BRITE wins $50,000 prize

WARREN — BRITE Energy Innovators has won $50,000 from the U.S. Department of Energy that the clean tech and energy startup incubator plans to use to continue to support and expand energy storage projects.

The Energy Program for Innovation Clusters award recognizes incubators, accelerators, co-working startup communities and similar models that focus on developing regional innovation clusters for energy-related technology and entrepreneurship.

BRITE was among 20 across the U.S. that won an award. The prize is the $1 million debut effort in a two-part, $5 million program sponsored by DOE’s Office of Technology Transitions.

Winning may give BRITE a leg up in acquiring funding in the second EPIC funding cycle for the remaining $4 million. Five incubators will be chosen. That announcement is expected next month, according to BRITE.