BRUNSWICK

The Maine Technology Institute approved 11 new grant applications in September, totaling $117,824 in awards to entrepreneurs from across Maine to advance new product and process development.

This round of MTI awards leveraged $259,163 of matching contributions from the award recipients.

Awards included:

• Three TechStart grants totaling $12,500

• Four Business Accelerator grants totaling $89,474

• Four Phase 0 grants totaling $15,850

“These investments illustrate the diversity of MTI-funded projects and range from monumental advancements in breast cancer detection, to functional improvements in thermal insulation and boom boxes, to modular hydroelectric systems and the development of kelp-based food additives,” said Brian Whitney, MTI’s president. “We are inspired by these inventors and doers, and MTI is happy to play a role in furthering their innovations.”

Summary of awards

TechStart grants

• Introspective Systems of Portland, award amount $4,500; match amount $4,500

Introspective Systems develops solutions for complex adaptive systems on its xGraph platform. The xGraph platform is a technology used for scaling collaborative analytics for artificial intelligence, Internet of Things and science analysis applications.

• Revolution Research of Orono, award amount $3,000; match amount $3,000

Revolution Research is developing a fire-proof thermal insulation foam board, Arbolate, made from bio-based sources, as an alternative to existing flammable petroleum-based foam boards currently on the market.

• University of New England in Biddeford, award amount $5,000; match amount $14,000

As a heterogeneous disease, breast cancer can be divided into distinct subtypes. There are two major subsets of breast cancer — estrogen receptor negative and estrogen positive. The estrogen receptor negative is a more aggressive subtype, more difficult to treat, has greater ethnic disparity concerns, worse prognosis and almost twice the risk of mortality. UNE has identified a marker in the blood that allows it to detect estrogen negative breast cancer at its earliest stages.

TechStart grants are available to entrepreneurs and companies across Maine who are seeking to develop their inventive ideas into new, innovative products or services.

Business Accelerator grants

• DemerBox of Portland, award amount $25,000; match amount $25,000

DemerBox makes rugged, waterproof, Bluetooth boom boxes that are also storage cases. This project supports consumer-requested design changes and an updated manufacturing process which will reduce costs while keeping core company functions in Maine.

• Introspective Systems of Portland, award amount $14,994; match amount $146,163

Introspective Systems LLC will utilize its grant to focus on its business strategy to secure additional equity funding.

• Invisible Intelligence of Augusta, award amount $25,000; match amount $25,000

Invisible Intelligence LLC will conduct research and development on its General Audio Recording Device (GARD), which captures all radio communications at general aviation airports, including radio traffic from aircraft and ground personnel.

• Wassail, LLC dba Maine Mead Works of Portland, award amount $24,480; match amount $24,480

Wassail, LLC has developed a continuous fermentation technology that enables the efficient production of mead and other alcoholic beverages.

Business Accelerator grants are available to startup/ early stage companies that have been awarded MTI Development Loans (DLs) and to companies that have recently been chosen for a federal Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) Phase I or Phase II grant and/or a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) award.

Phase 0 grants

• Introspective Systems of Portland, award amount $1,250; match amount $1,250

This project provides additional market-size reports and analysis supporting a federal SBIR commercialization plan submitted to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR) program.

• Seaborn of Portland, award amount $4,800; match amount $5,250

Seaborn, LLC researches, promotes and develops new products and processing methods for Maine seaweed.

• Surge Hydro of Belfast, award amount $4,800; match amount $5,000

Surge Hydro, LLC is developing a modular hydroelectric system to electrify non-powered dams.

• VitaminSea of Buxton, award amount $5,000; match amount $5,000

VitaminSea’s project will provide funding essential to the professional preparation and submission of a USDA SBIR Phase 1 grant application.

The Phase 0 grant is a funding opportunity offered to individuals and companies seeking to submit SBIR/STTR Phase I proposals to one of the 11 federal agencies participating in the program.

For more information, visit mainetechnology.org.