Innovators Found. Meet our Alumni.
The first 50 finalist companies that participated in NASA iTech forums have raised more than 410 million in private investment dollars in two and a half years. We're making things happen that propel real businesses, can help future NASA missions, and save taxpayers real dollars because we're not reinventing the wheel.
Meet our amazing alumni who are truly changing the world, across many different verticals.
Aequor Inc.
San Diego, CA
Winner, 2016 Cycle I
Cynthia Burzell
Founder and Chief Scientific Officer
Aequor Inc., is leveraging non-toxic molecules added to the water system to prevent and remove existing biofilm that develops on the water filtration system on the International Space Station, reducing contamination in life support systems and improving crew health. NASA scientists at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center have been working with Aequor to test their molecules and the results have been successful.
Aesop Technologies
Hampton, VA
Finalist, 2017 Cycle II
Aesop Technologies is creating a compelling and uniquely scalable solar-powered product, reducing not only energy consumption but the need for excessive space per square foot.
Airbus DS Space Systems
MAPT Team
Webster, TX
Finalist, 2016 Cycle I
Hans Zachraum
Senior Project Manager
Airbus DS Space Systems MAPT Team's new radiation monitoring technology combines the advantages of currently available dosimeter and spectrometer technologies into one compact device.
Alertgy
Melbourne, FL
Winner, 2019 Cycle II
Alertgy's wearable noninvasive continuous glucose monitor and alert system measures blood glucose levels in real time. It provide accurate continuous blood glucose measurements without the customary needle prick and meter device and provides life-saving alerts when glucose levels are dangerously high or low.
Analytical Space Inc.
Cambridge, MA
Winner, 2018 Cycle III
Analytical Space Inc., offers an exciting new data relay network solution to dramatically expand the utilization of Earth-observation technology and provide satellites with more opportunities to downlink data.
Aris MD
Wilmington, DE
Winner, 2019 Cycle I
Aris MD brings data from MRI, CT, Ultrasound–or any other standard medical scans–to life in 3D. This innovation enables easier diagnosis, augmented surgery planning and practice, better patient communication, enhanced remote collaboration and improved surgery/construction.
Artimus Robotics
Boulder, CO
Finalist, 2018 Cycle III
Artimus Robotics is building soft robotic actuators for Earth and space applications. Robots and machines utilizing unique materials for electromechanical actuators will improve productivity and enhance quality of life.
AsterTech LLC
Dayton, OH
Finalist, 2018 Cycle II
AsterTech LLC proposes a highly-efficient, low-cost, and light-weight photovoltaic (PV) technology that is based on the 3D additive manufacturing of hybrid perovskite materials.
Ateios Inc.
La Jolla, CA
Finalist, 2018 Cycle II
Ateios Inc., has developed a platform technology based on a nano-composite ink to develop the first printable, stretchable battery that can be printed at a low cost enabling ubiquitous and conformal electronics.
Atomos Nuclear and Space
Denver, CO
Finalist, 2018 Cycle II
Atomos Nuclear and Space is developing a fission power system for high-power space applications, pioneering the commercialization of nuclear technologies for space exploration and development through a robust business model.
Audacy
Mountain View, CA
Finalist, 2017 Cycle I
Audacy is creating a seamless and on-demand satellite communications architecture, dramatically improving satellite communications infrastructure by deploying a highly multi-user commercial space relay network to efficiently allocate spectrum.
Baker Street Scientific
Rome, GA
Finalist, 2019 Cycle I
Baker Street Scientific’s Emergence and Associative Analytics Science and Technology discovers, extracts and presents deep and broad detail and intelligence from complex data for better, faster and more accurate decision making at higher confidence levels. This reveals unbiased, never-before-seen, relevance within data associations, regardless of where or on what station/platform the data was captured.
BioVirtua
San Francisco, CA
Finalist, 2018 Cycle I
BioVirtua sequences human movement, both in-person and remotely, without using wearable sensors in order to unlock quantifiable insights for rehabilitation, human performance and telehealth encounters. Human movement can be non-invasively collected and assessed on earth, or elsewhere.
Bitome Inc.
