UbiQD, BennuBio, and Mesa Photonics Receive New Mexico Incentive Grants
01/14/2021
The NMSBIR Grant Program provides recipients with additional resources to commercialize the technology developed using Federal SBIR funding. NMSBIR is designed to support local science and technology companies in achieving these goals. The grant program is overseen by New Mexico Economic Development Department's Office of Science and Technology.
"These companies have proven that innovation thrives in New Mexico. The products they have developed will disrupt markets," said New Mexico Economic Development Department Cabinet Secretary Alicia J. Keyes. "The state assistance is helping these businesses grow faster and create the higher-paying jobs we need to diversify the economy."
Los Alamos-based UbiQD is an advanced materials company powering product innovations in agriculture, clean energy, and security. Their novel quantum dots enable industry leaders to harness the power of light. Developed during phase I of the grant, their first product, UbiGro, is a layer of light that uses fluorescence to create a more optimal greenhouse spectrum for crops.
NASA is interested in using this technology to enhance crop production on long-duration space missions or on a mars or lunar base. The SBIR matching project will be leveraged to support critical commercialization not covered by the main NASA grant. The company has 34 active patents in its portfolio and funds will be used to support portfolio costs and new filings.
A second firm, Santa Fe-based Mesa Photonics created a ground-based remote sensor for measuring variations in humidity from the ground up to altitudes as high as 50,000 feet, used to improve weather forecasting and for better understanding climate. NMSBIR matching funds will be used to build a beta-prototype natural gas leak sensor and to support field tests including measurements in the Four Corners region and the Permian basin.
A third company BennuBio has created their first product, Velocyt, a flow cytometer that can analyze particles the size of a small BB, which is a near perfect starting point to create a High Throughput Screening (HTS) platform that uses multicellular models (balls of many cells called ‘spheroids’ that can be 1 mm in diameter) for drug discovery.
“The three awarded companies are prime examples of innovations, born right here in New Mexico, that started from a patent, developed a product, and are well on their way to commercializing their technology,” Director of the Office of Science and Technology Myrriah Tomar added.
Project Announcements
Britain-Based Strive Sales Establishes Tampa, Florida, International Office
03/21/2023
Global Resources International Plans Columbia, Alabama, Operations
03/21/2023
HistoWiz Establishes Queens, New York, Central Laboratory
03/21/2023
Big Fish Games Establishes New Orleans, Louisiana, Talent Hub
03/21/2023
Sonoco Protective Solutions Expands Owosso, Michigan, Operations
03/21/2023
ABB Robotics Expands Auburn Hills, Michigan, Production Campus
03/21/2023
Most Read
-
37th Annual Corporate Survey: Economic Pressures Exerting Greatest Effect on Decision-Makers
Q1 2023
-
2022 Top States for Doing Business Provide an Environment for Business Growth
Q3 2022
-
The Top Investment Location Prospects for Aerospace Manufacturing
Q1 2023
-
19th Annual Consultants Survey: Clients Challenged by Tight Labor Market, Energy Availability
Q1 2023
-
36th Annual Corporate Survey: Executives Focus on Labor, Energy, Shipping Costs
Q1 2022
-
Strategies to Overcome Intensifying Industrial Real Estate Challenges
Q1 2023
-
How Are Economic Developers Partnering to Solve Workforce Challenges?
Q1 2023