The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced $2.5 million in funding to support 25 small businesses in developing technologies aimed at addressing public health and environmental issues. This initiative is part of the EPA's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, which is an annual competition encouraging the development and commercialization of environmental technologies.
Each selected business will receive $100,000 in Phase I funding for six months to establish a "proof of concept" for their proposed technology. Companies that successfully complete this phase may apply for Phase II funding, which offers up to $400,000 to further develop and commercialize their innovations.
Among the winners are two companies from the Pacific Northwest region. Sustainable Water Infrastructure Group from Seattle, Washington, aims to develop a nature-based absorbent technology to remove PFAS, pathogens, and other contaminants from water. Bold Reuse from Portland, Oregon, is working on creating a novel inventory management system designed to facilitate the transition to reusable packaging.
These efforts align with the EPA's mission to protect human health and the environment by supporting technological advancements that address critical challenges.
For more information about the winning companies or details on EPA's SBIR program and the government-wide SBIR Program, interested parties can visit the respective websites.