Project Grant 20203361031999

Integrated Lipid Biofuels LLC was awarded a $650,000 Project Grant from the US Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program. The two-year award will support the company's efforts to develop a process for converting organic waste into biopolymers by synergizing anaerobic digestion and synthetic biology techniques. The SBIR Program aims to stimulate technological innovation through the investment of federal...

This federal Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (CFDA 10.212 - Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program / Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program) provides $181,500 to Sustainable Chemicals LLC to develop a family of renewable and biodegradable bioplastics that can replace large-volume petrochemical plastics like polyethylene and polypropylene. The bioplastics are designed to have a 75% lower carbon...

This USDA NIFA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program Phase II grant of $649,991 awarded to Sustainable Chemicals LLC aims to develop a higher performance bioplastic material for use in rigid applications such as cosmetic containers, detergent bottles, and soda bottle lids. The funding supports the company's efforts to create innovative, fully compostable, and renewable bioplastics that can serve as eco-friendly alternatives to traditional petrochemical-based plastics. Sustainable...

This National Science Foundation (NSF) Convergence Accelerator Track M award of $649,990 to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) supports the development and commercialization of a family of sustainable bio-based plastics derived from hydroxy fatty acids. Key activities include scaling up monomer synthesis, conducting polymer characterization and recycling assessments, and performing techno-economic and life cycle analyses. RPI is collaborating with Danimer Scientific, a bioplastics...

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, awarded $175,000 under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program to KSE, Inc. of Sunderland, Massachusetts. The award will support KSE's efforts to develop and scale an integrated process for converting lignocellulosic waste streams into 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) at high selectivity without pre-treatment of biomass compounds. Key activities include improving reactive...

This $300,000 Project Grant awarded by the USDA's Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (CFDA 10.310) aims to demonstrate the feasibility of producing chirally pure (R)-3-hydroxybutyrate (R-3HB) from plant waste materials, such as wood and crop leftovers, by modifying Clostridium pathways. The research will create and test two different R-3HB production pathways in Clostridium, then combine and further optimize the approaches to boost R-3HB yields in the bacterium. If successful, this work...

This $175,000 Project Grant was awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program to Transfoam LLC, doing business as Ourobio. The grant supports the development of an innovative fermentation process that converts agricultural byproducts such as dairy whey, soybean meal, and corn waste into biodegradable plastics (PHAs) and natural pigments. The project aims to create scalable,...

Exopolymer, Inc. received a $648,366 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Project Grant from the Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture to develop new fermentation-derived biopolymer ingredients. Under this two-year award running from September 2021 to August 2023, Exopolymer will finalize the commercial development of one or more biopolymer products that outperform hyaluronic acid in moisture binding and skin penetration performance. Work will include...

This USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project grant for $181,500 awarded to Terragia Biofuel Inc. on August 15, 2025 aims to develop an innovative consolidated bioprocessing (CBP) approach using engineered thermophilic bacteria to convert cellulosic biomass into fuels at low cost. The proposed project involves testing Spontaneous Particle Expansion Cotreatment (SPEC), a novel mechanical disruption technique to enhance...

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (CFDA 47.084) program provides $305,000 to develop a new recycling process for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyester materials. The project aims to create an efficient, cost-effective technology that can convert mixed and contaminated low-value polyester textile waste into high-purity, high-value recycled plastic. By avoiding costly breakdown...