SyracuseCoE’s Innovation Fund provides SyracuseCoE Partners with funding and technical support for overcoming barriers to commercialization of potentially transformative innovations. Projects may be awarded up to $10,000 and must be aligned with the commercialization of innovative products/technologies and focused on one or more of SyracuseCoE’s three core areas.
- Indoor Environmental Quality and Building Energy Efficiency
- Clean & Renewable Energy
- Water Resources
The Innovation Fund is funded by and for members of the SyracuseCoE Partner Program.
2021 Projects
Project Lead: Farm to Flame Energy
Project Type: Commercialization
Key Personnel: Kwaku Jyamfi
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Project Summary: Farm to Flame Energy has combined this Innovation Fund award with funds from an SBIR EPA grant to finish development of their first commercial 10KW unit. This has enabled them to the finish their generator, while they process the continuous fuel to support the 10KW unit being tested at the SyracuseCoE Headquarters building, as well as multiple other generators.
Project Lead: Upstate Parts & Supply
Project Type: Commercialization
Key Personnel: John DiMillo
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Project Summary: PliaPipe will compete against copper line-sets to provide a better piping solution for residential and commercial A/C and refrigeration applications. Successful testing will give PliaPipe its necessary ICC-ES Listing and will show compliance with necessary ASTM standards.
Project Lead: Vistex Composites
Project Type: Commercialization
Key Personnel: Casey Hoffman
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Project Summary: The goal of this project is to eliminate trimming as a bottleneck operation in composites manufacturing and provide Vistex customers with quality trimmed products that are completed in a quick and cost-effective manner.
Project Lead: Vistex Composites
Project Type: Commercialization
Key Personnel: Casey Hoffman
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Project Summary: Next-generation smart building requires health-energy nexus. This proposal fills the gap between healthy and energy-efficient buildings through an innovative, predictive, data-driven optimal HVAC controller that minimizes indoor infection risk while maximizing building energy efficiencies and savings.
2020 Projects
Project Lead: Acumen Detection
Project Type: Commercialization
Key Personnel: Chuck Stormon
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Project Summary: Acumen Detection will formulate, optimize, and get FDA emergency use authorization for a molecular assay for real-time PCR for COVID-19. The current $10,000 proposal will enable them to accelerate manufacturing by funding the procurement and setup of a laboratory to establish economical and repeatable manufacturing and quality control processes for COVID-19 assays.
Project Lead: Northeast Green Building Consulting
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Key Personnel: Josh Stack
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Project Summary: Northeast Green Building Consulting is seeking to synthesize innovative research in resilience science, healthy buildings, and passive strategies into a Resilience Audit and Standard — the Assessment for Developing Adaptation, Persistence & Transformability for Buildings (ADAPT for Buildings). The goal is to provide the design/engineering/construction industry with a state-of-the-art framework and tool containing quantifiable, verifiable metrics when designing, engineering, constructing, and verifying the performance of healthy and resilient buildings. ADAPT for Buildings will take form as a virtual, interactive App and workbook for a diversity of stakeholders including designers, engineers, builders, and manufacturers.
Project Lead: Air Innovations Inc.
Project Type: Commercialization
Key Personnel: Richard Bailey
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Project Summary: Air Innovations is enhancing their HEPAirX ventilating air purifier and HVAC unit to reduce disease transmission with negative pressure settings and UV-C light. After conducting the redesign, marketing materials will be created to address the needs of the dental market. Air Innovations is an affiliate partner that designs, tests and manufactures environmental control systems for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), custom HVAC projects and unique environments. They specialize in achieving consistent results in temperature control (low temperature and precision temp control), humidity control (desiccant to near saturation) and air filtration (HEPA to molecular).
Project Lead: M3 Innovation, LLC
Project Type: Commercialization
Key Personnel: Christopher Nolan
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Project Summary: M3 Innovation, LLC, co-located at the SyracuseCoE research facility, is developing a revolutionary platform for sports venues that will both provide efficient high quality lighting and also use ultraviolet lighting to sterilize the facilities from bacteria and viruses (specifically COVID-19). M3 Innovation is a startup partner comprised of founders and former engineers from Ephesus Lighting Inc., focused on developing lighting technology for the LED sports lighting market.
