and programs that can benefit from an association with influential government and business leaders to accelerate their deployment and adoption.

LAUNCH is seeking submissions in the following categories:

  • Energy Generation: Renewable energy sources and technologies
  • Energy Harvesting and Storage: Innovative methods and processes to collect and store energy
  • Industrial Applications: Self-sufficient industrial facilities and/or hubs (such as energy management systems and self-powered wireless sensors)
  • Community Applications: Self-contained generation systems (for settings from individual homes to small communities, including next-generation cookstoves for the developing world)
  • Financing: New business models or financial strategies that promote creation of or access to innovative systems or technology
  • Education to inform, align, and encourage best energy practices by consumers, utilities, and policy makers
  • Deployment: Programs, tools, and networks to enable adoption and use

Companies, entrepreneurs, inventors, social enterprises, non-profit organizations, research institutions, and venture capitalists are welcome to apply. Up to ten finalists will be invited to attend the LAUNCH: Energy Forum at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida from November 10 - 13, 2011. Innovators will present to 40 thought leaders in business, government, science, technology, and communications.

Submissions are due by September 9th, 2011. For more information and to apply, visit LAUNCH .