HTDC Awards $136,155 to Local Companies

HONOLULU , HI -- High Technology Development Corporation (HTDC) has awarded seven grants totalling $136,155 to six local technology and research and development companies as part of its Hawaii Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Matching Grant Program.

The Hawaii SBIR Matching Grant program was created in 1989 by Hawaii legislators to increase research and development activities in Hawaii by encouraging Hawaii companies to participate in the federal SBIR program. To date, 53 Hawaii companies have received nearly $50 million from the federal SBIR program, plus $3.5 million from HTDC's state matching grants.

SBIR is a three-phased program that provides small businesses the opportunity to win federal research and development awards. By law, the eleven largest federal agencies must provide a small percentage of their budget for SBIR grants and contracts, currently totaling about $2 billion annually. Hawaii-based companies that receive Phase I feasibility study SBIR awards can apply for funds from HTDC’s Hawaii SBIR Matching Grant program. The matching grants provide up to $25,000 to assist companies with enhancing their Phase I project development; compete for the more lucrative Phase II awards to typically conduct prototype development; and ultimately reach successful commercialization.

"Hawaii has been extremely successful in securing multiple SBIR awards each year,” said Dr. Philip Bossert, executive director and CEO of HTDC. “It’s one of the few grant programs that Hawaii companies can apply to each year and since their is no limit to the number of times a company can receive an SBIR award, the program has become a major resource for local companies, several of whom have received millions of dollars in research and development funds.”

HTDC’s latest Hawaii SBIR Matching Grant recipients include:

* Referentia Systems, Inc. - This Honolulu-based e-solutions software development company was awarded a $99,509 Phase I SBIR award from the Department of Defense to develop a “Dynamic and Effective Command and Control Decision Trainer (C2DT).” Referentia is developing a C2DT software product that will integrate a multi-student, scenario-driven training system inside a user interface to simulate common command and control systems. C2DT will allow decision makers to practice and train on the processes required to achieve information and decision superiority using realistic scenarios, such as a bio-terrorism attack, while simulating the actual tools used to support decision-making processes. This first-time SBIR recipient received a maximum $25,000 HSBIR grant.

* Onomea Scientific, LLC - This Big Island company based in Papaikou, received a $42,310 Phase I SBIR grant from the Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to develop “A Prototype Fish Metrology System for Open Ocean Aquaculture.” Onomea is developing a technology that calculates fish mass non-invasively by using a laser measuring system, a digital video system for recording data, and customized software to analyze multiple images. This system will address the problem that aquaculture fish growers face in identifying the optimal feeding portions needed during a fish’s growth cycle until harvest. The system helps identify the optimum feeding set point based on the daily changes in fish mass. This first-time SBIR recipient received an HSBIR grant of $21,155.

* Pacific Island Technology, Inc. - Based on Oahu, Pacific Island Technology received a $97,961 SBIR Phase I grant from the Department of Defense to develop a “Miniature High Performance LWIR Hyperspectral Imager.” The company will produce, test and characterize a compact long wave infrared (LWIR) hyperspectral image for smaller and lighter aerial vehicles such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and helicopters. There is a growing interest by the military to use smaller UAVs that can fly at lower altitudes and collect high-resolution data. LWIR sensors now being used are large and heavy and not suited for most UAVs. Pacific Island Technology received a $20,000 HSBIR grant.

* Oceanit - This multiple SBIR awardee received a $70,000 SBIR Phase I award from the Department of Defense to develop a “Portable Microwave Doppler Radar System for Intelligence Collection.” Oceanit will develop a miniature Doppler Radar Sense-Through-The-Wall (STTW) system involving advanced signal processing techniques, combined with innovative hardware design. The radar operates at a frequency that can penetrate walls and the returning radar signal can detect human vital signs. This information can be of great value to military operations by revealing the number and relative positions of individuals inside an enclosed room. The project is in collaboration with three professors at the University of Hawaii Electrical Engineering Department.

Oceanit received a separate $100,000 SBIR Phase I award from the Department of Defense to develop a light weight, low power receiver that detects radio-frequency signals that are broadcasted in the immediate surroundings. Special Operations forces require this technology to identify and locate potential adversaries.

Oceanit received a HSBIR grant of $20,000 for its Doppler Radar System project and a second HSBIR grant of $15,000 for the development of its light weight, low power receiver.

* 21st Century Systems, Inc. - This experienced SBIR award company, whose Hawaii operations are based at the Manoa Innovation Center, received a $69,556 SBIR Phase I award from the Department of Defense to develop technical plans for an agent-based synthetic simulation control environment called SubAutoSim for the Virginia Class Submarine. The SubAutoSim project enhances existing “canned” simulations and will provide flexibility and robustness in designing complex situations. 21st Century specializes in designing, developing and fielding agent-based decision support systems for time- and mission-critical applications within the DOD community. The company received a $15,000 HSBIR grant.

* Makai Ocean Engineering, Inc. - Based on Oahu, this company was awarded a $69,949 SBIR Phase I grant from the Department of Defense to investigate and determine whether Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) is a technically, economically and environmentally viable candidate for hydrogen production in the future. OTEC is a process that can produce electricity or other forms of energy by using the temperature difference between deep cold ocean water and warm tropical surface water. Makai Ocean Engineering received a $20,000 HSBIR grant.

In addition to awarding local SBIR Phase I winners with matching grants, HTDC also provides mentoring and technical assistance to many of Hawaii’s small businesses who qualify for these grants to ensure these companies successfully tap into this resource.

HTDC was established by the Hawaii State Legislature in 1983 to facilitate the development and growth of Hawaii’s commercial high technology industry and to increase revenue generation and job creation within the technology-based sector of Hawaii’s economy. HTDC provides business incubation services statewide, operates and manages two incubation facilities , provides technical assistance for small businesses participating in federal research and development funding programs, and administers the federally funded Hawaii Center for Advanced Transportation Technologies and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership. For more information on HTDC, visit its website at www.htdc.org.

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