2019 Projects
Project Lead: Acumen Detection
Project Type: Commercialization
Key Personnel: Fathima Rinzan
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Project Summary: Acumen is in the process of developing a screening test to detect Mycoplasma bovis from deep nasal swabs of cattle. Early detection of Mycoplasma in cattle will aid in making timely and accurate herd management decisions and enable the farmer to increase their profits by saving the energy wasted on feeding, housing, and treating sick and non-productive animals. Those animals that can also spread the disease to healthy animals.
Project Lead: cocoon construct
Project Type: Commercialization
Key Personnel: Michele Knapp
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Project Summary: cocoon construct, based at the CleanTech Center at The Tech Garden, is developing a prefabricated panelized system that seeks to unlock the market for whole-building deep energy retrofits in New York State and create jobs at multiple manufacturers throughout the product’s supply chain.
Project Lead: Ducted Turbines International
Project Type: Commercialization
Area of Interest: Energy
Key Personnel: Ken Visser
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Project Summary: Ducted Turbines International, located in Potsdam and at the CleanTech Center, is commercializing a ducted turbine technology and needs to address key aspects of the system that are not readily available.
Project Lead: tkFabricate
Project Type: Commercialization
Area of Interest: Tom King
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Project Summary: tkFabricate is designing and constructing a prototype “Integrated Mechanical Systems Pod (IMSP)” sized to provide space conditioning (heating and cooling) and domestic hot water for individual attached single-family homes in the Syracuse Housing Authority’s “Scattered Sites” residences. This packaged mechanical unit will include air-to-water heat pumps and be an integral part of full building deep energy retrofits targeting increased thermal comfort and indoor air quality while achieving 75% energy use reduction when measured from existing building loads, thus enabling the residences to be capable of net zero energy use with subsequent installation of photovoltaic panels.
Project Lead: Vistex Composites
Project Type: Commercialization
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Key Personnel: Casey Hoffman
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Project Summary: Vistex Composites is performing product trimming in-house at their manufacturing facility and improve safety & air quality (meeting OSHA Standard 1910.1000 (air contaminants)). This will eliminate the frustrations associated with the two current options which are: 1. Attempting to perform trimming manually with facemask and air filter which can be unsafe; or 2. Outsourcing this portion of the manufacturing process – causing the company to lose production opportunities (significant unnecessary costs make price non-competitive & drastically extends lead times).
Project Lead: Edison Innovative Power
Project Type: Commercialization
Area of Interest: Energy
Key Personnel: James Morrison
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Project Summary: Edison Innovative Power, LLC, based at the CleanTech Center, will perform advanced thermal simulation and analysis on its product to drive design optimization and design verification prior to moving to production.
Project Lead: Farm to Flame Energy
Project Type: Commercialization
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Key Personnel: Will McKnight
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Project Summary: Farm to Flame Energy, a student-led venture from Syracuse University that is a member of the CleanTech Center, will construct a proof-of-concept prototype of a biomass-powered electricity generator that is capable of using any dry biomass feedstock.
Project Lead: LC Drives
Project Type: Commercialization
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Key Personnel: Russel Marvin
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Project Summary: LC Drives, located in Potsdam, is developing the next generation of electric motors that are smaller, lighter, and more efficient. This project will help scale the machine design and related manufacturing equipment.
2018 Projects
Project Lead: Bush Technical, LLC
Project Type: Commercialization
Key Personnel: Bill Bush
Funding Amount: $10,500
Start Date: 9/18/2018
End Date: 12/18/2018
Project Summary: Bush Technical’s successful demonstration of the “microScroll” compressor last year and the ongoing development of cost-effective manufacturing processes enables many opportunities for small, personal cooling systems. This proposal seeks to design and demonstrate a portable (“wearable”) cooling system designed to circulate chilled water through a cooling vest or similar personal cooling apparel. Funding amount provided is $10,000.
Project Lead: LC Drives Corp.
Project Type: Commercialization
Area of Interest: Energy
Key Personnel: Russel Marvin
Funding Amount: $10,000
Start Date: 10/17/18
End Date: 7/17/19
Project Summary: LC Drives is continuing to develop the next generation of electric motors that are smaller, lighter, and more efficient. This program will help develop the manufacturing processes necessary for scaling this design for use in utility scale wind turbines ultimately reducing the cost of wind power. Funding amount provided is $10,000.
