Requirements

Cypher Pilotathon and Startup Showcase 2026 Submissions

  • Pilot Pitch and Showcase Submission Opens: Monday, April 13th 9:00AM (CST)
  • Pilot Pitch Submission Closes: Sunday, May 31st 11:59PM (CST)
  • Showcase-Only Application Closes: Tuesday, September 8th 11:59PM (CST)
  • The participant must be available in person on September 15, 2026.

Once you have submitted your application, you will be notified by email if you have been chosen.

Apply Now
scene from last year's event

Check out the questions here to get ready for your submission

  • We are looking for startups that are ready to pilot their technology in the next 6 - 12 months. Using Elemental's Commercial Inflection Point, please select your technology's degree of commercial readiness. Visit Elemental Impact's site for more on the Commercial Inflection Point Scale.

  • First Name

  • Last Name

  • Email

  • Cell Phone

  • Level of Participation: Pilot Pitch, Showcasing

  • ETN Member?

  • Company Name

  • Website

  • Date of incorporation

  • HQ Location

  • Founders: Name & LinkedIn URL

  • What experience/expertise makes your team unique to build your product?

  • My team is comprised of underserved entrepreneurs or entrepreneurs who are BIPOC (Note: This has no bearing on application and is just for reporting purposes)

  • What companies have you piloted with?

  • What primary category does your product fall under? Industry, Circularity, Heat Supply, Power, Agriculture, Buildings, Renewable Fuels, Hydrogen, Mobility, Other

  • What primary industry does your product align with?

  • How would you characterize the most recent funding that you closed? Bootstrapped, Pre-seed, Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C and beyond

  • Executive Summary (2 page summary preferred)

  • Pitch Deck

  • Pitch Video (3min) Optional

  • Company Logo

  • ETN shapes thunderlizards, ground-shaking companies born from tradition and innovation. How does your vision embody the spirit of a thunderlizard, and how will your company leave an undeniable mark on the world?

  • What’s your “superpower” — and how does it disrupt the status quo?

  • If you could wave a magic wand and solve ONE problem in your business today, what would that be?

  • How did you hear about the ETN Pilotathon & Showcase?

FAQs

Are you a startup at the pilot stage working on the next generation of energy and industrial technology? Apply to the Cypher Pilotathon and Startup Showcase 2026 in Houston, Texas. Selected founders will pitch their working pilot to investors, corporate partners, and industry leaders across four high-impact themes: critical minerals and resource security, grid infrastructure and distributed energy, industrial decarbonization, and the future of industrial work.

Applicants

  • Pilot Pitch and Showcase Submission Opens: Monday, April 13th 9:00AM (CST)
  • Pilot Pitch Submission Closes: Sunday, May 31st 11:59PM (CST)
  • Showcase-Only Application Closes: Tuesday, September 8th 11:59PM (CST)
  • The participant must be available in person on September 15, 2026.

Once you have submitted your application, you’ll be notified by email if you’ve been chosen.

We are looking for startups at the pilot stage working across any of the four themes of the New Energy Industrial Revolution. Whether you are working on critical minerals, grid infrastructure, industrial decarbonization, or intelligent industrial operations, if your technology is ready to pilot in the next 6 to 12 months, we want to hear from you.

There is no cost to submit an application.

However, do keep in mind that there is a registration fee to participate in the event. If you're an ETN member at the associate level or higher, the registration fee is waived. For those who aren't ETN members, the registration fee is $100 per person. Early bird tickets will be available for a limited time.

To apply for a spot at the Pilotathon & Showcase, please submit your application by the deadline, depending on your participation as a pilot pitch or showcase only, see key dates for details.

In the application form you will need to include a brief description of your product or technology, the stage of development and current pilot/test results, your goals for the event (e.g. funding, partnerships, market feedback)

Apply here

Scenes From Last Year's Event

scene from last year's event
scene from last year's event
scene from last year's event
scene from last year's event
scene from last year's event
scene from last year's event
scene from last year's event
scene from last year's event
scene from last year's event