Maxwell Labs Awarded $500,000 Through the BEST START Program to Help Meet U.S. Army Energy Technology Needs
The Basic Energy Science to (BEST) St. Thomas Applied Renewable Technologies (START) program is a joint effort between the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research Laboratory (DEVCOM ARL), the University of St. Thomas (UST) and the Energetics Technology Center, Inc. (ETC)
ST. PAUL, MN / June 24, 2025 — Maxwell Labs, Inc. (www.mxllabs.com), the global leader in laser cooling technology for AI hardware and high-performance computing (HPC) systems, today announced it was awarded $500,000 under The Basic Energy Science to (BEST) St. Thomas Applied Renewable Technologies (START) program — a joint effort between the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research Laboratory (DEVCOM ARL), the University of St. Thomas (UST) and the Energetics Technology Center, Inc. (ETC) — to help meet the U.S. Army's energy technology needs.
Targeting the $239 billion cooling market of AI chips used in data centers and HPC environments — projected to reach $1 trillion by 2030 — Maxwell Labs' innovative laser cooling technology leapfrogs the limitations of air and liquid cooling systems by converting heat into light at the chip level, removing heat directly at the hotspot, and enabling next-generation thermal management and unparalleled performance gains for AI-powered systems. Through laser cooling, data centers and chip manufacturers can achieve significant advances in compute density, power efficiency, and reliability — all within Maxwell's solid-state cooling system that deploys with no moving parts or fluids.
The $500,000 awarded to Maxwell Labs by ETC on behalf of DEVCOM ARL was part of UST's new BEST START program, which is a collaborative effort between DEVCOM ARL, UST, and ETC designed to build a bridge between U.S. energy entrepreneurs, businesses, technology developers, and other relevant partners. The program facilitates technology demonstrations addressing Army energy requirements and fosters collaborations through resources at UST's School of Engineering.
University of St. Thomas Collaboration
As part of the collaboration with the University of St. Thomas, Maxwell Labs will have access to UST's state-of-the-art facilities, including the Center for Advanced Manufacturing, the Center for Microgrid Research, and faculty expertise in System Modeling & Simulation and Novel Electrical & Optical Sensing. Students at UST will also gain valuable hands-on experience in power and energy related technologies through collaborative projects focused on real-world applications of fiber laser technology, optical cooling, and mathematical modeling.
Applications: Defense & Commercial
The Maxwell Labs project will focus on demonstrating the efficacy of the laser cooling platform on high-density GPU systems, with significant potential to benefit both the commercial sector and the Department of Defense.
- ›High-Performance Computing: Next-gen radar, simulation, and analysis systems
- ›Advanced Sensors: Managing thermal loads in advanced sensor suites
- ›Edge Computing: Powerful, compact mobile computing at the network edge
- ›Aerospace & Space: Efficient cooling in harsh, low-resource environments
- ›Hyperscale Data Centers: Higher compute density, lower energy costs
- ›High-Frequency Trading: Low-latency operation via thermal load management
- ›AI & ML: Precision cooling for GPU-based systems, enabling more training data
- ›Bitcoin Mining: Higher computational efficiency, reduced energy consumption
"We are thrilled to strategically collaborate with the University of St. Thomas, the DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory, and ETC and leverage the resources and expertise available through the BEST START program. This contract and collaboration will be instrumental in accelerating the development and real-world validation of our laser cooling system, bringing us closer to offering commercialization at scale of Maxwell's Gen1 Laser Cooling Technology."
"This investment in Maxwell Labs exemplifies the mission of the BEST START program — to foster innovation and collaboration that addresses critical energy challenges. We are excited to support Maxwell Labs in developing this promising technology and provide our students with unique learning opportunities in a cutting-edge field."
About the Partners
Army Research Laboratory (DEVCOM ARL)
The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research Laboratory is the Army's research laboratory, nested within DEVCOM and the Army Futures Command. ARL's mission is to Operationalize Science — identifying and executing disruptive research leading to scientific discovery and emerging technologies for Army continuous transformation.
University of St. Thomas
Located in St. Paul, Minnesota, the University of St. Thomas is a comprehensive Catholic university grounded in the liberal arts. The School of Engineering at UST is dedicated to providing hands-on, innovative learning experiences and conducting impactful research.
Energetics Technology Center (ETC)
A 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2006 and based in Indian Head, Maryland, dedicated to advancing national security through innovative research, engineering, and technology development in energetics, robotics, and data analytics.
BEST START Program
The Basic Energy Sciences to Saint Thomas Applied and Renewable Technologies (BEST START) program at the University of St. Thomas is a collaborative initiative with the Army Research Laboratory designed to accelerate the development and deployment of advanced energy technologies, supported in part by federal and State of Minnesota funding.
About Maxwell Labs, Inc.
Maxwell Labs, Inc., headquartered in St. Paul, MN, is pioneering laser cooling solutions for AI hardware and high-performance computing (HPC) systems. Through its proprietary technology that converts heat into light, Maxwell Labs redefines data center cooling by overcoming the limitations of conventional methods, significantly enhancing thermal management for today's most demanding applications. For more information, visit www.mxllabs.com.
Media Contact
Mike Karpe, Co-Founder & Chief Growth Officer
Maxwell Labs
(763) 670-2176