If cleantech startups want to get into government contracting — an option with increasing appeal given the state of today’s private markets and the size of projects covered by stimulus spending — why not ride the coattails of one of the giants? That’s the route opened up this week by Lockheed Martin; the defense behemoth has launched a search for partners with which to develop smart grid, energy storage, high-efficiency photovoltaic conversion and carbon nanotube technologies.

Lockheed is looking for companies to present at the firm’s Special Innovation Symposia at the Nanotech Conference & Expo in Houston this May, but there’s more at stake than a seat at the roundtable. In its call for submissions, Lockheed said it’s looking for “joint R&D, licensing and partnering opportunities towards applied research, intellectual property and early-stage companies focused on” those four areas of clean technology. (link)