“The goal of our research, a collaboration between Ponce Health Sciences University and CDI Laboratories in Mayagüez, is to identify new ways to diagnose endometriosis through a blood sample. Endometriosis, a gynecological condition that causes severe pelvic pain and infertility, can only be diagnosed through a surgical process known as laparoscopy. The funds we obtained through an STTR grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development helped us to carry out the validation phase of the preliminary results that indicated that there is a panel of biomarkers in the blood that can distinguish female patients without the condition (controls).”

“PRatian LLC received an SBIR grant of $ 200,000 from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The funds were used to expand and commercialize our innovative technology known as “AgroBeads”. These are small biodegradable spheres that supply plants with nutrients and the right amount of water needed for proper and healthy growth. The SBIR funds allowed the expansion of the work team, and the development of technology so it could work on different types of soils.”

“BIDEA LLC is a company founded in 2016 by four Scientific Researchers with the determination to develop a non-invasive, fast, precise and simple test that can be used by gynecologists in their private offices or hospitals that allows the early detection of cancer cells, and in this way, increase the chances of survival and of successful treatment. Our mission is to lay the foundations that allow us to become a leading industry in the early diagnosis of cancer. These funds have allowed our company to demonstrate the viability of our technology, in addition to allowing us to begin the development of a first Generation I prototype, defining and documenting its designs. Likewise, it has allowed us, during this process, to obtain other funds and identify important collaborators and possible partnerships.”

“BIDEA’s offering is a cancer diagnostic system that will consist of a device that reads the changes in charge transfer (Rct) generated in our sensor band. The strip is similar in size and handling to a portable glucose sensor. With the NSF-SBIR Phase I, BIDEA has created an innovative screening test, which will also provide a non-invasive method for the rapid, accurate and early detection of cancer. The functionality of this product was demonstrated, as well as the definition and documentation of the input designs of the device, as part of our Design Generation I.”

“We at Cleancult are committed to fixing the entire process of cleaning our homes, not only through the use of eco-friendly ingredients derived from renewable sources, but also including in our plan the reduction our carbon footprint through innovative packaging and agreements for the reforestation of our forests. Thanks to the SBIR grants and matching funds provided by the PRSTRT, we have been able to advance our development agenda for natural ingredients capable of increasing the effectiveness of our products, making them more competitive in the market compared to petroleum-based cleaners. These grants are an extraordinary financing mechanism for emerging companies, it does not put the participation of partners at risk since it does not require dilution or repayment to the sponsoring agency. ”

“We at CDI are convinced that the root of the great problems that personalized medicine faces lies in the set of proteins that make up our body and how groups of these interact, in a way, often aberrant, and at other times favorably with our own immune system. CDI controls the most powerful tool out there to decode these interactions. The SBIR and STTR grants have helped us advance the development of our platform by taking risky steps without suffering dilution of our participation in the company. In addition, winning these grants has helped us to validate our ideas in front of highly critical panels.”