EPA Announces $2.4 million in Funding to 24 Small Businesses for the Development of Environmental Technologies

January 13, 2025

WASHINGTON - Today, Jan. 13, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $2,400,000 for 24 small businesses to develop technologies to address public health and environmental challenges. These companies are using innovative approaches that include treating PFAS in biosolids, reducing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions from building materials, and developing chemical alternatives that are safer for our environment.

 "Congratulations to these small businesses for their dedication to driving innovation and tackling today’s environmental challenges," said Maureen Gwinn, Acting Assistant Administrator in EPA's Office of Research and Development. "Their groundbreaking ideas not only address critical needs but also pave the way for a healthier planet and a stronger, more sustainable economy."

 These awards are part of EPA's Small Business Innovation Research program, an annual, two-phase competition for small businesses to develop and commercialize environmental technologies that help address the agency’s mission of protecting human health and the environment. The 24 small businesses below are receiving $100,000 of Phase I funding for six months for "proof of concept" of their proposed technology. Companies that complete Phase I can then apply to receive Phase II funding of up to $400,000 to further develop and commercialize their technology.

SBIR Phase I winners and their proposed technologies are below:

• Acadian Research & Development, LLC, Laramie, Wyoming, to create an innovative low-cost method to use strength enhancing biochar-derived graphene to lower embodied carbon in concrete.
• Agtec Innovations Inc, Los Altos, California, for a cost-effective, non-polluting phosphate fertilizer alternative that helps prevent runoff.  
• AxNano, LLC, Greensboro, North Carolina, to create a novel, field deployable treatment process for removing PFAS from biosolids allowing beneficial reuse.
• BetR-blok, LLC, Tempe, Arizona, to produce a building block alternative made from waste biomass and recycled materials.
• Bold Reuse, Portland, Oregon, to create a novel inventory management system to transition to reusable packaging.
• Circle Concrete Tech, Inc., Austin, Texas, to design an engineered recycled steel fiber product that replaces rebar for concrete reinforcement with a significantly lower carbon footprint.
• Design Interactive Inc., Orlando, Florida, for a comprehensive, AI-powered training simulation to enhance disaster response preparedness.
• Dynamo.AI LLC, Saratoga Springs, New York, to develop a technology that leverages biochar to extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables to reduce food waste.
• EcoaTEX, LLC., Hull, Georgia, to create a technology that converts agricultural waste into high-performance biodegradable fibers.
• ENF Products, LLC, Edmond, Oklahoma, to design a filter kit to be used with existing air filters to improve indoor air quality.
• Enzymatic Holdings Corporation, Manati, Puerto Rico, to create an enzyme-based technology that enhances durability and self-healing properties of concrete.
• Huma, Inc., Gilbert, Arizona, to create a novel urea/humate enhanced-efficiency fertilizer designed to optimize nitrogen uptake and reduce environmental impacts.
• KLAW Industries LLC, Binghamton, New York, to develop a new paving material utilizing waste glass to replace high-embodied carbon materials.
• Mainstream Engineering Corporation, Rockledge, Florida, to create a scalable point-of-use water treatment system to remove cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins.
• Nativo Inc., Pompano Beach, Florida, to create a novel method to remove installed ceramic tiles without damaging them through vibration technology allowing for reuse of materials.
• Pacific Reclaimed Lumber & Supply, Sebastopol, California, to design a cutting-edge web-based platform that facilitates the reduction of embodied carbon through the purchase of reclaimed lumber and building materials.
• PAGE Technologies, Inc., Boulder, Colorado, to develop low-cost, handheld printable sensors for real-time measurement of water quality parameters.
• Phospholutions, Inc., State College, Pennsylvania, to create an activated metal oxide technology to mitigate the environmental impact of phosphorus runoff into water bodies and enhance crop productivity.
• Prospect Growth, Inc., New Haven, Connecticut, to develop a novel nanoparticle-based phosphorous fertilizer with exceptional nutrient uptake efficiency.
• Sustainable Water Infrastructure Group, Seattle, Washington, to develop a nature-based absorbent technology to remove PFAS, pathogens and other contaminants from water.
• Symmetry Wood, PBC, Los Angeles, California, to create a method of upcycling food waste into high-performance wood.
• Talon/LPE, Ltd., Amarillo, Texas, to develop a sustainable method to treat PFAS in biosolids using biochar.
• Tetramer Technologies LLC, Pendleton, South Carolina, to create a bio-renewable high-performance tire rubber additive to replace the standard use of 6PPD and alleviate its associated ecotoxicity.
• VerdeTerra LLC., Atlanta, Georgia, to develop an air purification system which uses microbes to reduce CO2 and other indoor pollutants. 

Learn more about the winning companies.

Learn more about EPA's SBIR program.

Learn more about the government wide SBIR program.