Metal/Polymer Hybrid; Lightweight and Strong
DuPont and Morph Technologies have formed an alliance to commercialize a metal-polymer hybrid material. This material will have the strength and stiffness of a metal and the flexibility and light weight of thermoplastics. This sounds like a really innovative product that could have great applications in underweighting vehicles or other products (like my big television).
DOE’s Entrepreneur-In-Residence Program
The Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) Program will bring venture capital sponsored entrepreneurs into three of DOE’s National Laboratories to develop plans to commercialize new clean energy technologies. The entrepreneurs in residence will identify technologies that, when commercialized in private sector companies, will contribute to DOE’s mission to promote America’s energy security through reliable, clean, and affordable energy.
This sounds like a great opportunity to commercialize a new technology. But it also sounds like deal flow for VCs. I’m not certain that this will be managed equitably.
Power from Space?
The National Security Space Office is soliciting technical experts to devise a means of generating (and presumably transporting) electricity from space-based collectors. This is really out there type of thinking. But then again, that’s what gets our juices going. This could certainly address the collection efficiency issue, but the transference back to earth would be the real difficulty. But it’s possible, I think. There are a couple of different methods that could be utilized and it might be a great opportunity if feasible.
