DOE and SBA Launch SBIC-E Initiative to Boost Small Business Innovation

U.S. Government Launches New Initiative to Boost Small Business and Energy Sector

WASHINGTON—In a significant move reflecting the strategic focus on small businesses and technological advancement, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) have joined forces to unveil the Small Business Investment Company-Energy (SBIC-E) Initiative. This collaborative effort underscores a step forward in bolstering domestic manufacturing, supply chains, and ensuring the U.S. maintains its leadership in critical technologies.

The SBIC-E Initiative is an integration of DOE’s scientific acumen and the SBA’s Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) Program, which maintains a substantial portfolio value of $58 billion. Since its inception in 1958, the SBIC Program has played a pivotal role in the U.S. economy by investing $147 billion into small businesses, contributing to the creation or support of over 10.6 million jobs since 1995.

"America’s small businesses drive American innovation and affordable, reliable energy access," remarked U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. "By partnering with the Small Business Administration, the Energy Department is committing to invest its resources in American small businesses that will create jobs, strengthen our domestic manufacturing base, and unleash American energy production."

The DOE, through its Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC), will pinpoint key technological priorities and provide essential expertise to facilitate engagement with investors. Simultaneously, the SBA will manage the initiative via its Office of Investment and Innovation, fostering the establishment and growth of investment funds centered on these priorities. SBIC-E aims to bridge promising innovators with private capital, facilitating the expansion and development of pioneering technologies.

"President Trump is establishing American energy dominance, ending the Green New Scam, and putting our nations’ producers and innovators back in control at the dawn of a new era of energy reliability and abundance," stated SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. "Through this partnership, the SBA and Department of Energy are strengthening access to capital in the private sector to ensure America’s fossil fuels, nuclear, and electric power technology and infrastructure are the most advanced and plentiful in the world. By aligning investment from the proven Small Business Investment Company Program with the DOE’s strategic priorities, this Administration will fuel the producers that deliver secure, affordable energy to families and small businesses across our great nation."

The SBIC-E Initiative prioritizes investments in technologies that enhance:

• American energy production and energy security
• Critical minerals, advanced manufacturing, and advanced materials
• Artificial intelligence, quantum information science, semiconductors, and future computing
• Advanced communications, biotechnology, and other critical and emerging technologies

This initiative also opens up investment avenues for companies engaged in DOE’s commercialization and innovation networks, including the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) programs, ARPA-E, the Technology Commercialization Fund, the Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program, and initiatives from the Department’s National Laboratories.

DOE and SBA are committed to ongoing engagement with investors, entrepreneurs, and commercialization partners as the SBIC-E Initiative progresses. For further details on investment priorities, participation opportunities, and upcoming activities, visit the SBIC-E Initiative webpage here.