CEQ Opens Permitting Innovators Call for Solutions to Industry Partners

Innovators will provide solutions to modernize Federal permitting.

The Council on Environmental Quality, in collaboration with NASA's Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation, today opened its Permitting Innovators Call for Solutions-inviting technology companies, startups, researchers, and non-profits to help modernize federal permitting for the 21st century. The Call for Solutions is now open through June 2, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. ET.

"America's innovators have solutions to improve how Federal agencies manage environmental reviews and permitting - and this program gives them a direct path to put those solutions to work," said Council on Environmental Quality Chairman Katherine Scarlett. "The Trump Administration is about results: faster reviews, smarter systems, and a government that works as well as the technology available to it. We are proud to launch the Permitting Innovators program and look forward to seeing what industry delivers."

Strengthening the systems that shape economic growth and national security

Federal permitting affects every American - from the construction of roads and bridges to energy infrastructure, data centers, and national security installations. The Trump Administration has taken decisive action to reform and expedite federal permitting, eliminating unnecessary delays that stall economic growth and national security projects across the Nation.

While agencies already use technology for environmental review and permitting, many systems remain fragmented, outdated, and highly manual.

Modernizing these processes can accelerate critical projects and help agencies focus environmental analyses on the issues of greatest importance. Existing technology solutions will help agencies work more efficiently and better serve the American people.

Connecting federal decision-makers with high-potential solutions

The Council on Environmental Quality invites innovators to share tech solutions that will accelerate and modernize federal environmental review and permitting. Priority areas for innovation include business process modernization, workflow automation, digital-first documents, and tools that support timeline predictability.

A panel of experts will evaluate submissions using the program's evaluation criteria. Up to 50 solutions with the highest scores will be invited to the Permitting Innovators Expo in July 2026 in Washington, D.C. There, participants will demonstrate their solutions to federal agency leaders and lay the groundwork for potential partnerships with key agencies.

Qualified solutions will also be featured in the Permitting Innovators Solutions Catalog, a curated resource to help agencies assess vetted solutions as they implement the Permitting Technology Action Plan.

Join the May 14 informational webinar

CEQ's Permitting Innovation Center, in partnership with Luminary Labs, will host an informational webinar on May 14, 2026, covering the program timeline, submission process, and Expo details.

Visit permittinginnovators.com to register for the webinar and learn more about the program.