PRESS RELEASE: 401 Tech Bridge Launches Materials Innovation Challenge to Accelerate Advanced Materials and Technology Development

PRESS RELEASE: 401 Tech Bridge Launches Materials Innovation Challenge to Accelerate Advanced Materials and Technology Development

PORTSMOUTH, RI, September 22, 2020 401 Tech Bridge, an economic development organization that connects manufacturers, small businesses, research and development entities, trade organizations and state and defense agencies to collaborate in the development of new advanced materials, technologies and products, today announced its new Materials Innovation Challenge. The competitive program offers businesses the opportunity to leverage academic resources such as research, validation and testing to accelerate the development of advanced materials and technologies.

Advanced materials are changing the face of virtually every industry, from aerospace and automotive to energy and oceanographic technology, by continuing to push the boundaries of what is possible. The funding provided by the 401 Tech Bridge Materials Innovation Challenge is designed to pilot innovative new ways to support the commercialization of technology, products and processes. This includes the ability to collaborate with University of Rhode Island (URI) Professors Arun Shukla, Sumanta Das or Helio Matos — three of the preeminent advanced materials researchers in the country — to explore new opportunities or solve existing problems.

“URI has virtually unlimited potential as far as faculty, students and research tools to perform truly ground-breaking advanced materials research. A lot of these resources are not currently available to companies, especially smaller ones, so they can really benefit from this opportunity,” said Katherine Flynn, executive director of the University of Rhode Island Business Engagement Center. “At the same time, the students get to see their research ideas come to life in real world applications.”

401 Tech Bridge serves as a super-connector for companies that are developing leading-edge advanced materials, technologies, and products; governmental organizations and major corporations with funded projects that call for advanced materials and technologies; and the region’s academic institutions who have related knowledge base and research capabilities. By facilitating these unprecedented connections and collaboration throughout its network, 401 Tech Bridge acts as a one-stop resource to help companies accelerate the journey from concept to prototype to commercialization while making the transfer of technology faster, easier and more collaborative.

“There are incredible resources and talent available in the state of Rhode Island. 401 Tech Bridge helps fill a critical gap to enable academia to collaborate with commercial entities and government partners,” said Mary Johnson, manager, 401 Tech Bridge.  “This includes bringing people together that not only understand the technology, but how to successfully bring a product to market.”

The 401 Tech Bridge Materials Innovation Challenge is supported by MEP National Network, NIST National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), URI Business Engagement Center, URI College of Engineering and URI Ventures. During the application process, companies will identify a need related to the development of a new or improved material, product or process and collaborate with the University of Rhode Island’s Dynamic Photomechanics Laboratory or the Multiscale & Multiphysics Mechanics of Materials Research Laboratory to develop a scope of work encompassing expertise, equipment and services.

The application period is currently open and closes on October 19. Awarded projects will begin in early 2021. Innovators, business and technical leads from companies with an interest in advanced materials research are invited to apply. Applicants do not need to be Rhode Island-based or of a certain size to submit. Those that are interested in learning more are encouraged to attend an informational webinar on September 24 from 3:00-4:30 pm.

About 401 Tech Bridge
401 Tech Bridge accelerates the journey from concept to prototype to commercial scale while creating business opportunities. It facilitates collaboration across industry, government and academia and leverages the resources and expertise of its vibrant advanced materials and technology ecosystem, which spans industries and activities ranging from infrastructure development and naval research to oceanographic and offshore wind enterprises. 401 Tech Bridge offers meeting, training, lab and equipment space for industry, government, and academic partners to collaboratively problem-solve, develop concepts, build and test prototypes, and present solutions. It also connects companies into research divisions at the University of Rhode Island and other universities and institutions across the region, offering facilities for research, prototyping, testing and validation of concepts alongside faculty researchers and students.

The 401 Tech Bridge is a business unit of The University of Rhode Island Research Foundation, and serves as a partner intermediary organization for the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport, supporting the Naval X Northeast Tech Bridge. It receives support from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NIST MEP), the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation, The Rhode Island Foundation, and the Van Beuren Charitable Foundation.

For more information, visit https://401techbridge.org/.

CONTACT
For media & PR inquiries:
SVM on behalf of 401 Tech Bridge
Jill Colna or Hillary Lima
401.490.9700
401TechBridge@svmpr.com