Project Lead: WexEnergy
Project Type: Commercialization
Area of Interest: Energy
Key Personnel: Ron Wexler
Funding Amount: $10,000
Start Date: 1/25/19
End Date: 10/25/19
Project Summary: WexEnergy will modify existing photogrammetric software that is used to specify energy efficiency products for windows. Funding amount provided is $10,000.
2017 Projects
Project Lead: Air Innovations
Project Type: Commercialization
Area of Interest: IEQ
Key Personnel: Larry Wetzel
Funding Amount: $10,000
Start Date: 11/30/2017
End Date: 8/31/2018
Project Summary: Air Innovation proposed a revolutionary personal cooling and heating system that needed an industrial redesign. The unit was designed to change the way people managed their own personal comfort within workspaces. The system would save on building costs by running higher set points in the summer and lower temps in the winter, managing the direct environment people worked in.
Project Outcome: The company was able to design an enclosure, produce three prototypes and test the resulting system.
Project Lead: Bush Technical, LLC
Project Type: Commercialization
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Key Personnel: Bill Bush
Funding Amount: $10,000
Start Date: 1/24/2018
End Date: 10/24/2018
Project Summary: Bush Technical’s innovative microscroll compressors have multiple commercial applications for spot-cooling products. Funding for this project allowed Bush Technical to work with Syracuse University engineering students and faculty to develop a production machine and process that would optimize the finishing process.
Project Lead: LC Drives Corp.
Project Type: Commercialization
Area of Interest: Energy
Key Personnel: Russel Marvin
Funding Amount: $10,000
Start Date: 5/25/2017
End Date: 2/25/2018
Project Summary: LC Drives aimed to develop the next generation of electric motors that were smaller, lighter, and more efficient. This program would develop a vacuum pressure impregnation process for the motors that met its specific needs.
Funding Amount: $10,000
Start Date: 12/19/2017
End Date: 9/19/2018
Project Summary: LC Drives continued its work to develop next-generation electric motors. This project supported the development of an improved rotor cooling approach to keep the rotor and magnets cooler, allowing for the manufacture of smaller, more powerful motors and generators.
Project Outcome: LC Drives continued its work in developing electric motors with funding in 2018.
Piezeoelectric Microbalance Sensors for CO2 and Other Volatile Materials
Project Lead: MolecuSense Inc.
Project Type: Commercialization
Area of Interest: IEQ
Key Personnel: James Spencer
Funding Amount: $10,000
Start Date: 7/23/2017
End Date: 4/23/2018
Project Summary: MolecuSense was working to develop a new generation of solid state sensors with exceptional response and selectivity properties based upon the use of modified piezoelectric solid state oscillators, including functionalized Quartz Crystal Microbalances (QCM). Sensors based upon the response of such piezoelectric devices are expected to provide a unique platform for the selective detection of key target molecules, with ppb sensitivity and exceptional selectivity, similar to that found in immunoassay, and deliver devices that are inexpensive, robust, rapidly modified to new applications and broadly applicable to a variety of environmental, biomedical and threat-responses.
Project Outcome: The project funding allowed the company to prepare new molecular recognition coatings.
2016 Projects
Design and Build Dynamometer Cooling System for MW Scale System
Project Lead: LC Drives Corp.
Project Type: Commercialization
Area of Interest: Buildings
Key Personnel: Marvin Russel
Funding Amount: $10,000
Start Date: 5/15/2016
End Date: 2/15/2017
Project Summary: Following its wind turbine generator from the previous year, LC Drives’ next project with the Innovation Fund was to design and build dynamometer cooling system for megawatt (MW) scale systems. Funding went into the pumps component of the project.
Project Outcome: The company was awarded funding for the third consecutive year in 2017, this time for a next generation electric motor.
Portable Electric Vehicle Charging Units
Project Lead: SparkCharge
Project Type: Commercialization
Area of Interest: Energy/Batteries
Key Personnel: Joshua Aviv
Funding Amount: $6,199
Start Date: 6/13/2016
End Date: 1/31/2017
Project Summary: SparkCharge applied for funding to test the heat management system for its portable universal charging units for electric cars. Their portable charger allows electric vehicle owners to charge anytime and anywhere starting with a 5-mile battery pack.
Project Outcome: The project was extended through the next funding period.
