EPA Awards $800,000 to SoCal Small Businesses to Advance Innovative Environmental Technologies

EPA Awards $800,000 to SoCal Small Businesses to Advance Innovative Environmental Technologies

November 19, 2024

LOS ANGELES (November 19, 2024) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing $800,000 in research funding to two Southern California small businesses to further develop and commercialize their environmental technologies. With these awards from EPA's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, businesses nationwide will be tackling complex challenges including destroying PFAS, cleaning indoor air during wildfires, enhancing recycling systems, reducing food waste, and improving disaster response.

"Small businesses in California are at the forefront of developing waste management and disaster response solutions that protect our communities," said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. "By investing in innovative ideas like these, we at EPA are partnering with the private sector to help protect our environment and strengthen local economies."

This year's SBIR Phase II award recipients in Southern California are:

• Water Illumination, Inc. ($400,000) in Riverside, California, is developing a chemical-free UV technology that destroys PFAS in saline wastewater within minutes. Working with UC Riverside and local water districts, this clean energy solution will operate at ambient conditions and eliminates PFAS without creating harmful byproducts.
• Holochip Corporation ($400,000) in Torrance, California, is developing an AI-powered mobile app that creates real-time 3D indoor maps for emergency responders. The technology helps first responders navigate complex buildings during disasters by tracking their location and path using standard smartphones and tablets."

"We are thrilled to be working with EPA on Phase II of this SBIR program. In Phase I we delivered an iOS-based real-time environmental mapping and localization solution over large areas and remotely shared maps. In Phase 2, we're expanding to Android, integrating drone mapping, and enabling real-time navigation with obstacle avoidance in multi-user shared environments." said Holochip CEO Robert Batchko. "Since 2004, Holochip has been a trusted provider of advanced simulation, training, AI, SLAM, XR, and visualization technologies to government and industry. With a track record of delivering innovative solutions, we support mission-critical operations and drive technological excellence across diverse domains."

"We are excited to announce that we have advanced to the EPA SBIR Phase II award," said Water Illumination CEO Xuejun Yu. "Building on our Phase I success-achieving nearly 100% PFAS destruction in real wastewater-this milestone marks a significant step forward in our journey to commercialize our innovative and sustainable PFAS destruction technology."

For over 40 years, EPA's SBIR program has funded small businesses as they create environmental technologies and bring them to the marketplace. SBIR projects are funded in a phased approach. For Phase I, EPA awards contracts of up to $100,000 for six months for "proof of concept" of the proposed technology. Small businesses that have received a Phase I award can compete for a Phase II award of $400,000 to further develop and commercialize the technology.

Learn more about the recipients.

Learn more about EPA's SBIR program.

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