Industry Affiliates Program

Taking Innovations from Lab to Market

Together, we can bridge the gap between what is possible to do once in the lab and what is possible to manufacture affordably at scale. 

At the Trienens Institute for Sustainability and Energy at Northwestern University, we are committed to accelerating the global transition to affordable, reliable clean energy. Meeting this grand challenge requires a team science approach that includes successful industry partnerships. Our Industry Affiliates Program (IAP) organizes Northwestern resources to enable corporate engagement.

The Value of Membership

Join a community of innovation leaders.

By engaging with the Trienens Institute, IAP members become part of an industry network that addresses critical energy challenges and makes important contributions to achieving a decarbonized economy. Members benefit from opportunities to:

• Help drive industry-relevant research: IAP members help shape research priorities, vote to down-select project ideas, and evaluate proposals based on scientific merit and alignment with industry needs.
• Discover emerging tech: Affiliates gain early access to innovations in high-impact areas such as AI for science and energy, next-generation materials for energy generation and carbon capture, enhanced geothermal systems, and critical materials extraction.
• Access talent pipelines: Membership provides connections with the next generation of top-tier scientists and engineers, from undergraduate interns to work-ready master's students and PhD-level researchers.
• Gain federal funding intelligence: We provide proactive identification of competitive funding and deep knowledge of the DOE, DOD, NSF, and ARPA-E landscapes, including the national labs.
• Derisk investments: Our analytical expertise and modeling capabilities span our research areas to validate the most effective pathway for deploying energy technologies at commercial scale.
• Get dedicated support: Trienens Institute staff work with you to navigate the complex University research environment and connect your team with the right expertise to address your unique challenges.

The Northwestern Advantage

World-class experts. Comprehensive solutions.

When you partner with the Trienens Institute, your organization gains access to Northwestern’s exceptional, interdisciplinary innovation engine, including:

• Elite scientific talent: We are anchored by many of the world's top 0.1% most-cited researchers and Northwestern’s top-ranked programs in materials science, chemistry, and mechanical engineering.


• Holistic solutions: We view energy challenges through a comprehensive lens, bringing together experts in the physical sciences, social sciences, economics, business, management, and law to create deeper market insights and deliver transformative energy solutions.


• Expertise across the energy value chain: Our pre-competitive network offers industry leaders a direct path to engage with world-class scientists addressing the full range of energy and sustainability challenges, from how energy is generated, stored, and deployed to how carbon is captured and transformed into sustainable products. Read more about our research pillars.


• Commercialization pathways: Northwestern has a proven track record of successfully translating breakthrough discoveries into real-world applications. Our full-spectrum environment moves ideas from foundational research through applied R&D, while the Trienens-Q Accelerator and the Innovation and New Ventures Office (INVO) provide platforms for commercialization.