Marketing Support for SHC Station
Project Lead: The Standard Hydrogen Corporation
Project Type: Commercialization
Area of Interest: Energy/ Hydrogen
Key Personnel: Paul Mutolo
Funding Amount: $10,000
Start Date: 6/1/2016
End Date: 11/30/2016
Project Summary:SHC required funding to clear remaining obstacles to building their initial demonstration hydrogen station. The funding went into building a financial and physical model of their system, which were to be used to communicate their value proposition to Con Edison and National Grid.
Project Outcome: The company were able to advance critical conversation with these two key utility. SHC are looking to build a demonstration station in New York State.
2015 Projects
A Novel Integration of Smart Sensing Systems with Environmental System Modeling for Sustainable and Healthy Buildings
Project Lead: Cortland Research
Project Type: Commercialization
Area of Interest: Buildings
Key Personnel: Steve McMahon
Funding Amount: $10,000
Start Date: 2/1/2016
End Date: 10/31/2016
Project Summary: Cortland Research required funds to make the modifications necessary to add the demand response functionality to their Point of Use Network Controlled Energy Management (POUNCE) System. The system was designed to perform as both an energy efficiency system and a demand response solution.
Project Outcome: Today, POUNCE systems are used by the New York City Department of Education in city schools, Corning, Onondaga Community College, and SUNY Cortland.
Zero Food Waste Processing
Project Lead: Full Circle Feed
Project Type: Commercialization
Area of Interest: Energy
Key Personnel: Michael Amadori
Funding Amount: $10,000
Start Date: 12/1/2015
End Date: 3/31/2016
Project Summary:Full Circle Feed aimed to develop a closed-loop process for dog treat production that turned their wastewater into renewable energy and a revenue source. This transformative innovation to their dog treat process would have allowed them to scale their process.
Wind Turbine Generator
Project Lead: LC Drives Corp.
Project Type: Commercialization
Area of Interest: Energy/Wind
Key Personnel:Russel Marvin
Funding Amount: $10,000
Start Date: 6/1/2015
End Date: 3/1/2016
Project Summary: LC Drives wanted to develop a key manufacturing process for a newly designed wind turbine generator. The wind turbine generator was to help bring down the cost of energy from wind power.
Project Outcome: These programs allowed the interns to complete in-depth design work needed to help move the company forward and allowed both the intern and the company to decide if a longer term permanent employment arraignment would make sense.
Wind Turbine Generator II
Project Lead: LC Drives Corp.
Project Type: Commercialization
Area of Interest: Energy/Wind
Key Personnel:Russel Marvin
Funding Amount: $10,000
Start Date: 3/1/2016
End Date: 12/1/2016
Project Summary: Following the success of the designing, building and testing of the previous component, LC Drives sought to develop a key manufacturing process for another component in the final assembly of the wind turbine generator.
Project Outcome: Following the successful completion of these projects, LC Drives was awards funding in the following year for the development of a megawatt scale cooling system.
Proprietary LED Lighting Technology
Project Lead: LED Spirit, Inc.
Project Type: Commercialization
Area of Interest: Buildings
Key Personnel: Alcinda Miller
Funding Amount: $10,000
Start Date: 12/27/2015
End Date: 9/26/2016
Project Summary: LED Spirit aimed to create new and proprietary LS Core technology with no printed circuit board, no heat sink, negligible heat generation, eco-friendly resulting in a 40% reduction in cost of manufacturing with up to 50% increased energy efficiency for 4 feet T8 LED tube lights.
Testing of Vertical Stack Induction/Fan Coil Unit
Project Lead: NuClimate Air Quality Systems, Inc.
Project Type: Commercialization
Area of Interest: Buildings
Key Personnel: John DiMillo
Funding Amount: $10,000
Start Date: 9/1/2014
End Date: 5/31/2015
Project Summary: NuClimate Air Quality Systems required funding for independent testing and final product revisions for their Vertical Stack Induction/Fan Coil Unit (Model QMH). The unit was to be a direct replacement for conventional Vertical Stack Fan Coil Units in the light commercial and commercial market place and was designed to consume no more than 25% of the energy of current products.
Project Outcome: They were able to achieve their project objective and the final product was released to the market in April 2016.
CHP Solar Technology Development
Project Lead: Solstice Power LLC
Project Type: Commercialization
Area of Interest: Energy/Wind
Key Personnel: James Shomar
Funding Amount: $10,000
Start Date: 9/1/2014
End Date: 5/31/2015
Project Summary: Following its project from the previous year, Solstice Power requested for funding to test its “Hybrid System” product, a solar panel that used renewable, low-cost, on-site, combined heat and power solar technology. It was designed to generate three times the electrical energy efficiency of traditional fixed mounted flat panel solar systems.
