Research, Development, and Technology Transfer
Virginia's environmental companies can benefit from the technologies and technical expertise at the nation's federal laboratories and the Commonwealth's universities. These national and state resources can offer technologies ripe for transfer, specialized laboratory testing and analysis, and brainpower to help your company to solve its technical problems or to commercialize new environmental products and services.
The federal government, with the help of state entities such as the Center for Innovative Technology, also supports environmental research and development through the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) programs, various R&D solicitations, and other mechanisms.
Federal law encourages commercial application of federally supported research by allowing private companies, universities, and non-profit organizations to obtain patents or patent licenses for qualifying inventions and innovations. Private companies can also tap federal laboratory expertise through Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs), contracts, and other transactions.
- Federal and University Technology Transfer
- Research, Development, and Demonstration Support
- Other Research and Development Centers
Also see Business Assistance and Economic Development for related resouces.
Federal and University Technology Transfer
Alliance for Coastal Technologies is a NOAA-funded partnership of research institutions, resource managers, and private sector companies dedicated to fostering the development and adoption of effective and reliable sensors and platforms. Services include third-party testing, workshops that review the current state of instrumentation, and an information clearinghouse.
Association of University Technology Managers is the professional association of technology transfer and intellectual property managers at colleges and universities. AUTM can provide a gateway to identifying university technologies available for commercialization.
Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer is the umbrella technology transfer organization for 700+ federal laboratories. The FLC highlights environmental, energy, and other technologies developed in federal laboratories that can be transferred into the commercial world. The FLC Locator can help identify specific technologies, laboratory capabilities, and expertise to help companies to solve technological problems and commercialize new products and services. This site can be used as a gateway to specific federal laboratories and agencies. The FLC has also developed an Environmental E-Mail Newsletter that offers up-to-date information on environmental technologies, facilities, and resources available from the federal laboratories.
Federal R&D Project Summaries provides a portal to information on Federal research projects, complete with full-text single-query searching across databases residing at different agencies.
Industrial Project Locator (IPLocator) from the DOE Office of Industrial Technologies optimizes the complementary research and development strengths of industry, universities, national laboratories, and government by giving you access to information on federally-sponsored R&D projects that are ongoing or recently completed.
NASA Commercial Technology Network provides strategic direction, policy and oversight for the NASA-wide implementation of the Commercial Technology Program, the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)/ Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs, the NASA Inventions and Contributions Board, and associated technology commercialization initiatives.
NASA's Mid-Atlantic Regional Technology Center in Hampton, VA is managed by Technology Commercialization Center, Inc. to serve as a broker of information on NASA technologies available for commercialization, and as a facilitator for companies that want to investigate licensing, research, and commercialization opportunities.
National Alliance for Clean Energy Business Incubators, established by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), is an alliance of leading business incubators dedicated to providing business and financial services tailored to the needs of the clean energy community.
National Technology Transfer Center at Wheeling Jesuit University provides support in accessing and transfering technologies from federal laboratories and universities. NTTC offers technology identification, technology assessment, technology transfer training, and other services as part of its mission.
Petroleum Technology Transfer Council is an industry-directed not-for-profit organization created to transfer exploration and production technology to U.S. oil and gas producers. By accelerating the application of profitable technologies, PTTC enhances domestic oil and natural gas production. Many of the technologies featured by PTTC are pertinent to preventing, mitigating, or remediating environmental impacts of oil and gas production. Some of these technologies are applicable to other industries.
SBA - TECH-Net - Technology Resources Network is an SBA-operated electronic gateway of technology information and resources for and about small high tech businesses. It is a search engine for researchers, scientists, state, federal and local government officials, a marketing tool for small firms and a potential "link" to investment opportunities for investors and other sources of capital.
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education is a nationwide research and education grants program to improve agricultural systems. The program is part of USDA's Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service.
