EPA Announces Over $3 Million in Funding to Small Businesses to Develop Environmental Technologies
“With technology constantly changing, we need innovation and cutting-edge technology to keep up with the demands that we find ourselves thrust in from the pandemic,” EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. “XCMR is helping in this fight with their skills and know-how, which complements our mission of protecting human health and the environment.”
Philadelphia-area XCMR, Inc. awarded for work in homeland security
Philadelphia (Dec. 21, 2021) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $3,089,894 in funding today to 30 American small businesses to develop novel technologies to address pressing environmental and public health problems. Among the honorees is Philadelphia-area business XCMR, Inc., lauded for its innovation in homeland security.
“As emerging technologies continue to rapidly change the world, our nation’s small businesses are at the forefront of harnessing these technologies to address today’s environmental challenges,” said Wayne Cascio, Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator in EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “We are excited to watch these small companies bring innovative ideas to the marketplace and help revolutionize improving our environment, public health and the economy.”
XCMR technology utilizes Far ultraviolet-c-light (UV-C) for continuous pathogen inactivation in air and on surfaces for human safe, near-field infection protection. This innovation could be used in a variety of stationary settings including offices, schools, retail, hospitality, and transportation and could greatly reduce environmental waste from single use-masks.
“The EPA’s recognition of XCMR’s deep expertise in human-safe, Far UV-C irradiation systems validates our mission to modernize personal respiration protection with this SBIR Phase I contract,” commented Richard A. Rasansky, co-founder and CEO of XCMR, Inc. “Recent history demonstrates that airborne pathogens threaten global health and economic security. Our response is the development of technology to protect against human exposure from airborne pathogens within an individual’s personal space by generating a continuous ‘invisible’ bubble of irradiated air within a controlled zone for surface and air decontamination.”
EPA’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program runs an annual, two-phase competition for funding. XCMR and the other businesses are receiving up to $100,000 of Phase I funding for six months for “proof of concept” of their proposed technology. Companies that complete Phase I can then apply to receive Phase II funding of up to $400,000 to further develop and commercialize their technology.
“With technology constantly changing, we need innovation and cutting-edge technology to keep up with the demands that we find ourselves thrust in from the pandemic,” EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. “XCMR is helping in this fight with their skills and know-how, which complements our mission of protecting human health and the environment.”
EPA is one of 11 federal agencies that participate in the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program, a competitive program that supports small businesses in the development and commercialization of technological solutions. This program stimulates high-tech innovation while encouraging small businesses to meet the country’s research and development needs.
