Colorado and Utah small businesses receiving up to $100,000 each to develop environmental technologies
EPA awarding over $3 million to 30 small businesses nationwide
DENVER – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $3,089,894 in funding to 30 American small businesses, including companies in Longmont and Wheat Ridge, Colo., and Provo, Utah, to develop novel technologies to address pressing environmental and public health problems. These companies are employing innovative approaches including an automated waste sorting system at the point of disposal; a system that employs technology to capture and destroy airborne bacteria and viruses; and a monitoring system that can map methane concentrations and emissions over large areas.
“As emerging technologies continue to rapidly change the world, our nation’s small businesses are at the forefront of harnessing these technologies to address today’s environmental challenges,” said Wayne Cascio, Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator in EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “We are excited to watch these small companies bring innovative ideas to the marketplace and help revolutionize improving our environment, public health and the economy.”
“EPA is providing these research and technology funds to companies addressing our most pressing environmental and human health priorities,” said EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker. “We are pleased to support these Colorado and Utah businesses as they apply their expertise to develop innovative products and systems that will make our communities safer and healthier.”
EPA’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program runs an annual, two-phase competition for funding. Thirty small businesses nationwide are receiving up to $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.
The following small businesses in Colorado and Utah received EPA SBIR Phase 1 awards:
Air Quality
- TDA Research, Inc. (Wheat Ridge, Colo.) For a novel, low-cost radon mitigation system using state-of-the-art metal-organic framework sorbent.
Homeland Security
- TDA Research, Inc. (Wheat Ridge, Colo.) For a high-performance air treatment system that uses a photocatalytic process to destroy biological contaminants.
Sustainable Materials Management
- CleanRobotics, Inc. (Longmont, Colo.) For an automated trash sorting system at the point of disposal to improve the collection and sorting of recyclables.
- IsoTruss Inc. (Provo, Utah) For a reinforced concrete foundation for telecommunication towers to increase resiliency to natural disasters.
EPA is one of 11 federal agencies that participate in the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program, a competitive program that supports small businesses in the development and commercialization of technological solutions. This program stimulates high-tech innovation while encouraging small businesses to meet the country’s research and development needs.
More about EPA’s SBIR Phase I winners: https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncer_abstracts/index.cfm/fuseaction/recipients.sort/rfa_id/689/sortitem/institution/direction/asc/records_per_page/ALL
More about EPA’s SBIR program: https://www.epa.gov/sbir
More about the Federal SBIR Program: www.SBIR.gov