Small Business Innovation Research Program Provides SEED Funding for Research & Development
NSF SEED funding will go to support the development of desalination batteries for energy-efficient desalination and selective chloride-removal
ChloBis Water, Inc. has been awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I grant for $256,000 to conduct R&D work on a new energy-efficient water desalination technology called a desalination battery. Steady growth in human population and rapid industrial development have led to greater demands for clean water production. At the same time, anthropogenic activities, agricultural practices, and the disposal of wastewater effluent have led to the salinization of natural freshwater resources. The desalination battery combines the functions of desalination and energy generation to reduce the energy and costs associated with desalination, addressing challenges at the intersection of the water-energy nexus. The goal of the proposed research is to accelerate the commercialization of the desalination battery by evaluating the effects of various solution components present in natural water on the performance of the device. Commercialization of the desalination battery will comprehensively address issues related to water treatment, environment protection, and resource recovery.
“NSF is proud to support the technology of the future by thinking beyond incremental developments and funding the most creative, impactful ideas across all markets and areas of science and engineering,” said Andrea Belz, Division Director of the Division of Industrial Innovation and Partnerships at NSF. “With the support of our research funds, any deep technology startup or small business can guide basic science into meaningful solutions that address tremendous needs.”
Once a small business is awarded a Phase I SBIR/STTR grant, it becomes eligible to apply for a Phase II (up to $1,000,000). Small businesses with Phase II funding are eligible to receive up to $500,000 in additional matching funds with qualifying third-party investment or sales. Startups or entrepreneurs who submit a written Project Pitch will know within one month if they meet the program’s objectives to support innovative technologies that show promise of commercial and/or societal impact and involve a level of technical risk. Small businesses with innovative science and technology solutions, and commercial potential are encouraged to apply. All proposals submitted to the NSF SBIR/STTR program, also known as America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF, undergo a rigorous merit-based review process. To learn more about America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF, visit: https://seedfund.nsf.gov/
About the National Science Foundation's Small Business Programs: America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF awards $200 million annually to startups and small businesses, transforming scientific discovery into products and services with commercial and societal impact. Startups working across almost all areas of science and technology can receive up to $2 million to support research and development (R&D), helping de-risk technology for commercial success. America’s Seed Fund is congressionally mandated through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. The NSF is an independent federal agency with a budget of about $8.5 billion that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering.
Read more about the award here:
https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2136118&HistoricalAwards=false