Maine Technology Institute Awards Nearly $206,000 for 17 Seed Grants to Support Innovative Technology in Maine

November 13, 2008

For Immediate Release
November 13, 2008

Contact: Hal Norvell
Maine Technology Institute
(207) 582-4790, x208
hnorvell@mainetechnology.org

Maine Technology Institute Awards Nearly $206,000 for 17 Seed Grants to Support Innovative Technology in Maine

GARDINER, Maine – The Maine Technology Institute (MTI) board of directors approved 17 Seed Grants to technology companies from Cape Neddick to Limerick, Bucksport and Trenton. Nearly $206,000 was awarded, leveraging more than $309,000 from other sources.

MTI President Betsy Biemann noted, “These MTI Seed Grants span seven of the state’s technology sectors and range from the molecular level to boats, from human genetics to social networking, and from research and development to prototype production. Maine entrepreneurs are hard at work on products for today and next-generation products for tomorrow that can lead to new jobs across the state.”

Companies funded by MTI are bringing new products to U.S. and global markets, leveraging nearly $200 million from public and private sources and creating jobs faster with higher wages than the average Maine company.

MTI Seed Grants of up to $12,500 are offered on a competitive basis to support early activities for product development, commercialization or business planning and development. A company may only be awarded up to a total of $25,000 in seed grants for a specific technology.

Each Seed Grant requires a 1:1 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 application deadline for the next round of grants is December 11, 2008. Visit www.mainetechnology.org for more information about Seed Grants and other MTI programs.

MTI is a publicly financed nonprofit corporation created by the Legislature in 1999 to stimulate research and development activity leading to the commercialization of new products, processes and services in the state’s seven technology-intensive industrial sectors. Programs strengthen the competitive position of those sectors and increase the likelihood that one or more of the sectors will support clusters of industrial activity and create new jobs. Visit www.mainetechnology.org for more information.

MTI Seed Grant Awardees by Technology Sector

Advanced Technologies for Forestry and Agriculture

MainEnergy, LLC, Scarborough will 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.

Grant Amount: $11,500 Match: $13,500

Maine Renewable Energy Consortium of South Portland will 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 bio-fuel production.

Grant Amount: $12,200 Match: $12,200

Planet Botanicals of South Portland will develop proprietary organic skincare formulations and prototype products leading to the marketing and sales of ECOCERT certified organic and natural products.

Grant Amount: $11,225 Match: $11,225

Zeomatrix, LLC, of Orono will conduct market research for odor-free compostable packaging, a paper-based compost bag product to be marketed to both the industrial and consumer markets.

Grant Amount: $10,400 Match: $11,905


Aquaculture and Marine Technology

Phinney Fisheries of Trescott will design a trap for whelk—a large sea snail--to address problems with predators that exist with current trap designs.

Grant Amount: $12,500 Match: $14,750

Biotechnology

Bar Harbor Biotechnology, Inc. of Trenton will develop and validate tools that reliably facilitate molecular profiling of tissues derived from models in which human tissue is transplanted and maintained in mice.

Grant Amount: $12,228 Match: $13,506

Composite Materials Technology

Callinectes Boatworks, LLC, of Kennebunkport will develop production split-molds and inserts as tools to support the flexible manufacturing of infused hulls for a new Maine designed and built runabout, support expansion plans, reduce manufacturing costs and promote environmental stewardship.

Grant Amount: $12,500 Match: $22,675

Purestat Technologies, Inc. of Lewiston will build prototype equipment to manufacture a plastic bipolar electrode, a conductive plastic film suitable for the battery and capacitor industry.

Grant Amount: $12,500 Match: $32,000

Environmental Technology

Critter Ridder, LLC, of Cape Neddick has developed the Critter Skimmer that allows frogs and other small critters to escape certain death in the 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.

Grant Amount: $12,500 Match: $12,500

Solar-eye of Sanford will 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.

Grant Amount: $12,500 Match: $14,216

Information Technology

Local Interactive Strategies, LLC, of Cumberland will conduct market analysis and develop proprietary software to enable music artists to build connections with and among fans of their live performances.

Grant Amount: $10,780 Match: $13,000

mCaddie, Inc., of Portland will develop the mobile phone software component of its golf-oriented web platform that will leverage cutting-edge mobile phone, internet browser, and social network technology to connect golf courses and sports advertisers with avid golfers around the globe.

Grant Amount: $12,500 Match: $32,900

PowerHouse Dynamics, LLC, of Blue Hill has designed, built and pre-tested a prototype of its eMonitor, an intelligent, web-based interactive power management system that precisely quantifies and details electrical consumption readings with appliance-level resolution. The grant funds hardware and software prototype development.

Grant Amount: $12,500 Match: $15,000

Precision Manufacturing Technology

Fretz Design of Bucksport is developing 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.

Grant Amount: $12,500 Match: $13,000

O.R. Design Solutions, LLC, of Limerick has designed and prototyped 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.

Grant Amount: $12,500 Match: $12,500

Montalvo Corporation of Gorham will design and test a universal load cell amplifier, which will be the first element in a new line of modular control products for the company’s family of tension control devices, as well as other industrial control applications.

Grant Amount: $12,500 Match: $40,972

Windham Millwork, Inc., of Windham will 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.

Grant Amount: $12,500 Match: $23,530

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