The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $2,400,000 for 24 small businesses to develop technologies to address public health and environmental challenges. These companies are using innovative approaches that include treating PFAS in biosolids, reducing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions from building materials, and developing chemical alternatives that are safer for our environment.
These awards are part of EPA’s Small Business Innovation Research program, an annual, two-phase competition for small businesses to develop and commercialize environmental technologies that help address the agency’s mission of protecting human health and the environment. The 24 small businesses are receiving $100,000 of Phase I funding for six months for “proof of concept” of their proposed technology. Companies that complete Phase
I can then apply to receive Phase II funding of up to $400,000 to further develop and commercialize their technology.
Some of the SBIR Phase I winners and their proposed technologies are below:
- Acadian Research & Development, LLC, Laramie, Wyoming, to create an innovative low-cost method to use strength enhancing biochar-derived graphene to lower embodied carbon in concrete.
- AxNano, LLC, Greensboro, North Carolina, to create a novel, field deployable treatment process for removing PFAS from biosolids allowing beneficial reuse.
- BetR-blok, LLC, Tempe, Arizona, to produce a building block alternative made from waste biomass and recycled materials.
- Bold Reuse, Portland, Oregon, to create a novel inventory management system to transition to reusable packaging.
- Circle Concrete Tech, Inc., Gilbert, Arizona, to design an engineered recycled steel fiber product that replaces rebar for concrete reinforcement with a significantly lower carbon footprint.
- Dynamo.AI LLC, Saratoga Springs, New York, to develop a technology that leverages biochar to extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables to reduce food waste.
- EcoaTEX, LLC., Hull, Georgia, to create a technology that converts agricultural waste into high-performance biodegradable fibers.
- KLAW Industries LLC, Binghamton, New York, to develop a new paving material utilizing waste glass to replace high-embodied carbon materials.
- Pacific Reclaimed Lumber & Supply, Sebastopol, California, to design a cutting-edge web-based platform that facilitates the reduction of embodied carbon through the purchase of reclaimed lumber and building materials.
- Phospholutions, Inc., State College, Pennsylvania, to create an activated metal oxide technology to mitigate the environmental impact of phosphorus runoff into water bodies and enhance crop productivity.
- Symmetry Wood, PBC, Los Angeles, California, to create a method of upcycling food waste into high-performance wood.
- Talon/LPE, Ltd., Amarillo, Texas, to develop a sustainable method to treat PFAS in biosolids using biochar.
- Tetramer Technologies LLC, Pendleton, South Carolina, to create a bio-renewable high-performance tire rubber additive to replace the standard use of 6PPD and alleviate its associated ecotoxicity.
Published March 2025