University of Virginia Patent Foundation is a private not-for-profit corporation that evaluates each of the many inventions generated by the University faculty and employees, protects those inventions which appear to have commercial potential, and then markets and licenses those rights to industry. Check the web site for technologies ripe for commercialization.
U.S. Army Center for Environmental Health Research operates state-of-the-art aquaculture facilities and laboratories designed for aquatic toxicology and molecular biology. Its interdisciplinary team works to improve risk assessment methods and to develop biomonitoring technologies for military environmental health hazards. USACHER is the major Army lab dedicated to potable water protection research and works on watershed protection technologies.
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc. is a university affiliated, non-profit, private corporation that handles, protects and licenses technologies developed by the faculty, staff, and students at Virginia Tech. These technologies include new varieties of plants, transgenic technologies, micro-electronics, fiber optics, wireless communications, coal technologies, software and more. Check the web site for technologies ripe for commercialization.
Research, Development, and Demonstration Support
AWWA Research Foundation, an affiliate of the American Water Works Association, sponsors research for the drinking water community. AWWARF's research program embraces all aspects of water supply planning and operation.
Coastal Response Research Center (CRRC) is a joint partnership between the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the University of New Hampshire to stimulate innovation in spill preparedness, response, assessment, and implementation of optimum spill recovery strategies.
Cooperative Institute for Coastal and Estuarine Environmental Technology (CICEET) is a joint partnership between the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the University of New Hampshire to support the scientific development of innovative technologies for understanding and reversing the impacts of coastal and estuarine contaminationand degradation. Click on "Funding Opportunities" on the CICEET website for current solicitations.
Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES)--Research (USDA) provides grants enabling researchers throughout the United States to solve problems critical to our farmers, consumers, and communities. CSREES is the USDA's major extramural research agency, funding both individuals and institutions. Many of the research emphasis areas are pertinent to environmental technology development, including nutrient and waste management, pest management, bio-based products, air and water quality, invasive species, precision agriculture, energy, erosion and land quality, and sustainable agriculture.
Department of Energy e-center provides information on DOE procurement and financial assistance opportunities. DOE's Industry Interactive Procurement System (IIPS) enables (and is sometimes required to be used for) submissions of proposals on-line.
Energy TechNet (U.S. Dept. of Energy) From idea development to market assessment, intellectual property protection to fund raising, Energy TechNet covers every stage of energy technology development and commercialization. It includes new on funding opportunities and events, links to technology development and commercialization resources, including angel and venture capital sources.
Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) is a DOD program that demonstrates and validates pollution prevention, compliance, and cleanup technologies meeting DOD environmental needs. ESTCP and EPA have a Memorandum of Agreement to cooperate on technology verification.
The solicitation for the FY 2009 Department of Defense Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) was released on January 10, 2008. - Details
Federal Commons is a portal to the federal government, offering all grantees (state and local governments, universities, small businesses, etc.) full service grants processing across all functions in the grant life cycle. The Federal Commons will provide both public information, such as grant programs and funding opportunities, as well as the secure processing of e-grant transactions.
Grants.gov allows organizations to electronically find and apply for competitive grant opportunities from all Federal grant-making agencies. Grants.gov is single access point for over 900 grant programs offered by the 26 Federal grant-making agencies.
Inventions and Innovations Program (U.S. Dept. of Energy) offers financial and technical support to inventors and businesses for promising energy-saving concepts and technologies.
National Energy Technology Laboratory (U.S. Dept. of Energy) solicitations
SBIR/STTR Gateway provides links to individual federal agency SBIR programs and solicitations as well as to SBIR conferences and other events. The site also has a resource to help technology developers and entrepreneurs to identify federal laboratory partnering and R&D opportunities.
Industrial Technologies Program Solicitation Information (U.S. Dept. of Energy) offers links to a variety of industry-specific and other solicitations of DOE's Industrial Technologies Program.
Recycled Materials Resource Center promotes the use of recycled materials in highway infrastructure. The Center's programs, including project funding, are a partnership of the University of New Hampshire and the Federal Highway Administration.
