Friday, November 14, 2008

Maine’s state tech arm doles out $206K in seed grants

By Mass High Tech Staff

The Maine Technology Institute has given out more than $206,000 in 17 Seed Grants to technology companies in the Pine Tree State in its latest round of awards.

The MTI gives out seed grants of up to $12,500 to support early activities for product development, commercialization or business planning and development, the organization said. A company may be awarded up to a total of $25,000 in seed grants for a specific project.

Each MTI grant requires a one-to-one dollar match consisting of actual cash, salaries, staff time or equipment and in-kind contributions directly attributable to the proposed project. Seed Grants are awarded six times each year. The deadline for applications for the next round of grants is December 11, 2008.

The following companies received funding:

• MainEnergy LLC, Scarborough — $11,500 to establish the viability of using low-value Maine forest products and torrefaction, an anaerobic process, to provide an improved, higher energy value, second-generation wood pellet for Maine and possibly export markets.
• Maine Renewable Energy Consortium, South Portland — $12,200 to conduct technology evaluation for biofuel production. The results will be used to develop a varied feed stock supply plan for use in a second generation biofuel production.
• Planet Botanicals, South Portland — $11,200 to develop proprietary organic skin-care formulations and prototype products.
• Zeomatrix LLC, Orono — $10,400 to conduct market research for odor-free compostable packaging, a paper-based compost bag product to be marketed to both the industrial and consumer markets.
• Phinney Fisheries, Trescott — $12,500 to design a trap for whelk — a large sea snail — to address problems with predators that exist with current trap designs.
• Bar Harbor Biotechnology Inc., Trenton — $12,200 to develop and validate tools that reliably facilitate molecular profiling of tissues derived from models in which human tissue is transplanted and maintained in mice.
• Callinectes Boatworks LLC, Kennebunkport — $12,500 to develop production split-molds and inserts as tools to support the flexible manufacturing of infused hulls for a new Maine-designed and built Maine-runabout, support expansion plans, reduce manufacturing costs and promote environmental stewardship.
• Purestat Technologies Inc., Lewiston — $12,500 to build prototype equipment to manufacture a plastic bipolar electrode, a conductive plastic film suitable for the battery and capacitor industry.
 • Critter Ridder LLC, Cape Neddick — $12,500 to develop the “Critter Skimmer,” which allows frogs and other small critters to escape certain death in a pool skimmer by climbing up its ramp to safety. The company seeks to further the development of the product, secure patent protection and explore additional markets.
• Solar-eye, Sanford — $12,500 to conduct an engineering feasibility study to evaluate the concept of and produce specifications for prototyping a unique copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) solar cell using a molded polymer substrate.
• Local Interactive Strategies LLC, Cumberland — $10,700 to conduct market analysis and develop proprietary software to enable music artists to build connections with and among fans of their live performances.
• mCaddie Inc., Portland — $12,500 to develop the mobile phone software component of its golf-oriented web platform.
• PowerHouse Dynamics LLC, Blue Hill — $12,500 to design, build and pre-test a prototype of its eMonitor, a web-based interactive power management system that quantifies and details electrical consumption readings. The grant funds hardware and software prototype development.
• Fretz Design, Bucksport — $12,500 to develop a wire-forming tool for jewelers and hobby enthusiasts to shape metal easily, an expanding peg board with the ability to harden and form metal into precise shapes.
• O.R. Design Solutions LLC, Limerick — $12,500 to design and prototype a mechanical fracture distraction and reduction device for the orthopedic equipment market. The grant will support the business plan with research and feasibility analyses for the market, operations and capitalization.
• Montalvo Corp., Gorham — $12,500 to design and test a universal load cell amplifier, part of a new line of modular control products for the company’s family of tension control devices, as well as other industrial control applications.
• Windham Millwork Inc., Windham — $12,500 to develop a wood-based marine products line, research the marketability, evaluate options to protect intellectual property rights and create a system of production using advanced computerized manufacturing processes.