State awards Boulder, Longmont companies advanced industry grants

Four Boulder companies, one Longmont company and the University of Colorado-Boulder have received grants from the state of Colorado’s Advanced Industry Accelerator Grant Program.

Gov. John Hickenlooper and the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade announced Tuesday that the state is awarding the companies and the university a total of $1.9 million in proof-of-concept and early stage capital and retention grants to support key industries.

Early stage capital and retention grantees:

SPONSORED CONTENT

How dispatchable resources enable the clean energy transition

Platte River must prepare for the retirement of 431 megawatts (MW) of dispatchable, coal-fired generation by the end of the decade and address more frequent extreme weather events that can bring dark calms (periods when there is no sun or wind).

• Ascentia Imaging Inc. in Boulder received $150,000 for its optical digital technology that makes specialized measurements.
• Beneath the Ink Inc. in Boulder was awarded $245,675 for eBooks that allow authors and readers to connect.
• Clear Comfort in Boulder received $250,000 for its technology to eliminate or reuse chlorine in pools and spas.
• ION Engineering in Boulder was given $250,000 for its work to lower fossil fuel emissions.
• Synkera Technologies Inc. in Longmont received $250,000 for gas sensors that can be integrated with mobile devices and other items to detect carbon monoxide, alcohol on the breath and indoor air quality.

Proof-of-Concept Grantees:

• CU-Boulder was awarded $148,410 for development of advanced polymers for commercialization in the orthopedics and prosthetics industries.
• CU-Boulder received an additional $150,000 for the university’s work with Ball Aerospace on an Airborne Dual Frequency LIDAR to detect petrochemical leaks.

Formed last year, the Advanced Industry Accelerator Programs have awarded $8.3 million in grants.

“It’s exciting to see this program working to bring pioneering ideas from concept to development to the global marketplace,” Hickenlooper said in a statement. “It’s companies like these and our advanced industries that will help Colorado continue to grow jobs and build our economy for the future.”