June 10, 2022 STRATAJAM Awarded Grant from the NSF

STRATAJAM awarded competitive grant from the National Science Foundation.

AUSTIN, TEXAS – STRATAJAM LLC, has been awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)/ Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant for $256,000.00 to conduct research and development (R&D) work on Real-Time Mineral Data Collection and Identification Module.

The project intends to use machine learning and unique sensor package to analyze the walls of mineral exploration and geotechnical bore holes and report the results in real time to the customer using a secure web portal.  The equipment is designed to cut mineral exploration and geotechnical drilling costs as well as environmental impacts. It will provide accurate and instantaneous results needed for important decision-making in the mining and construction industries.

“NSF is proud to support the technology of the future by thinking beyond incremental developments and funding the most creative, impactful ideas across all markets and areas of science and engineering,” said Andrea Belz, Division Director of the Division of Industrial Innovation and Partnerships at NSF. “With the support of our research funds, any deep technology startup or small business can guide basic science into meaningful solutions that address tremendous needs.”

 “We are pleased to be afforded this opportunity to continue the development of this disruptive technology to benefit society. Our technology will address many of the pain points engineers, geologists, and planners face in mining and construction. The award is an endorsement of the vision we have to simplify and make mineral exploration more affordable,” said Michael Medearis, Principal Investigator for the project. Texas State University welcomes the news, and as partners in this research, we will contribute resources and our expertise to the success of the project,” said Dr. Semih Aslan, Associate Professor at Texas State University.

Once a small business is awarded a Phase I SBIR/STTR grant (up to $275,000), it becomes eligible to apply for a Phase II (up to $1,000,000). Small businesses with Phase II funding are eligible to receive up to $500,000 in additional matching funds with qualifying third-party investment or sales.

Startups or entrepreneurs who submit a written Project Pitch will know within one month if they meet the program’s objectives to support innovative technologies that show promise of commercial and/or societal impact and involve a level of technical risk. Small businesses with innovative science and technology solutions, and commercial potential are encouraged to apply. All proposals submitted to the NSF SBIR/STTR program, also known as America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF, undergo a rigorous merit-based review process. To learn more about America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF, visit: https://seedfund.nsf.gov/

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 $2 million 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 $8.5 billion that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering.

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