What Resilient Infrastructure + Secure Energy Consortium does

The Resilient Infrastructure + Secure Energy (RISE) Consortium is a national nonprofit membership consortium managed by Advanced Technology International (ATI), a 501(c)(3) organization headquartered in Summerville, South Carolina. Founded on April 7, 2021, in partnership with Converge Strategies, LLC, the consortium was created to address energy security and climate resilience challenges facing the U.S. federal government — particularly the Department of Defense (DoD), which is the world's largest energy user and the nation's largest landlord overseeing tens of thousands of buildings. RISE does not develop proprietary technology itself; instead, it operates as a collaboration and convening platform connecting member organizations (companies, universities, startups, utilities, and energy services firms) with federal stakeholders across three focus areas: installation energy resilience, infrastructure resilience, and operational energy resilience.

The consortium's core offerings are structured around membership (free, with applications processed in 1-2 business days), recurring convenings (monthly webinars, annual Defense TechConnect Innovation Summits, and member-only working sessions), innovation challenges (such as the RISE Innovation Challenge and National Infrastructure Innovation Challenge with $50,000 prize pools), and access to Other Transaction Authority (OTA) contracting vehicles that bypass traditional Federal Acquisition Regulation requirements. Strategic partners include ATI (management), Converge Strategies (co-founder), TechConnect (event co-host), and government-facing entities such as the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), Atlantic Council Global Energy Center, New America, EDTA, and Energy Storage Association. The consortium has scaled from 300 members in October 2021 to 500+ member organizations by June 2026.

RISE operates a freemium business model with no membership dues; revenue mechanics are tied to ATI's broader OTA-based and FAR-based federal contracting operations rather than direct membership fees. The consortium's value to members is functional access — faster contracting pathways, direct DoD stakeholder engagement, policy influence, and visibility through innovation challenges — rather than a paid software or service product. Member engagement signals (1,800-2,000 summit attendees, monthly webinar participation) indicate an active, event-driven community rather than a transactional customer base. Leadership consists of Executive Director Michael Wu, who is also Co-Founder and Principal of Converge Strategies LLC.

Name

Resilient Infrastructure + Secure Energy Consortium

Legal name

Advanced Technology International (ATI)

Website

https://rise-consortium.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Defense Energy and Infrastructure Consortium

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Business Associations (813910)

akta.pro primary industry

Science, Technology & Innovation Administration (National R&D Policy) (BPAIAAAK)

Keywords

• Defense energy consortium
• Federal infrastructure resilience
• DoD energy innovation
• Other Transaction Authority
• Public-private partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

Summerville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: There is no cost to join the RISE Consortium and no membership dues. Membership is completely free for all qualifying organizations.
2. Federal Government Funding: The consortium works with federal funding to rapidly deploy novel technologies. It operates through Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreements, which enable fast acquisition of critically needed technologies without some of the regulations that apply to Federal Acquisition Regulation-based acquisitions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The RISE Consortium is a national, member-based consortium whose members collaborate with the U.S. federal government (primarily the Department of Defense) to accelerate energy and infrastructure modernization. It connects industry innovators, academic institutions, and utilities with DoD stakeholders through free membership, innovation challenges with prize money, and access to Other Transaction Authority (OTA) contracting mechanisms that bypass traditional Federal Acquisition Regulation requirements.

