TAGS: Marine and Protective Coatings Industrial Coatings Sustainability / Natural Coatings
Repela Tech LLC, a Detroit-based sustainability tech startup from Wayne State University, was awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II grant totaling $993,788 for research and development on a patent-pending (WSU Tech ID 20-1601), first-of-a-kind, safe antifouling marine coating.
Non-toxic Antifoulant
The project, “STTR Phase II: The Next Generation of Environmentally Friendly Coatings for Marine Antifouling,” will further develop a novel non-toxic
antifoulant that keeps the hulls of marine vessels clear of biofouling without the environmental harm imposed by current antifoulant products.
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The importance of this award from NSF cannot be overstated,” said Sheu-Jane Gallagher, Ph.D., co-founder of Repela Tech.
“The funding will enable Repela to advance its innovative coating technology, which promises to protect the Great Lakes and other precious bodies of water and thereby contribute to a more sustainable future for all.”
The objectives of the next phase of the project is to fine tune the formulation of the novel coating to meet marine end user performance requirements and regulatory benchmarks and to demonstrate small-batch production capabilities. The work will lead to a rigorously tested, high-performing eco-friendly antifouling solution that will be ready for the marketplace.
The company was co-founded by Zhiqiang Cao, Ph.D., professor of chemical engineering and materials science in Wayne State University’s College of Engineering, and Edward Kim, a former mentor-in-residence at the university and an angel investor.
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Repela is a great example of how providing gap funding — such as TDI and ADVANCE grants — and mentor support can really help to de-risk the technology and accelerate the process of finding a product-market fit,” said Kim.
“To date, Repela has raised more than $1.3 million in grant and angel funding, and much credit goes to Wayne State’s Office of the Vice President for Research and Dr. Joan Dunbar, retired associate vice president for technology commercialization, who provided critical support during the very early stage of IP development.”
Source: Wayne State University