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Three New York State companies have been awarded $30,000 in the first round of the 2022 SyracuseCoE Innovation Fund competition.

For this round, SyracuseCoE partner companies were invited to submit proposals in SyracuseCoE’s focus areas of indoor environmental quality and building energy efficiency, clean and renewable energy, and water resources.

Projects that include research engagements with faculty and students, support for product development and testing, market analyses and proposal match requirements were encouraged. Awards for this program are funded by member companies of the SyracuseCoE Partner Program with the purpose of helping companies advance product development and technological innovation.

The 2022 winning projects are the following:

• Power Converter Development for Off-Grid Renewables, Mission Drives: This project will help develop next generation electronics for off-grid solar, wind and storage applications with a longer-term path of revolutionizing power conversion technology generically. This program will complete a preliminary design of a new off-grid system configuration that is more flexible and lower cost.
• HABAlert: AI-Powered Real-Time Harmful Algal Bloom Monitoring, BloomOptix & Ramboll: HABAlert is a mobile, cost-effective handheld harmful algal bloom (HAB) monitoring system that can detect and quantify the presence of HAB-causing cyanobacteria in 10 minutes or less. Using artificial intelligence and a cellphone-based miniature microscope, HABAlert can provide users with cyanobacterial ID and counts in near-real-time, replacing traditional methods, which require multi-day processing times.
• MAKO Smart EV Charging Station, M3 Innovation, based at SyracuseCoE, is developing a smart EV charging station and gateway that integrates seamlessly into their Sports Lighting Platform and eliminates the barriers of cost and added infrastructure to install conventional charging stations.

“The Innovation Fund awards are intended to help companies bridge the gap to commercialization of new products, as well as to provide thoughtful, constructive feedback from a panel of reviewers with expertise in the application of new technology in the marketplace,” says Eric Schiff, SyracuseCoE executive director. “The projects highlight Central New York’s expertise in environmental and energy systems, as well as area companies’ enthusiasm for innovation and commercialization of new technologies.”

With these awards, SyracuseCoE has supported more than 49 clean energy commercialization projects by 30 companies throughout New York State, totaling over $525,000. Participating companies have reported more than 176 jobs created and over $3,000,000 in additional funding leveraged from the Innovation Fund projects.

Eligibility for Innovation Fund awards is extended to all current members of the SyracuseCoE Partner Program. Proposals may include collaborations with non-Partner Program firms and academic partners; however, proposals must be submitted and led by members of the Partner Program.

Learn more about the Partner Program or contact Tammy Rosanio at tlrosani@syr.edu.