Up to five Tough Tech startups will receive up to one year of funded Residency at The Engine. Applications close December 21, 2026.
CAMBRIDGE, MA, UNITED STATES, November 12, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Engine, a nonprofit incubator and accelerator that supports Tough Tech companies solving the world’s most challenging problems, is accepting applications for its second Ignition Pass, with Shell returning as the enterprise partner. After the prize’s inaugural recipient moved into Residency and closed an oversubscribed pre-seed round, the Ignition Pass is expanding to fund up to five early-stage startups, each receiving up to one year of Residency at The Engine with access to specialized lab and engineering facilities, programming, mentorship, and Shell’s technical experts. Qualified startups can apply here by December 21, 2026.
The Ignition Pass is open to startups developing physical technologies in seven areas:
• Carbon Management & Utilization
• Critical Minerals, Water & Resource Recovery
• Energy, Fuels & Industrial Systems
• Energy Storage, Grid & Digital Infrastructure
• Industrial Intelligence, Robotics & Autonomous Systems
• Solid Carbon Materials
• Subsurface, Geothermal & Energy Production Systems
“The problems Tough Tech teams are solving, from securing critical minerals to building a more resilient grid, can’t wait. The Ignition Pass gives them the specialized infrastructure, patient support, and mission-aligned enterprise expertise they need at the earliest stages so they can reach the market faster,” said Rhett Smith, Interim CEO of The Engine.
Shell’s sponsorship of the second Ignition Pass supports up to one year in The Engine’s Residency Program for recipients. Selected recipients will gain access to specialized infrastructure tailored to their needs, including more than 200,000 square feet of BSL-2 wet labs, engineering, and fabrication space with more than 1,880 pieces of specialized equipment, along with The Engine’s programs, tools, and mentor network. Each startup will also work with Shell experts to create a technical development plan that leverages The Engine’s infrastructure and programs to retire technical and market risk, and guide its path to scale.
The first Ignition Pass has already demonstrated significant impact. Teragen Energy, a Berkeley Lab and ARPA-E spinout developing advanced fuel cell systems that provide reliable power for data centers, industrial facilities and utilities, moved into Residency as the inaugural recipient. Since then, the team has completed the initial technology demonstration, received a number of customer LOIs, and closed an oversubscribed pre-seed round to scale its technology.
“Working with Shell’s technical and commercial experts allowed us to think through our technology roadmap and plan how to commercialize as the company moved into its next phase. It also helped us tell a strong story when we were fundraising. Shell was interested in our technology and wanted to build a technical foundation with us, and that gave early-stage investors a lot of conviction,” said Ruofan Wang, PhD, CEO and Founder of Teragen Energy.
Shell is a critical partner of The Engine and early-stage Tough Tech companies. Alongside the Ignition Pass, Shell Ventures co-led a $30M Series A in 2024 for Mantel, a resident company at The Engine developing high-temperature carbon capture. Mantel has since raised $50M in total and has begun deploying its technology at an industrial facility in Québec.
“The earliest stage is where expert input can shape a technology the most, and working with Teragen Energy has shown how that benefits both sides,” said Akilah LeBlanc, GM Open Innovation. “Shell is committed to partnering with teams that have breakthrough science and a credible, scalable path to solving real challenges in the energy and industry.”
Alongside The Engine, Shell leaders will inform the selection of Ignition Pass recipients.
Applications are open now through December 21, 2026. Eligibility requirements, FAQ, and the application form are available on the Ignition Pass application page linked above.
In almost ten years of incubating more than 800 Tough Tech startups, The Engine has seen firsthand the barriers these companies face in translating scientific breakthroughs into commercial reality. As a nonprofit, The Engine invites partners to join it in funding Ignition Passes and other critical programs for early-stage Tough Tech companies taking on the world’s most urgent challenges.
About The Engine
The Engine is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit incubator and accelerator dedicated to supporting early-stage Tough Tech companies tackling the world’s greatest challenges. Founded by MIT in 2016, The Engine provides critical support for Tough Tech companies in the form of specialized lab and fabrication infrastructure, programming and mentorship, and an ecosystem of experts and investors. By bridging the gap between groundbreaking ideas and real-world impact, The Engine plays a crucial role in advancing solutions to complex global issues. For more information, visit engine.xyz.
Raphaele Schnoll
Raphaele Schnoll Communications
+1 312-339-8662
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