The NC State Office of Research Commercialization (ORC) in collaboration with KIETS has established a formalized support process called the Spark Plug Initiative that will help NC State researchers and startups to maximize their potential for success on SBIR/STTR proposals.
In 2024, ORC continued a partnership with the First Flight Venture Center (FFVC) and their Liftoff, FAST, and Propeller Programs. These programs aim to increase university startups’ chances of winning non-dilutive grant funding from the Federal SBIR/STTR Programs.
The Spark Plug Program has funded five companies in FY 2023-24 including the following:
- Redeem Solar Technologies: Hydrogen storage technology – long duration storage and economic H2 transporting in liquid, eliminates the need for high pressure storage or expensive materials.
- Nicelle Technologies: Recycling / upcycling acrylic utilizing lignin for creation of fiber products for faux hair and other fiber markets. KIETS Associate Director served as a faculty mentor for the Nicelle team in the Fall 2023 TEC program course.
- Ancilla Biosciences: Harnessing the natural function of CRISPR to develop a new class of Live Biotherapeutics (LBPs) and other bacterial products with engineered immunity against destructive viruses.
- Grade-It: Computer application to produce, administer, and score constructed-response mathematical problems (“word problems”) for partial credit.
- NC Solar Inverters: Building a more reliable inverter for utility and large commercial PV installations. KIETS Associate Director served as a faculty mentor for the NC Solar Inverters team in the Spring 2024 TEC program course.
Zach Williams, New Ventures Program Manager, has continued spending a portion of his time supporting the teams as they have participated in the program. Since its launch in late 2019, the Spark Plug program has funded 20 NC State startups that have gone on to generate over $3.6 million in SBIR/STTR funding.
Among some recent follow-on awards for SparkPlug support recipients, in Fall 2023 Mammae Biosciences won a $271K NSF Phase 1 SBIR award, Helixomer won a $983K NIH Phase 2 SBIR award, and Teen Health Research won a $340K NIH Phase 1 STTR award. In FY 2023-24, the Spark Plug program engaged 20 faculty, four graduate students, and two post-docs.