Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Maine doles out $30M in tech grants

By Mass High Tech Staff

The state of Maine has given out $30 million in the first round of grants authorized by Pine Tree State voters last fall as part of a $50 million technology bond bill.

The awards, given to companies and research institutions, are intended to stimulate growth in Maine’s high-tech industries, including aquaculture, forestry, agriculture, genetics, nanotechnology, global positioning, high-resolution imaging, and ceramics and composites, according to the Maine Technology Institute. The MTI manages the money from the bonds in the form of the Maine Technology Asset Fund and controls the award process. The MTI said it expects to release a request for applications this fall for the second round of awards using the remainder of the fund.

The MTI received 66 applications and judged them based on economic growth and impact; scientific or engineering merit and feasibility; team and institutional merit and commitment; relevance to Maine’s innovation economy needs; and collaboration.

The following were approved for grants by the MTI:

• AEWC Center, University of Maine; Orono; Advanced nanocomposites for the renewable energy industry; $5 million

• Bar Harbor Biotechnology Inc.; Trenton; Development of gene-dense, high-throughput qPCR arrays; $440,000

• Center for Cooperative Aquaculture Research, University of Maine; Franklin; Building capacity and excellence in Maine’s marine aquaculture R&D infrastructure; $2.6 million

• CrossRate Technology LLC; Standish; Portable non-magnetic compass/positioning/timing device; $790,000

• Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Maine; Orono; ultra-high-resolution imaging facility; $160,000

• Downeast Institute for Applied Marine Research and Education; Beals; Investing in Downeast Maine’s marine resource-based economy; $1 million

• FHC Inc.; Bowdoin; Development of microfabrication facility for neurosurgical devices; $440,000 

• Forest Bioproducts Research Technology Center, University of Maine; Orono and Old Town; Forest and agricultural bioproducts research development and commercialization facility; $4.8 million

• Laboratory for Surface Science & Technology, University of Maine; Orono; Maine nanofabrication R&D infrastructure enhancement; $480,000

• Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center; Franklin; Improvements to Maine’s aquaculture business incubation infrastructure; $360,000

• Sappi Fine Paper Technology Center; Westbrook; Aqueous-based ceramic green bodies using cellulose; $2.2 million

• Seldon Technologies Inc.; Old Town; Manufacturing nanocomposite material for structural  and filtration applications; $2.9 million

• The Jackson Laboratory; Bar Harbor; Expanding the Jackson Laboratory product development pipeline; $4.7 million

• University of New England; Portland; College of Pharmacy Drug Research and Development; $4 million.