Ten years ago, the U.S. Department of Energy announced a landmark initiative to boost innovation in nuclear energy development by using the technical expertise of the nation’s energy laboratories. The department established Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) to act as the matchmaker that connects nuclear innovators to lab experts and capabilities.

Lori Braase watched from the beginning as GAIN evolved into an incentive program unlike any other public-private partnership.

“The secret sauce is we had a lot more autonomy from the beginning,” said Braase, senior advisor for GAIN and industry engagement executive for the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). “Today it’s as important as ever.”

Whether it’s performing assessments of reactor systems, testing sensors, advancing modeling and simulation capabilities or pioneering experiments with molten salts, GAIN’s Nuclear Energy Voucher Program has empowered important advancements in nuclear technology. GAIN has awarded 108 vouchers, totaling $38.6 million in funding, resulting in 65 completed projects.