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NSF PR 96-62 - October 22, 1996
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NSF Slated to Invest $50 Million in SBIR Program in
1997: Success Stories Demonstrate Pay Off
The National Science Foundation (NSF) will invest
over $50 million in the NSF Small Business Innovation
Research Program (SBIR) in 1997 -- a 50% increase
in award amounts since 1994.
The program helps fund firms with 500 or fewer employees
to perform cutting-edge research addressing the nation's
most critical science and engineering needs. By supporting
high-risk research projects at the earliest stages
of development, SBIR has led to the creation of high-tech
businesses and the development and commercialization
of scientific innovations.
SBIR was initiated at NSF in 1977. It expanded as
a federal program to 11 principal research and development
agencies in 1982. Kesh Narayanan, director of NSF's
Industrial Innovation Programs, pointed out that the
program spans all disciplines, "a microcosm of the
entire National Science Foundation, in terms of the
education and research we support."
NSF was willing to fund high-risk research concepts
that otherwise could not have been pursued, Narayanan
said. As a result, "NSF support made a big difference
at a very early stage, before these companies could
get start-up capital." The following success stories
are examples of companies funded by NSF's SBIR Program
which are pursuing technological innovation and commercial
applications of scientific research.
- Scientific Computing Associates, Inc. New Haven,
CT
This company has been a pioneer in high performance
software development for supercomputers and
parallel programming. It has made a number
of breakthroughs in commercial parallel computing
software, including "Network Linda," the first
software to make use of idle cycles on PCs;
and "Paradise," software which allowed the
use of the supercomputers by smaller computers.
- Brewer Science, Inc, Rolla, MO
Brewer Science was the first to develop thin
anti-reflective coatings, which are important
for enhancing high speed processing and increasing
memory density of electronic circuits. Brewer
also believes it is the only company in the
world, except Japan, that has developed color
filters and coatings technology which are
important to the flat-panel-display industry.
Brewer now has more than 20 patents and collaborations
which can be traced to start-up funding provided
under the NSF SBIR program.
- Altus Biologics, Cambridge, MA
Researchers at Altus Biologics are stabilizing
catalysts for the chemical/biochemical reactions
which create most drugs and contribute to
industrial chemical processing. The research
funded under the NSF SBIR project was one
of the most significant breakthroughs in biocatalysts
in the last ten years, and has been used to
create a new anti-cancer drug.
- Browning Engineering, Hanover, NH
Browning Engineering is an example of NSF's
support of an individual inventor who licensed
his SBIR developed technology to major US
aircraft engine manufacturers and others.
The researcher explored innovative ideas for
bonding high density refractory layers of
materials into a stainless steel surface.
The technology is now the dominant method
for increasing the high temperature, abrasion
and stiffness resistance of most jet engine
compressor blades.
- Key Curriculum Press, Inc, Berkeley, CA
This company has introduced a revolutionary
approach to teaching geometry into 10,000
schools in 8 languages. It has conducted 7-10
day courses for 7,000-8,000 teachers who have
taught "Geometry Sketchpad" to over one million
students in grade schools. The innovative
technique involves teaching geometry on computers
that have unique capabilities to show relationships.
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