Imagine: stronger-than-steel wood that replaces metal in cars and planes and slashes steel production emissions. Lightweight, long-lasting, and backpack-sized non-flammable battery packs that soldiers and rescue workers carry with them wherever they go. A compact, cordless air-conditioning robot that follows you on a muggy summer day, keeping you comfortable while drastically reducing the cost and environmental impact of cooling huge office or warehouse spaces.
These are no musings of a thought experiment. They are all clean-energy inventions well on their way to becoming market-ready products, thanks to a deeply collaborative institute at the University of Maryland’s A. James Clark School of Engineering.
Established in 2017 by the Maryland General Assembly, the Maryland Energy Innovation Institute (MEI2) was founded to support the development of clean-energy technology innovations from companies and universities across Maryland, thereby boosting economic growth and jobs in the state’s clean-energy sector.
The institute supports entrepreneurial engineers and scientists working on technologies poised to revolutionize the energy industry. From groundbreaking energy research, to seed grants that enable demonstration of the technology in working prototypes, to accelerator programs that prepare fledgling companies for the crucible of the open market, MEI2 offers a range of clean energy business development opportunities.