The Agile BioFoundry (ABF) Industry Accelerator connects biomanufacturing companies with the expertise, tools, and facilities of seven U.S. national laboratories to address consequential technical challenges. Through focused, collaborative projects, participating companies can generate actionable technical results, reduce uncertainty, and advance their technologies and processes.
1. What does the Accelerator provide?
The Industry Accelerator provides access to ABF scientists, engineers, specialized facilities, and technical capabilities through focused research and development projects. Selected projects will typically receive $100,000–$200,000 in ABF-supported technical work, performed at one or more participating national laboratories. Accelerator support is provided through laboratory research activities; funds are not awarded or transferred directly to participating companies.
2. What kinds of projects are we looking for?
The Accelerator seeks focused projects that apply existing ABF capabilities to meaningful technical challenges facing biomanufacturing companies. Strong projects will address a well-defined question, involve active participation from the industry partner, and produce actionable results that inform technical development or business decisions.
Examples of potential projects include:
- Super Intelligence (SI)/Machine Learning (ML) and data resources: Apply, develop, or extend SI/ML tools for biomanufacturing, including generation of new experimental data or curation of existing datasets to support model development and validation.
- Automation and high-throughput experimentation: Apply automated workflows and high-throughput experimentation to accelerate design, testing, and optimization.
- Microbial strain engineering: Engineer or optimize bacterial, yeast, or filamentous fungal production hosts to improve product formation, productivity, or other performance characteristics.
- Enzyme engineering: Develop, engineer, or characterize enzymes to improve activity, selectivity, stability, or performance in industrial applications.
- Bioprocess integration and optimization: Apply ABF-developed tools and workflows to identify and address bottlenecks affecting productivity, yield, titer, or overall process performance.
- Process modeling and technoeconomics: Evaluate process configurations, scale-up considerations, or key technical and economic uncertainties.
- Omics and analytical characterization: Apply or develop proteomic, transcriptomic, metabolomic, and other analytical approaches to characterize biological systems, metabolic intermediates, products, or process performance.
These examples are illustrative, not exhaustive. Projects should build on established ABF capabilities rather than require substantial development of new research infrastructure or foundational capabilities. Complementary laboratory expertise in areas such as separations, catalysis, or feedstock deconstruction may be incorporated where relevant. Projects must be achievable within the Accelerator’s available resources and timeframe. Learn more about ABF capabilities.
3. Who can apply, and what is expected of partners?
The Industry Accelerator is open to companies developing or applying products, processes, or technologies relevant to biomanufacturing. Both new and existing ABF industry partners are encouraged to apply. Selected companies are expected to participate actively in project execution and contribute at least 20% of the total project cost. Contributions may include qualifying in-kind resources such as personnel time, materials, samples, data, or other resources needed to execute the project. Direct financial contributions are also welcome and may enable an expanded project scope. A note on Transparency of Foreign Connections is included at the end of this document.
4. How will applications be evaluated?
Applications will be evaluated competitively across the ABF consortium, considering:
- Value to the industry partner: The significance of the technical challenge and the potential value of a successful project outcome.
- Technical fit and feasibility: Alignment with existing ABF capabilities and the likelihood of achieving meaningful results within the available resources and timeframe.
- Partner engagement: The company’s commitment to active participation in the project and provision of the required resources.
- Partnership potential: Opportunities to establish or strengthen productive relationships between the company and ABF.
- Impact of ABF capabilities: The potential to demonstrate, apply or expand the use of ABF-developed tools and technologies.
ABF will identify appropriate laboratory expertise and assess technical feasibility following submission. Applicants are not required to identify a specific national laboratory or develop a detailed technical work plan before applying.
5. How to apply and key dates
Interested companies should complete the online application by November 20, 2026. The application asks companies to describe their technical challenge, why addressing it matters to their business, the outcomes they hope to achieve, and the resources they can contribute.
Confidentiality: Applicants should provide sufficient information to describe their technical challenge and its potential value without including confidential or proprietary details. Additional technical information may be shared during project development under appropriate agreements.
Key Dates
October 26, 2026. Solicitation opens
November 20, 2026. Application deadline (11:59PM; Pacific time)
December 10, 2026. Selection notifications
Beginning December 2026. Project scoping and agreement development
By September 30, 2028. Project completion. Project-specific schedule established during scoping.
Following selection, companies will work with designated ABF technical teams to define project scope, deliverables, schedules, and partner contributions. Selection indicates an opportunity to develop a project with ABF and does not constitute an executed agreement or authorization to begin work. Projects are subject to completion of the appropriate laboratory agreements before work can begin. Learn more about common agreement types.
6. Questions and pre-application engagement
Companies are encouraged to contact the ABF team before applying to discuss program requirements, relevant ABF capabilities, and the potential fit of their technical challenges. Pre-application discussions are optional and are intended to help companies understand the opportunity. Applicants are responsible for preparing and submitting their own applications; ABF personnel will not develop or co-author applications. Applicants are not expected to estimate laboratory costs or prepare detailed project budgets. Following selection, ABF will work with selected companies to develop project scopes consistent with available resources.
For questions or to request a pre-application discussion, contact ABF Director of Strategic Partnerships Jesse Colangelo at [email protected].
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A note on Transparency of Foreign Connections.
Parties interested in collaborating with DOE National Labs are subject to review for Foreign Connections. This review will include assessment of the following:
1. Any current or pending subsidiary, foreign business entity, or offshore entity that is based in or funded by any foreign country of risk or foreign entity based in a country of risk;
2. Any current or pending contractual or financial obligation or other agreement specific to a business arrangement, or joint venture-like arrangement with an entity owned by a country of risk or foreign entity based in a country of risk;
3. Any current or pending change in ownership structure of the Recipient or subrecipients that increases foreign ownership related to a country of risk. Each notification shall be accompanied by a complete and up-to-date capitalization table showing all equity interests held including limited liability company (LLC) and partnership interests, as well as derivative securities. Include both the number of shares issued to each equity holder, as well as the percentage of that series and of all equity on fully diluted basis. For each equity holder, provide the place of incorporation and the principal place of business, as applicable. If the equity holder is a natural person, identify the citizenship(s);
4. Any current or pending venture capital or institutional investment by an entity that has a general partner or individual holding a leadership role in such entity who has a foreign affiliation with any foreign country of risk;
5. Any current or pending technology licensing or intellectual property sales to a foreign country of risk; and
6. Any changes to the Recipient or the subrecipients’ board of directors, including additions to the number of directors, the identity of new directors, as well as each new director’s citizenship, shareholder affiliation (if applicable); each notification shall include a complete up-to-date list of all directors (and board observers), including their full name, citizenship and shareholder affiliation, date of appointment, duration of term, as well as a description of observer rights as applicable.
Should DOE determine the connection poses a risk to economic or national security, DOE will require measures to mitigate or eliminate the risk. DOE has designated the following countries as foreign countries of risk: Iran, North Korea, Russia, and China. This list is subject to change.
Recognizing the disclosures may contain business confidential information, subrecipients may submit their disclosures directly to DOE.