Sttr phase i: unlocking commercially-relevant amounts of cyclic polymers with a tungsten-based catalyst

The National Science Foundation awarded Oboro Labs, Inc. $304,989 on July 1, 2026, under the NSF Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships program (CFDA 47.084) to develop and characterize cyclic polymers using a tungsten-based catalyst technology.

The recipient will systematically characterize cyclic polymers to identify technically viable commercial markets. Oboro's core innovation is a novel catalyst enabling rapid synthesis of multiple cyclic polymer types at low cost and high yield, addressing prior barriers to commercial-scale production. Cyclic polymers exhibit superior mechanical properties compared to linear polymers and target applications in advanced electronics, medical devices, high-performance coatings, energy storage, and packaging. The company plans to generate revenue through three channels: direct sales of catalysts and polymers via distribution partners, licensing of the catalyst production process, and contract research with customers to advance cyclic polymer technologies.

This Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I project runs through June 30, 2027, with work performed in Delray Beach, Florida. The funding supports the foundational technical and market characterization needed to validate commercial viability of the cyclic polymer platform, which represents the company's primary product vertical.

Abstract

The broader/commercial impact of this small business technology transfer (sttr) phase i project stems from the creation of cyclic polymers at an industry relevant scale, which is only enabled with the company?s catalyst technology. Polymers are used in a number of markets like advanced electronics, medical devices, high-performance coatings, energy storage, and healthy packaging, yet previously only linear polymers were accessible. Cyclic polymers have superior mechanical properties over linear polymers, and thus their incorporation at an industrial scale would result in greater longevity, better safety, enhanced performance of a wide variety of products. Collectively, the adoption of cyclic polymers could lead to substantial societal impact by enabling more energy-efficient technologies, safer medical solutions, improved health outcomes, enhanced data communication, broader access to advanced technologies, and increased reliability in critical systems. The company will drive revenue through three streams: 1) sale of catalysts and polymers via distribution partners, 2) licensing of the catalyst production process, and 3) contract research projects with customers to further develop cyclic polymer technologies. The development of products for cyclic polymer production is the only product vertical at the company, and thus the proposed technology is key in enabling commercial success for the company. This small business technology transfer (sttr) phase i project will focus on systematically characterizing the cyclic polymers to provide insights into the most technically viable markets for their innovation. The company?s key innovation for this phase i project is a novel catalyst that enables the rapid synthesis of many different types of cyclic polymers at low cost and in high yield, effectively bypassing many of the barriers to producing cyclic polymers at a commercial scale that has otherwise hindered their utilization. The company has already demonstrated technical feasibility of producing small volumes of cyclic polymers using their catalyst but has not yet performed an in-depth characterization to determine which applications would be the most suitable for their polymers. To that end, this phase i project includes the following objectives: 1) expand the cyclic polymer portfolio that can be produced in sufficient quantities for characterization and industrial use; 2) optimize cyclic polymer performance when exposed to electrical and physical forces. Completing these objectives will allow the team to identify the most suitable applications for their cyclic polymers based on their composition, mechanical properties, and technical performance under standard testing conditions. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are planned for this award.