Universal LC Detector is Goal of NSF Grant

The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant to Activated Research Company. The $225,000 grant allows Activated Research to conduct research and development on a new detector for liquid chromatography (LC).

The NSF grant will fund fundamental research to develop a universal detector for LC. The goal of the proposed technology is to simplify LC detection.

Barry Johnson, who is the director of the NSF’s Division of Industrial innovation and partnerships, said in a statement that the NSF supports small businesses with innovative ideas that have the potential to become commercial successes and make societal impacts. “We hope that this seed funding will spark solutions to some of the most important challenges of our times across all area of science and technology,” Johnson said.

Small businesses that are awarded a Phase I SBIR/Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant (up to $225,000) are eligible to apply for a Phase II grant (up to $750,000). Small businesses with Phase II grants are eligible to receive up to $500,000 in additional matching funds with qualifying third-party investment or sales.

The NSF accepts Phase I proposals from small businesses twice annually, in June and December. Small businesses with innovative science and technology solutions, and commercial potential, are encouraged to apply. All proposals submitted to the NSF SBIR/STTR program undergo a rigorous merit-based review process. To learn more about the NSF SBIR/STTR program, visit www.nsf.gov/SBIR.