Clean energy entrepreneurs have only a few hours left to apply for an Oak Ridge National Laboratory accelerator that could solve America’s energy challenges.

Innovation Crossroads is a new program based at ORNL that matches aspiring energy entrepreneurs with the experts, mentors, and networks in technology-related fields to take their world-changing ideas from research and development (R&D) to the marketplace.

Through an annual call, up to five entrepreneurs will be selected to transform their ideas into clean energy companies with financial support from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). Innovators will receive a fellowship that covers living costs, benefits and a travel stipend for up to two years, plus up to $350,000 to use on collaborative research and development at ORNL. Each innovator will also be paired with a doctoral student from the University of Tennessee’s Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Graduate Education for assistance with market research and customer discovery.

“There is a huge opportunity and need to develop an emerging American energy ecosystem where cleantech entrepreneurs can thrive,” said Mark Johnson, director of EERE’s Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO). “This program gives the next generation of clean energy innovators a chance to make a transformative impact on the way we generate, process and use our energy resources. Innovation Crossroads will play an important role in strengthening the Southeast region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.”

Innovation Crossroads was announced back in September and is the most recent clean energy accelerator to launch at a DOE national laboratory and the first located in the Southeast. ORNL is the nation’s largest science and energy laboratory, with expertise and resources in clean energy, computing, neutron science, advanced materials, and nuclear science.

The deadline to apply is today Friday, November 18, 2016 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. For a look at the application, go to innovationcrossroads.ornl.gov