Vartega Awarded Competitive Grant from the National Science Foundation
Vartega Awarded Competitive Grant from the National Science Foundation
Small Business Innovation Research Program Provides Seed Funding for R&D
GOLDEN, CO, April 30 – Vartega has been awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant for $224,998 to conduct research and development (R&D) work on carbon fiber reinforced polymer powders for additive manufacturing applications.
Vartega is leveraging its carbon fiber recycling technology and material development expertise to advance polymer feedstocks for powder bed fusion additive manufacturing. Vartega is developing a novel process that will allow thermoplastic powders to be reinforced with carbon fiber while ensuring these materials will produce functional parts in infrared additive systems. This advancement will enable digital manufacturers to realize the full potential of new powder-based hardware platforms to produce parts that perform similarly to injection molded materials at medium volume production rates.
“The National Science Foundation supports startups and small businesses with the most innovative, cutting-edge ideas that have the potential to become great commercial successes and make huge societal impacts,” said Graciela Narcho, Acting Director of Division of Industrial Innovation and Partnerships at NSF. “We hope that seed funding will spark solutions to some of the most important challenges of our time across all areas of science and technology.”
"Vartega is excited to bring advancements to powder bed fusion printing platforms through development in our novel additive materials,” said Alice Havill, Chief Operating Officer at Vartega. “By offering carbon fiber reinforced polymer powders, manufacturers in sectors like UAV and medical prosthetics will realize the benefits of fast, complex and customized 3D printing, while ensuring that their material selection will exhibit the structural integrity required for their product."
Once a small business is awarded a Phase I SBIR/STTR grant (up to $225,000), it becomes eligible to apply for a Phase II grant (up to $750,000). Small businesses with Phase II grants are eligible to receive up to $500,000 in additional matching funds with qualifying third-party investment or sales.
NSF accepts Phase I proposals from small businesses twice annually in June and December. Small businesses with innovative science and technology solutions, and commercial potential are encouraged to apply. All proposals submitted to the NSF SBIR/STTR program undergo a rigorous merit-based review process.
To learn more about America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF, visit: https://seedfund.nsf.gov/
About Vartega: Vartega is a recycler of advanced materials – specifically strong and lightweight carbon fiber. We are cultivating a sustainable future through the development of enabling technologies designed to preserve resources and achieve systematic sustainability. Our modular patent-pending carbon fiber recycling process scales easily to address a gap in the composites supply chain. Vartega’s carbon fiber and specialty thermoplastics are used in sporting goods, additive manufacturing, oil & gas, and vehicle lightweighting. Learn more at www.vartega.com
About the National Science Foundation's Small Business Programs: America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF awards $200 million annually to startups and small businesses, transforming scientific discovery into products and services with commercial and societal impact. Startups working across almost all areas of science and technology can receive up to $1.5 million in non-dilutive funds to support research and development (R&D), helping de-risk technology for commercial success. America’s Seed Fund is congressionally mandated through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. The NSF is an independent federal agency with a budget of about $8.1 billion that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering.