Energy Storage Engine in Upstate New York Welcomes 12 New NSF Engines to the National Network

Today, our CEO Meera Sampath and COO Heidi Grenek joined leaders in Washington, DC, to welcome 12 new National Science Foundation (NSF) Regional Innovation Engines to the network. The second cohort, backed by $180 million in NSF investment, spans 20 states and more than doubles the portfolio’s reach and expertise.

The Energy Storage Engine in Upstate New York launched in 2024 alongside eight others in that trailblazing first cohort. In just two years, we have built a coalition of more than 60 partners across industry, academia, government, and nonprofits, supported 15+ R&D projects and 20+ energy storage startups, and launched 13 industry-aligned education programs reaching more than 300 learners.

One of our R&D and SuperBoost technology translation awardees, Ateios Systems, has closed a $7.25 million Series A and was named Battery Manufacturer of the Year. Other startups in our ecosystem have attracted $20 million or more in follow-on investment in the past year alone, and $15 million in equity capital was raised by our core partner Launch NY and is now available to companies across our ecosystem.

The momentum extends to our established partners as well. BAE Systems and Toyota Material Handling North America are both expanding their battery operations in Upstate New York. Together, regional companies have announced more than $130 million in planned investments and over 175 new jobs in the battery sector.

Over the past two years, the Engine has seen firsthand how powerful cross-sector collaboration can be in addressing the nation’s most pressing technology challenges. Together with our partners, we are helping position Upstate New York as a national leader in energy storage, driving economic growth, supporting the creation of high-skilled jobs and strengthening national security.

This summer, look for an energy storage demonstration for mission-critical applications and a focus on building out our Workforce Development programming, both proof points of the Engine’s growing momentum.

With 12 new NSF Engines joining the portfolio, our collective capacity to lead the industries that will define America’s future is stronger than ever. We look forward to working with this new cohort of incredible Engines.

Congratulations to the newest NSF Engines!

•     NSF BRIDGES Engine in Alabama and Tennessee, led by the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology
•     NSF Critical Materials Crossroads Engine in the Kansas City Region, led by the University of Missouri-Kansas City
•     NSF Critical Mineral Accelerator Engine in Alaska, led by the University of Alaska Fairbanks
•     NSF FAST Engine in Oregon, led by Oregon State University
•     NSF Grid Modernization Engine in the Carolinas, led by the University of North Carolina at Charlotte
•     NSF IMPACT Engine in Indiana, led by Indiana University
•     NSF NEO-SMART Engine in Northeast Ohio, led by Case Western Reserve University
•     NSF Quantum Technologies Engine in Connecticut, led by the University of Connecticut
•     NSF RETI Engine in West Virginia and western Pennsylvania, led by West Virginia University
•     NSF RuralSTAMINA Biomanufacturing Engine in Iowa and Nebraska, led by Iowa State University
•     NSF Seafood Engine in New England, led by the Northeastern Regional Association of Coastal Ocean Observing Systems

And a special welcome to our neighbors and colleagues at the NSF STELLAR Engine in the Rochester/Finger Lakes Region of New York, led by the University of Rochester.
We can’t wait to collaborate with the new Engines!

Read the full announcement: https://www.nsf.gov/news/nsf-awards-12-new-regional-innovation-engines-fuel-research