SBIR/STTR (Fiscal Year 2023)
The Fiscal Year 2023 SBIR/STTR program included a stand-alone CABLE topic. However, proposals for enhanced conductivity materials were also sought on two subtopics:
- 10d for a Joint EERE Decarbonization topic as Industrial Decarbonization subtopic.
- The Department of Energy (DOE) emphasizes the significance of industrial energy efficiency as a pivotal strategy for reducing carbon emissions and cutting costs within the industrial sector. While process optimization contributes to efficiency gains, the DOE underscores the necessity for innovative materials research and development (R&D) to achieve more ambitious emission and cost reductions. In particular, there is a focus on electrification for industrial decarbonization, seeking novel conductor materials and cost-effective processes to enhance their performance beyond conventional materials like copper or aluminum. In this subtopic, the DOE encouraged small businesses to collaborate with research institutes possessing expertise in characterization, theory, modeling, and simulation relevant to enhanced conductivity. The ultimate goal was to foster breakthrough changes in manufacturing processes, improving conductivity, affordability, non-conductivity performance, and manufacturability of materials. Applicants were asked to clearly articulate their project’s connection to either theory/modeling/simulation or characterization, detailing research institute partnerships, application space, targeted industries, and a feasible integration plan into industrial applications. Additionally, the DOE emphasized the incorporation of smart manufacturing technologies, including advanced sensors, data analytics, IoT, ICT equipment, and digital twins, in the pursuit of material efficiency technologies.
- 20c for an AMMTO topic’s broad-based “other” subtopic.
- In addition to the specific subtopics listed above, AMMTO invited grant applications in other areas relevant to this Topic that enable Next Generation Materials and Manufacturing Processes as well as Secure and Sustainable Materials. For example, notional metrics for next generation materials and manufacturing technologies as well as for secure and sustainable materials are in the table below.
Example Metrics for Subtopic C
| Parameter | Target* | Stretch Target |
| For Structural Materials mechanical properties such as yield strength, stiffness, ductility | >20% improvement | >35% improvement |
| For Functional Materials their electric, electronic, magnetic, and/or optical Properties (e.g. conductivity) | >7% improvement | >15% improvement |
| For Advanced manufacturing technologies such as one of the seven types of additive manufacturing, manufacturing parameters such as throughput, precision | >20% improvement | >35% improvement |
| For sustainable materials, lifecycle cost and emissions reductions | >20% improvement | >35% improvement |
| For secure materials, RDD&D leading to the U.S. producing more than this share of global materials | >15% improvement | >30% improvement |
*Over well-defined baseline for that material or manufacturing process
The CABLE-related awardees for Phase I of the Fiscal Year 2023 SBIR/STTR program are detailed below. There were no FY23 Phase II CABLE SBIR/STTR awardees due in part to proposals being too low TRL, but also in part to delays and subsequent missed deadlines caused by a new foreign partner vetting process.
Table 6. FY23 Phase I CABLE SBIR/STTR Awardees
| Business | Project Title |
| HyperTech* | Advanced Processing of Nanocarbon Enhanced-Copper Conductors |
| Multi3D Inc. | Highly Conductive Polymer Composites Enable Next-Generation Electronics Manufacturing |
| Tetramer Technologies | Polymer Composites with Enhanced Thermal Conductivity |
*Announced, but substantially delayed and eventually not funded after all.
