FRANKFORT, Ky. — Nine innovative Kentucky companies will receive over $1 million in state matching grants to support high-paying jobs and further grow the technology sector.
The $1,072,404 in grants are part of the commonwealth’s nationally recognized Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Matching Funds Program. The funds will match, in part, $7.45 million in federal grants the businesses will collectively receive.
Monique Quarterman, executive director of KY Innovation, the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development’s Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, is encouraged by the SBIR-STTR program and what it can bring to companies in the commonwealth: “KY Innovation is proud to support Kentucky companies that have secured federal investments for good ideas that make our world an even better place to live and thrive. The matching funds program works alongside the product development milestones to help the companies hire and retain these high-tech, high-paying jobs in Kentucky.”
The nine Kentucky-based businesses awarded matching funds are using technology to advance multiple fields, from health care and lithium-ion battery technology to environmentally friendly hydrogen production. Recipient companies include:
Bioptics Technology LLC (Lexington):Bioptics Technology is developing a revolutionary noncontact optical brain imager for noninvasive imaging of cerebral blood flow and resting-state functional connectivity across distinct regions of the brain in small animals. The Global Small Animal Imaging Market is estimated to reach $3.5 billion by 2029, driven by growing demand and adoption of preclinical, multimodal and optical imaging systems.
Faradine Systems (Lexington):Faradine Systems, in partnership with goTenna, seeks to develop a device to serve as a Team Awareness Kit/Tactical Assault Kit meshed networked node. This solution will enable warfighters to create rapidly configurable signaling devices to extend situational awareness and visual/data communications through overt/covert light devices on the complex battlefields of tomorrow.
Degranin Therapeutics LLC (Louisville):Degranin Therapeutics is an early-stage Kentucky business formed to translate academic research at the University of Louisville into a commercially successful drug that saves lives and reduces healthcare costs. Acute respiratory distress syndrome is a rapidly developing, life-threatening lung disease occurring in 200,000 to 250,000 hospitalized patients in the United States each year, with an average cost of $70,000 per patient and a 30% to 40% mortality rate. There are no drugs currently approved that alter the severity or mortality of the disease.
DesiCorp Inc. (Louisville):DesiCorp is working to help advanced biomanufacturing plants so that in the event of mass contamination cells or large-scale cell death, the cell lines or other bioprocesses can be quickly restored to an operational system. DesiCorp’s freeze-dried cell lines will help prevent costly downtime within plants and labs from recultivating or completely regrowing their cell lines.
FetalLife LLC (Louisville):FetalLife is creating a myFetalTronics system for telehealth and usability in an at-home setting for expectant mothers. The system monitors contractions and fetal heartbeat while the platform provides online medical services and resources.
Hexalayer LLC (Louisville):Hexalayer is focused on developing and commercializing next-generation, high-performance lithium-ion battery technology. The company’s next project incorporates a powder for the roll-roll anode manufacturing process. Hexalayer’s solution for powerful batteries will significantly impact the energy density of current and emerging Li-ion batteries in both consumer and military markets.
Pascal Tags Inc. (Louisville):Pascal Tags is focused on the continued developing and optimizing their chip-less inventory tag. The technology uses a resonator to create a magnetic field when in the environment of radiofrequency waves. The tags offer a radiofrequency identification functionality with an extremely cost-effective tag. The tags have many unique applications of being durable, as the tags can be directly printed and embedded into a product to act as a universal serial number for a product’s life.
PCC Hydrogen Inc. (Louisville):PCC Hydrogen (PCCH2) has developed a patented process to produce net negative CO2 green hydrogen by reforming ethanol fuel. The company will develop applications for the hydrogen produced through its novel production process. PCCH2 has identified battery electric vehicle (BEV) recharging stations as an attractive application for PCCH2’s hydrogen product. Given the dynamic growth of BEVs, there is an urgent need to expand the number of Level 3 fast-charging resources for Kentucky drivers. When coupled with a fuel cell, PCCH2’s net negative CO2 green hydrogen can cost-effectively deliver environmentally friendly Level 3 charging power to prospective customers. Since those chargers are independent of the grid, deployment can be accelerated.
The-Corps (Locating from California):The-Corps’ TRL 7 Acclimate technology system combats heat stress and heat illness by providing smart, active cooling to the user and hydration compatible with donned gear configurations. This enables the user to train harder, perform better and fight longer. Acclimates’ dual-use technology is at the forefront of the Human Capital Sustainment and Human Performance Enhancement revolution for troop and athlete endurance training, meeting Department of Defense and commercial sector needs.
Kentucky’s SBIR/STTR program, overseen by KY Innovation, provides critical non-dilutive capital for promising early-stage tech companies by matching all or part of federal SBIR/STTR awards received by Kentucky-based businesses or companies committed to relocating to the state.
William Boatright, managing director of VerraGlo, which received SBIR/STTR funding in 2021, noted the advantages the program provided to his company: “The Kentucky SBIR/STTR Phase I matching funds award was critical as bridge funding between our USDA Phase I and USDA Phase II projects. The program allowed for continued product development and development of commercialization activities at VerraGlo. It is quite likely that without the Kentucky SBIR/STTR Phase I matching funds award, our SBIR Phase II award would not have been possible.”
Kentucky SBIR/STTR-awarded companies have leveraged the state’s matching program to receive $4.70 in federal or private capital for every $1 in state funds. These businesses also have created more than 731 well-paying jobs, 88% of which have annual salaries over $50,000. Match recipients have 235 patents, generating over $56.90 million in sales and licensing revenue. Kentucky has made 319 match awards to 152 unique companies since the program’s inception, leveraging $158.5 million in federal funding coming into the state.
More information on Kentucky’s SBIR/STTR Matching Funds Program and awarded companies is available at kyinnovation.com/sbir.
