Sarah Derdowski is Group Manager of the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center at the National Lab of the Rockies (formerly the National Renewable Energy Laboratory), where she designs and leads programs that connect startups, corporations, investors, and national laboratories to accelerate commercialization.
She oversees four incubators and directs the Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN2), a public-private partnership that connects startups with national lab expertise, industry partners, and investors. Her work focuses on building cross-sector collaborations that help emerging technologies move from research to real-world deployment.
With a career spanning finance, academia, and national lab innovation ecosystems, Sarah brings a unique perspective to scaling energy technologies. Prior to joining the lab, she served as a Senior Vice President at Piper Sandler. She also led academic programs advancing energy markets and workforce as Executive Director of the Global Energy Management Program and the J.P. Morgan Center for Commodities and Energy Management.
 
A collaborative problem solver, Sarah focuses on building partnerships that accelerate commercialization, mobilize capital, and create pathways to scale energy innovation.
Outside of work, she enjoys mountain biking, cross-country skiing, strong coffee, and adventures with her husband and their two energetic boys.