SBIR Resource CenterTM (a division of JADE ResearchTM Corporation) is the site of a commercial firm that provides information and services to assist companies to obtain SBIR and STTR awards.
SBIR.gov is administered by the National Science Foundation to provide information on the SBIR/STTR program, including solicitations and events. The site also provides useful links to federal agency SBIR/STTR sites, business development, and other resources.
South Coast Air Quality Management District Technology Advancement Program uses cooperative partnerships with private industry, academic and research institutions, technology developers, and government agencies to cosponsor projects intended to demonstrate the successful use of clean fuels and technologies that lower or eliminate emissions.
Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) is the DOD corporate environmental R&D program. It is planned and executed in full partnership with DOE and EPA, with the participation of numerous other federal and non-federal organizations. Within its broad areas of interest, the Program focuses on cleanup, compliance, conservation, and pollution prevention technologies.
Technology Innovation Program (U.S. Dept. of Commerce) was established for the purpose of assisting U.S. businesses and institutions of higher education or other organizations, such as national laboratories and nonprofit research institutes, to support, promote, and accelerate innovation in the United States through high-risk, high-reward research in areas of critical national need.
U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Technology and SBA SBIR Hot List describe the SBIR and STTR programs and provide links to various federal agency SBIR/STTR sites and other small business oriented technology programs.
Water Environment Research Foundation is a not-for-profit organization associated with the Water Environment Federation that provides a balanced water quality research program addressing current wastewater research needs and forecasting future directions. The foundation was established to advance science and technology for the water quality profession and promote the application of sound science and objective information to better serve the public.
WateReuse Foundation is an educational, nonprofit public benefit corporation that promotes public awareness and understanding of recycled water and facilitates the development of technology to improve water recycling. The Foundation's work provides education and research that benefit the environment, sustain agriculture and meet the needs of urban and industrial water users. The Foundation is an affiliate of the WateReuse Association.
Other Research and Development Centers
NSF Engineering Research Centers provide an integrated environment for academe and industry to focus on important next-generation advances in complex engineered systems. ERC activities lie at the interface between the discovery-driven culture of science and the innovation-driven culture of engineering, creating a synergy between science, engineering, and industrial practice. ERCs provide the intellectual foundation for industry to collaborate with faculty and students on resolving generic, long-range challenges producing the knowledge base for steady advances in technology and their speedy transition to the marketplace. Fact sheets provide information on each of the ERCs, including those with environmentally significant research subjects.
NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers program develops long-term partnerships among industry, academe, and government. With National Science Foundation and industrial support, the I/UCRCs stimulate highly leveraged industry/university cooperation by focusing on fundamental research recommended by Industrial Advisory Boards. A number of the centers directly or indirectly address environmentally relevant technologies.
Center for Power Electronics Systems (NSF Engineering Research Center) is a consortium of five universities (Virginia Tech, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Renssalaer Ploytechnic Institute, North Carolina A&T State University, and University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez) advancing power electronics technology by introducing an integrated system approach to standardizing components and packaging techniques in the form of integrated power electronics modules (IPEMs). These are pertinent to improving energy efficiency in lighting and industrial power applications as well as facilitating distributed power, new power technologies, and renewable energy.
Environmentally Benign Semiconductor Manufacturing (NSF/SRC ERC) develops science, technology, and educational methods necessary to lead the semiconductor industry to a new era of environmentally benign manufacturing. The University of Arizona (lead institution), Arizona State University, Cornell University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and MIT's Lincoln Laboratory, Stanford University, and University of California at Berkeley are participating institutions. The center is one of 20 NSF Science and Technology Centers.
Environmentally Responsible Solvents and Processes (NSF Science and Technology Center) involves participants from five academic institutions
and three national laboratories. It focuses on applications of liquid and supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) as process aids, cleaning agents, dispersants, and other industrial applications in lieu of more hazardous solvents and processes. The center is one of 20 NSF Science and Technology Centers.