Product overview

The RISE Consortium is a national consortium (not a traditional product company) whose members work with the federal government to accelerate energy and infrastructure modernization. The consortium operates through membership, innovation challenges, and contracting vehicles. Key offerings include: RISE Consortium Membership for organizations to access DoD stakeholders and industry networks; RISE Innovation Challenge and National Infrastructure Innovation Challenge for technology competitions; and Other Transaction Authority (OTA) contracting for faster acquisition. The consortium focuses on three pillars: installation energy resilience, infrastructure resilience, and operational energy resilience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• RISE Consortium Membership A free membership program enabling companies, startups, universities, utilities, and energy services firms to collaborate with the U.S. Department of Defense and federal government on energy and infrastructure modernization. Members gain access to DoD stakeholders, networking with industry leaders, monthly webinars, innovation challenges, and pathways into Other Transaction Authority (OTA) contracting opportunities. Applications are processed in 1-2 business days with no membership dues.
• RISE Innovation Challenge A technology competition held at the Defense TechConnect Innovation Summit where RISE Consortium members pitch innovative energy and infrastructure resilience technologies to government and industry experts. Winners receive prize money from a $50,000 prize pool and direct access to DoD offices and military tech scouts.
• National Infrastructure Innovation Challenge (NIIC) A Shark Tank-style competition featuring startups, universities, and national labs competing for prizes and access to prototype-level contracting authority. Five winners were awarded a total of $50,000 in prize money in the inaugural NIIC.
• Other Transaction Authority (OTA) Contracting Access A streamlined purchasing vehicle available to consortium members and the federal government that enables fast acquisition of critically needed technologies in areas such as shipbuilding, armaments, satellites, and energy technologies. OTA agreements are not subject to all of the regulations that apply to FAR-based acquisitions, allowing the DoD to procure innovative solutions faster.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ member organizations
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Advanced Technology International (ATI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 April 2021ATI, the pioneer in R&D collaboration management, partnered with Converge Strategies, LLC to form and manage the RISE Consortium. ATI is a nonprofit based in Summerville, S.C. that builds and manages collaborations to conduct research and development of new technologies. ATI uses Other Transaction Agreement (OTA)-based and Federal Acquisitions Regulations (FAR)-based collaborations, many for the Department of Defense. ATI monitors any lobbying activities to ensure compliance with legal thresholds.
• Converge Strategies, LLC (CSL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 April 2021Converge Strategies, LLC partnered with ATI to stand up the RISE Consortium. CSL is a veteran- and minority-owned consulting firm focused on the intersection of clean energy, resilience, and national security. They build partnerships with the military, civilians, and governments to accelerate resilience and security in the clean energy transformation. CSL is certified as a small disadvantaged business (8a) by the Small Business Administration, a minority business enterprise with the National Minority Supplier Development Council, and a veteran business enterprise.
• Atlantic Council Global Energy CentersupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Atlantic Council Global Energy Center supports the RISE Consortium's 'The Future of RISE' event series, contributing expertise on climate resilience and advanced energy topics through speakers and moderating panels.
• New AmericasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew America contributed to the 'The Future of RISE' launch event as a supporting partner, providing speakers for climate resilience discussions and keynote interviews.
• Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEDTA co-hosted 'The Future of Electric Vehicles for DoD' webinar with the RISE Consortium, bringing together leaders from the private sector and government to discuss fleet electrification challenges and solutions.
• Energy Storage AssociationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Energy Storage Association co-hosted the first RISE members-only webinar on energy storage technologies, including keynote interviews and sessions on long duration storage technologies and critical materials security.
• Defense Innovation Unit (DIU)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerDefense Innovation Unit participates in RISE Consortium events and panels, providing expertise on advanced energy and materials portfolio. DIU representatives serve as judges and panelists for innovation challenges and member meetings.
• TechConnectcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTechConnect co-hosts the Defense TechConnect Innovation Summit with the RISE Consortium and hosts related webinars. TechConnect has 25+ years connecting top applied research and early stage innovations with government end-users, industry prospectors, and funders.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Advanced Energy Economy (AEE): AEE is a national business association representing advanced energy companies and engaging with federal and state policymakers. It is a broader industry association peer in the federal energy ecosystem where RISE operates.
• National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA): NDIA is a leading defense industry association that convenes government, industry, and academia on national security topics. While broader in scope than RISE, it represents the same type of cross-sector DoD convening model.
• NavalX (Navy Tech Bridges): NavalX is the U.S. Navy's distributed tech transfer and innovation network that connects non-traditional contractors with Navy stakeholders. It operates as a larger, government-owned incumbent in the same DoD energy/innovation consortium space as RISE.

Others

• Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA): SEPA is a nonprofit membership organization focused on the integration of clean energy and grid modernization. It is a thematically adjacent peer in the federal energy transition and resilience ecosystem where RISE members operate.

Emerging players

• Atlantic Council Global Energy Center: Atlantic Council Global Energy Center is a supporting partner of RISE and operates in the same federal energy resilience and policy space through convening, programming, and policy convening activities. Comparable in mission focus around energy security and climate resilience.
• Bipartisan Policy Center: Bipartisan Policy Center is a D.C.-based think tank that drives policy and convening around energy infrastructure, defense, and resilience. It overlaps with RISE's engagement on federal energy policy and infrastructure modernization.

Direct peers

• DEFENSEWERX: DEFENSEWERX is a nonprofit that facilitates collaboration between industry, academia, and DoD through OTA and other transaction mechanisms. It directly mirrors RISE's OTA-based consortium model and member-driven engagement approach.
• National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS): NCMS is a nonprofit cross-industry consortium that similarly uses OTA and collaborative R&D models for federal government customers. It serves as a direct operational peer to ATI-managed consortiums like RISE.
• TechConnect: TechConnect co-hosts the Defense TechConnect Innovation Summit and operates as a direct co-organizer and channel partner for RISE. It has 25+ years connecting applied research and early-stage innovations with government end-users, making it a very close functional peer in the DoD innovation consortia space.

Regional players

• NAESCO (National Association of Energy Service Companies): NAESCO is a trade association for energy service companies and represents a peer membership-based organization focused on energy efficiency and federal contracting. Comparable in industry alignment and federal engagement on energy infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/rise_consortium
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC22tevmF0tck9BIAuQh29PA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-resilient-infrastructure-secure-energy-rise-consortium

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments7 records

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Frequently asked questions about Resilient Infrastructure + Secure Energy Consortium