SynMatter, a company based at Space Florida’s Space Life Sciences Lab near Kennedy Space Center, is using NASA technology to address the widespread issue of corrosion. The National Association of Corrosion Engineers estimates that corrosion costs the global economy $2.5 trillion due to its effects on infrastructure, which can lead to shutdowns and accidents.
The company has developed surface coatings containing smart particles that can sense and respond to environmental changes, helping to prevent corrosion and biofouling in critical structures. In 2019, SynMatter received the TechConnect National Innovation Award for the potential impact of this technology.
Beyond preventing corrosion, SynMatter is working on smart particles designed for use in fertilizers, personal care products, and household cleaners. These innovations aim to increase efficiency and reduce environmental impact by lowering the amount of material needed.
In February 2024, SynMatter was recognized with the Synapse Innovation Award for Emerging Tech at the Synapse Summit. This recognition followed nearly ten years of work by its team led by CEO and Chief Scientist Jun Zhang, Ph.D.
The startup secured a $200,000 NASA Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award with support from The Corridor on its proposal. It also received a $1 million Phase II SBIR award from the National Science Foundation to help commercialize its products. Additional support came from organizations such as the Florida-Israel Joint Innovation Partnership’s joint fund and pitch competitions hosted by Florida Venture Forum and Cade Museum.
SynMatter has participated in several entrepreneurial programs including Cenfluence Energy + Environmental Sciences Cluster as an inaugural member, FL FAST which supported its NASA SBIR proposal, UCF I-Corps Program, Advanced Materials Processing and Analysis Center (AMPAC) at UCF, Space Florida initiatives, Florida Venture Forum events, Synapse Florida activities, and was a finalist for the Cade Prize in 2017.
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