Project Outcome: With the funding, they were able to conduct sustained system testing and completed a patent application for the product.
2014 Projects
Scaling Production of Fermentable Sugars
Project Lead: Avatar Sustainable Technologies
Project Type: Research
Area of Interest: Energy
Key Personnel: Bhavin Bhanyani
Funding Amount: $25,000
Start Date: 8/1/2014
End Date: 4/30/2015
Project Summary:Avatar Sustainable Technologies developed an efficient, scalable process using enzymes to produce fermentable sugars out of solid waste, requiring fewer steps, producing higher yields, higher quality thereby reducing waste.
The awarded funding was used to scale up the process from bench scale (2lbs) to pilot scale (200 lbs) through optimization. The scale-up initiative was designed to enhance investor and customer confidence in the proposed process.
Project Outcome: The company won a Small Business Vouchers Pilot award from the U.S. Department of Energy to work with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to conduct studies on the enzyme.
Energy Efficient and High Performing Power Supply with Monitoring Functionality
Project Lead: Ephesus Lighting
Project Type: Commercialization
Area of Interest: Energy
Key Personnel: Jeff Shuster
Funding Amount: $19,635
Start Date: 9/1/2014
End Date: 5/31/2015
Project Summary:Ephesus Lighting proposed to use funds awarded to design, develop, and test an intelligent power supply not offered in the marketplace with twice the power output, lower standby power, and novel monitoring capabilities.
Project Outcome:The following year, Ephesus Lighting was acquired by Eaton. The company continues to shine brightly, lighting up sports events with their efficient LED technology.
Researching the Effects of an Innovative Middle School Renovation on Student Performance – Bridge Phase
Project Lead: King+King
Project Type: Research
Area of Interest: IEQ
Key Personnel: Pete King
Funding Amount: $15,000
Start Date: 8/1/2014
End Date: 4/30/2014
Project Summary:King + King Architects led a research project to test the connection between the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) of school buildings and the learning and teaching performance of its occupants. The research also aimed to scientifically prove there was a connection between interdisciplinary project-based learning and the spatial design of schools.
The awarded funding supported “bridge” activities between the collection of data and dissemination of results, including the development of a web site and a workshop with national leaders in this field of research.
Project Outcome: The company was able to carry out its objectives.
Field Testing E. Coli Sensor
Project Lead: Quansor Corporation
Project Type: Commercialization
Area of Interest: Urban Environments
Key Personnel: John Merrill
Funding Amount: $24,902
Start Date: 9/1/2014
End Date: 5/31/2015
Project Summary: Quansor Corporation sought to demonstrate a benchtop detector of waterborne E. coli bacteria by combining two innovations, (a) its own quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) platform and (b) an innovative modified mannose receptor to bind E.coli. It also aimed to develop a statistical validation and field test plan for the sensor in Cortland County.
Project Outcome:The company was able to achieve its objectives with a final demonstration at the Cortland Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Development of Renewable, Low Cost and On-Site Heat and Power Solar Technology
Project Lead: Solstice Power LLC
Project Type: Commercialization
Area of Interest: Energy
Key Personnel: James Shomar
Funding Amount: $24,710
Start Date: 7/1/2014
End Date: 3/31/2015
Project Summary:Solstice Power developed and integrated a low cost combined solar thermal and power generation system. The compact generator was designed to use a powerful Fresnel lens (~ 800 x concentration) to focus light onto ~ 1 cm x 1 cm multi-junction solar cells rated at 40% electrical efficiency, more than twice that of standard silicon solar cells.
Project Outcome: The company was awarded a second consecutive Innovation Fund award the following year to fund research into the resulting system – “The Solstice Power Hybrid System”.
Blowing Off Steam: The Case for Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) Heat Pumps To Replace Steam, New York’s Biggest Energy and Water User
Project Lead: Taitem Engineering
Project Type: Commercialization
Area of Interest: Energy
Key Personnel: Ian Shapiro
Funding Amount: $24,752
Start Date: 7/1/2014
End Date: 3/31/2015
Project Summary: Taitem Engineering developed a market analysis and energy and water conservation potential of converting steam-heating systems to variable refrigerant flow (VRF) heat pump systems in New York State.
Project Outcome: The report was released in 2017.