Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Maine startups split $155,000 in seed grants

By Mass High Tech staff

The state-funded Maine Technology Institute has announced seed grants to 14 Maine organizations, many in the energy and clean tech sector, totaling $155,000. The grants, which require one-to-one matching contributions by the recipients for purposes such as salaries and equipment, are intended to help entrepreneurs bring new technologies to market and spawn jobs and revenue within Maine.

The grants range from $6,255 to $12,500, and were matched by funds from other sources totalling $195,000. Grant recipients included:

Lullhaven Research LLC of Windham ($12,370), which is developing a handheld reader for analyzing lateral-flow cassettes used in health monitoring. 

Saco Bay Marine, dba Saco River Rowing, of Biddeford ($11,060) for new composite rowing shell designs. 

Union River Boat Co. of Bucksport ($12,500), which is developing new approaches to building a rigid inflatable boat for the U.S. Navy.

Abbott Engineering of Durham ($6255) to measure extreme low-frequency (ELF) radio waves to detect water-bearing fractures in bedrock. 

CycloTherm LLC of Gorham ($8,750), which is developing new techniques for wood-pellet manufacture. 

Heliotropic Technologies of Boothbay Harbor ($12,000), which proposes developing residential-sized concentrating solar electric collector systems. 
Sea Bags Inc. of Portland ($11,860), which designs and manufactures tote bags from recycled sails.

X Café LLC of Portland ($12,000), which intends to process high-cellulose waste ground coffee beans into fuel pellets.  

Rite-Way Cleaning of Union ($7,132), which is developing prototype scouring technology in response to industrial demand for Maine’s raw agricultural fiber.

AMS LLC, dba Gagné Foods, of Bath ($12,000), which is developing systems to make bakery products. 

AWE of Biddeford ($12,500), which is working on an Elevating Rolling Shelf System (AWEVATOR) for residential and small-business applications.

Falcon Performance Footwear of Lewiston ($10,000), which is identifying the market for mining boots equipped with radio frequency identification (RFID) circuits.

Jotul North America of Gorham ($12,500), which is looking to create two prototype gas fireplaces that use new valve technologies. 

Maine Manufacturing LLC of Sanford ($12,500), which is developing a specialty filtration device for the Life Is Fluid reusable bottle.