The Ohio Third Frontier Commission on Wednesday approved $12.5 million to support startups, commercialize technologies, and help companies develop innovative products. Two-thirds of the money, or more than $8.4 million, was awarded to The University of Akron, the Cleveland Clinic and four other Northeast Ohio businesses and research entities.
Other recipients statewide were: Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, The Ohio State University, OsteoNovus Inc., Rekovo LLC, and Ohio University.
"Taking ideas and getting them to the marketplace strengthens Ohio’s technology economy," David Goodman, director of the Ohio Development Services Agency and chair of the Ohio Third Frontier Commission, said in a written statement. "In addition, moving the state’s companies to the next level with new products will keep them competitive, ensuring jobs for Ohio’s future."
Six Northeast Ohio entities won Ohio Third Frontier Technology Validation and Start-Up Awards, which provides grants in two phases: first, when a company demonstrates that a technology can be commercialized, via activities such as testing or prototyping; and second, when Ohio startups license and ultimately commercialize technology developed at Ohio higher education or nonprofit research institutions.
— Akron Ascent Innovations LLC was awarded $100,000 to commercialize a dry, reusable adhesive that can be removed easily without damaging surfaces or leaving a sticky residue.
— The Cleveland Clinic was awarded $50,000 to validate a rapid eye-tracking method for detecting social attention deficits to help identify individuals at risk of Autism Spectrum Disorders and track treatment progress.
— iRxReminder LLC of Cleveland was awarded $100,000 to commercialize a pill-dispensing device that reminds patients to take their medication and tracks their usage.
— Kent State University was awarded two $50,000 grants, for technology to improve the energy efficiency of certain types of LCDs and for new thin film materials to improve the quality of OLED displays.
— Miach Medical Innovation, Inc. of Shaker Heights was awarded $100,000 to prototype and test a feeding tube with embedded sensors that can be inserted more accurately and monitored more closely.
— The University of Akron was awarded five $50,000 grants for: a new low-cost, reliable technology for hybrid car engines; imaging goggles to make cancer surgeries less expensive; new technology to prevent cell phone screens from cracking; a 3D-printed socket to reduce the discomfort of prosthetics; and software for faster graphics processing in computers.
In addition, the Cleveland Clinic and The University of Akron also won sizeable Ohio Third Frontier Innovation Platform Awards, which provides grants to link research at Ohio’s colleges, universities and nonprofit research institutions to the needs of Ohio companies.
— The Cleveland Clinic was awarded $2,999,936 in collaboration with Renovo Biosciences, Renovo Neural, Juventas Therapeutics, ImageIQ and ChanTest, for a project to develop a rodent imaging center at the Cleveland Clinic to better understand human diseases.
— The University of Akron was awarded $3 million in collaboration with PolyOne, Lubrizol, SNS NanoFiber, Viscus Biologics and Austen BioInnovation Institute in Akron, for a project that will develop numerous products including novel polymers, X-ray shielding materials, protective coatings for medical devices and catheters, and antimicrobial materials for wound healing.
— The University of Akron was also awarded $1,744,192 in collaboration with Exacter, Inc. and Jacco & Associates, for a project to develop a smart sensor platform for mitigating electrical grid outages, and an HVAC sensor system to regulate airflow and improve system efficiency.
