Startup company uses LLNL's technology to compete in "America's Next Top Energy Innovator"

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Integrated Dynamic Electron Solutions Inc. is using Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's technology to compete in the U.S. Department of Energy's "America's Next Top Energy Innovator Challenge," a competition where Americans vote online for the most innovative and promising startup companies that are using technologies from the department's national laboratories to develop new products and businesses.Based on the public vote and an expert review, the top startup companies will be invited to be featured at the premier annual gathering of clean energy investors and innovators around the country, the 2012 ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit, at the end of February. Voting is available on the DOE Website. "Through the America's Next Top Energy Innovator Challenge, we are unleashing startup companies to do what they do best: create new products, new industries, and new jobs," Energy Secretary Steven Chu said. "We've challenged America's entrepreneurs and innovators to create new businesses based on discoveries made by our world-leading national laboratories. "Americans can view profiles of the competing startups and vote on which ones could make the greatest contributions to the country's economic and energy future by visiting the company profile Website. An expert panel will also evaluate the companies and rank them. Voting ends at 8:59 a.m EST on Monday, Feb. 6.Integrated Dynamic Electron Solutions Inc., based in Belmont, Calif., uses Dynamic Transmission Electron Microscopes (DTEM) to enable imaging of nanoscale objects, such as proteins, thin films and nanoparticles at unprecedented time scales and frame rates. By utilizing a laser-driven electron source, DTEMs are able to produce short bursts of electrons that can form an image with nanometer resolution in as little as 10 nanoseconds. This enables observation of dynamics in material systems that play an important role in a wide range of energy technologies, including battery electrodes, petroleum catalysts, solar cell materials, and organisms for biofuel growth. Integrated Dynamic Electron Solutions uses technology developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Read more about the company's technology. The companies participating in the challenge have signed option agreements allowing them to license valuable, cutting-edge technologies developed and patented by one of the Department of Energy's 17 national laboratories and the Y-12 National Security Complex. Thirty-six companies in total have signed these option agreements with the national laboratories under a streamlined, simplified application process. Learn more about DOE's America's Next Top Energy Innovator program. The Energy Department also announced today that it will be extending America's Next Top Energy Innovator through next year, which will continue to make it easier for startups to use inventions and technologies developed at DOE's national laboratories to create new businesses, new products and new jobs for American workers. The department also will offer another online competition in 2013.America's Next Top Energy Innovator is part of the White House Startup America Initiative that celebrates its one year anniversary today. Startup America is a multiagency effort across the Obama Administration to promote high-growth entrepreneurship by expanding access to capital, cutting red tape, and accelerate innovation through agency action.To learn more about the Obama Administration's Startup America Initiative, the program's one year anniversary and new steps the Obama Administration is taking to support job-creating small businesses, visit the White House Website. Learn more about the 2012 ARPA-E Energy Summit.