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Small Business in Medford, Mass. Receives $70,000 for Environmental Innovation

Release Date: 03/23/2007
Contact Information: Paula Ballentine, 617-918-1027

(Boston, Mass. - March 23, 2006) - Using a $70,000 EPA contract, Xtalic Corp. of Medford, Mass. will further develop a nanotechnology to produce coatings for many applications that do not use hexavalent chromium, a known carcinogen.

The company is one of 36 nationally to receive one of the EPA contracts, under the “Small Business Innovation Research” (SBIR) program. The purpose of the SBIR program is to strengthen the role of small businesses in federally funded research and development, and help develop a stronger national base for technical innovation. Xtalic Corp. is also one of five New England companies – four in Mass. and one in Conn. – selected for an SBIR contract this month.

"Xtalic Corporation is committed to developing hexavalent-chromium free electroplating processes that deliver enhanced performance at lower cost. We are grateful to the EPA for providing funding to Xtalic to develop a high-volume, hexavalent-free hard coating process that meets these goals," said Alan Lund, President and CTO of Xtalic Corp.

The 22 million small businesses in the United States employ about 51 percent of the private work force and develop most of the country’s new technologies. Years ago, Congress recognized the need to strengthen the participation of small businesses in federally-funded research and development by passing a law creating the Small Business Innovation Research. An SBIR small business is defined as a for-profit organization with no more than 500 employees.

EPA solicits research proposals for SBIR grants each year. The next Phase I solicitation opens on March 15 and closes May 16, 2007.

More information: EPA’s SBIR program (epa.gov/ncer/sbir)

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