Department of Commerce awards $5m to small businesses under SBIR program

The Department of Commerce has awarded almost $5 million to 17 small businesses under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program to support microelectronics research projects that have the potential to be commercialized.

The 17 companies include California-based HighRI Optics, which is developing technology to calibrate extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithographic tools; Colorado-based Octave Photonics, which is developing tools to analyze airborne contaminants inside and outside chip fabs; Oregon-based Provenance Chain Network, which is developing a Commerical Trust Protocol to help support and manage the microelectronics supply chain industry; and Texas-based Exigent Solutions, which is developing AI-powered software to automate chip design optimization.

“As we grow the US semiconductor industry, the Biden-Harris Administration is committed to building opportunities for small businesses to prosper,” said US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “With today’s awards, these 17 businesses will support CHIPS for America’s efforts to grow the US semiconductor ecosystem and support our national and economic security.”

Laurie E. Locascio, Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), added: “NIST and CHIPS for America are proud to support these small businesses as they take innovations, scale them for the commercial marketplace, and boost the U.S. economy. We are happy to support the entrepreneurs with great ideas as they seek to build the next great American company.”