RTI International

RTI International Opens $14M Pilot Xcelerator Expansion in N.C.

RTI International Opens $14M Pilot Xcelerator Expansion in N.C.

Research Triangle Park, N.C. – September 16, 2026 -- RTI International has opened a $14 million expansion of its Pilot Xcelerator platform, doubling the independent research institute's commercialization infrastructure for energy and industrial technology startups.

Expansion doubles pilot-scale capacity in North Carolina

The 25,000-square-foot facility on RTI's Research Triangle Park campus gives innovators access to pilot infrastructure, engineering expertise and independent scientific validation to bridge the gap between lab research and commercial deployment. RTI describes the Pilot Xcelerator as the only privately owned industrial pilot laboratory in North Carolina.

RTI International Wins $5.5M DOE Funding for Minerals, Cardboard Recycling Tech

Research Triangle Park, N.C. – September 14, 2026 -- RTI International has secured $5.5 million in combined federal funding from the U.S. Department of Energy for two projects converting common minerals and used cardboard into high-value industrial materials.

DOE funds dual technology tracks at expanded pilot facility

Both projects will run at the RTI Pilot Xcelerator, a pilot-scale testing platform on RTI's campus. The institute is set to open a $14 million facility expansion on Sept. 10, doubling its infrastructure for testing energy and industrial process innovations before they reach commercial scale.