Governor Davis Announces $1 Million in Competitive Technology Grants

Governor Davis Announces $1 Million in Competitive Technology Grants

Twelve California companies will leverage state venture capital, benefiting state's economy.

September 27, 2002

News Release from The California Technology, Trade and Commerce Agency's Division of Science, Technology and Innovation

Governor Gray Davis announced that 12 California companies developing innovative high-technology products and services will share $1 million in California Technology Investment Partnership (CalTIP) matching grants. Historically, CalTIP funds have leveraged state dollars to private and federal dollars at a ratio of 1-to-11. Projects receiving funds range from defense and homeland security to biotechnology and medical device manufacturing.

"California's entrepreneurial spirit and reputation for innovation are unparalleled," Gov. Davis said. "In an increasingly competitive global economy, it is imperative we give our small- and medium-sized high-tech companies an edge whenever possible. The investments we make today will reap multiple economic benefits and high-wage jobs for Californians tomorrow."

CalTIP focuses on California's smaller, technology-based companies, particularly those in emerging industry sectors critical to the state's continued economic growth. CalTIP helps accelerate the commercialization of emerging technologies and assists grant recipients in competition nationally for federal research and development awards from such agencies as the Defense Advance Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the National Air and Space Administration (NASA), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

This year was the most competitive year for CalTIP grants since the program's debut in 1993. Applicants submitted 180 qualified proposals for evaluation, a 28 percent increase over 2001. This year's CalTIP grant recipients are listed below.

· AgraQuest, Inc., Davis - continuing to work on a natural, microbial pesticide replacing outdated synthetic chemicals to control caterpillar pests. New, natural pesticides address worker safety issues, and impacts on the environment and food supply.

· Alpha Star Corp., Long Beach - continuing to work with NASA on the commercialization of GENOA collaborative virtual testing software, which assists in manufacturing defect-free, advanced materials for launch vehicles and satellites. The software enables collaboration of engineers in geographically dispersed locations.

· Fallbrook Engineering, Inc., Valley Center - continuing to work with NIH on the commercialization of umbilical cord blood collection devices.

· NOVA R&D, Inc., Riverside - continuing to work with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) on an improved airport baggage-screening detector.

· OEwaves, Inc., Pasadena - building on basic research conducted at Jet Propulsion Laboratory to miniaturize and mass produce electronic oscillators for defense radar and high-end microwave communications. It is an enabling technology for wireless communication.

· OsteoNet, Inc., San Mateo - developed a novel approach using readily available dental and medical x-ray equipment to inexpensively screen patients for bone fracture risk due to osteoporosis.

· Perlan Therapeutics, San Diego - continuing to work with NIH on ColdSol for treatment of the common cold caused by rhinovirus infections.

· Quoin International, Inc., Ridgecrest - continuing to work with DOD and DARPA on PowerQuick, a compact, low-emission power unit for small mechanical and electrical power production. The initial market is specialized water pumping with further industrial power tool applications.

· SC Solutions, Inc., Sunnyvale - working with the National Science Foundation on developing controller software products for chemical-mechanical planarization in semiconductor manufacturing. The controller will enable chip manufacturers to improve equipment performance and increase yield.

· Sensant Corp., San Leandro - working with the U.S. Army on a portable ultrasound system for medical imaging and battlefield triage. Built with advanced, microelectro-mechanical systems technology, these new sensors benefit from economies of scale found in semiconductor manufacturing. This is Sensant's second CalTIP award.

· Stellar Biotechnologies, Inc., Port Hueneme - extracting a protein "harvested" from the living giant keyhole limpet, which can be manufactured into a product that is being tested in the treatment of certain cancers. This business is located in an aquaculture business park specifically established to develop marine products for the pharmaceutical industry.

· V System Composites, Inc., San Diego - continuing to work with NASA in an effort to commercialize its HyPerCore composite products with various applications, such as aircraft blades, propellers, wings, and wind energy turbines.