Boston, MA
Finalist, 2017 Cycle I
Bitome Inc., makes a non-invasive monitor for body hydration based on clinical MRI, in order to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare expenditures.
Cluster Imaging Inc.
Sunnyvale, CA
Finalist, 2019 Cycle I
High-resolution depth maps using camera clusters to enable accurate image element isolation and visual space identification for the automotive industry, security and factory automation.
Context AI
Santa Clara, CA
Winner, 2017 Cycle II
Context AI is creating diagnostic digital biomarkers for assisted medical decision making, including a wearable biosensor array that turns the body’s vibrations, sounds and bioelectric impulses into actionable intelligence to identify heart problems at very early stages.
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY
Finalist, 2016 Cycle I
Edwin Kan
Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Cornell University
Cornell University is building a broadband harmonic MIMO radar with opportunistic channel fading, angle-of-arrival (AoA) estimation and naïve beamforming [6, 7] on a free-moving vest to perform RF body imaging with below millimeter and 0.1s resolution.
CREAL3D
Saint-Sulice, Switzerland
Finalist, 2019 Cycle I
CREAL3D presented future display technology for virtual and mixed reality headsets and smart glasses. CREAL3D’s near-eye light-field projector creates hologram-like images with true optical depth eliminating eyestrain and nausea often caused by current devices, enhancing immersion, extending comfortable usage time and allowing for conflict-less mixing of virtual and real worlds.
Danish Aerospace Company
North America
Houston, TX
Finalist, 2018 Cycle III
Danish Aerospace Company - North America has created water purification technology that removes biological and chemical activity using a passive membrane.
Devali Inc.
Cedar Park, TX
Finalist, 2018 Cycle III
Devali Inc., has created Oumen+: Advanced Biometric analysis socks with user interfaces to track, monitor and study various body measurements.
Enduralock LLC
Lenexa, KS
Winner, 2019 Cycle I
Patented fastening solutions that are highly vibration resistant, yet reversible and reusable. Enduralock fasteners reduce time and cost of maintenance and labor due to their reversibility and reusability. Fasteners are entirely metal, making them ideal for high vibration, high heat applications.
Environment and Energy Benefit Co.
West Sacramento, CA
Finalist, 2018 Cycle II
Environment and Energy Benefit Co., is a developing a novel class of fuels generally described as alkyl alkoxyalkanoates.
Everix Inc.
Orlando, FL
Winner, 2019 Cycle II
Everix’s patented and scalable approach to production creates optical filters that are 1) 5-20X thinner than the competition, 2) flexible to allow integration with curved surfaces, and 3) shatter-free. Traditional precision optical filters are made in a vacuum chamber and are glass-based, rigid, bulky and expensive even at high-volume.
Exostretch
Houston, TX
Finalist, 2018 Cycle III
Exostretch has invented completely flexible and stretchable lithium ion batteries based on solid polymer electrolytes, creating a world of possibility for the usage of batteries.
FGC Plasma Solutions
Boston, MA
Winner, 2018 Cycle I
FGC Plasma Solutions is developing a plasma-based control system which enables a clean, compact, low emissions combustor for future jet engines. The technical progress made on this work through a Phase I SBIR contract has led to collaboration with a major engine manufacturer for their Phase II SBIR proposal.
Fiplate Inc.
Las Vegas, NV
Finalist, 2016 Cycle I
Fiplate Inc., is developing a technology to drive tissue regeneration after radiological and acute trauma in space, a countermeasure for radiation damage in space.
GermFalcon
Los Angeles, CA
Winner, 2018 Cycle I
GermFalcon has created a germicidal UVC-emitting robot, offering a turnkey solution for infection prevention and emergency preparedness in air travel and for other industries.
GoRout
Rochester, MN
Finalist, 2019 Cycle I
Revolutionary wearable display and network system including an in-helmet, heads-up-display system that presents football teams interactive, augmented play diagrams for faster execution in practice environments.
H-Trap One LLC
Las Cruces, NM
Finalist, 2019 Cycle II
H-Trap One LLC is developing an elastomeric, hydrogen trapping biopolymer that can be used to protect pipeline infrastructure and provide hydrogen energy storage and transport solutions.
H2 Energy Now
Boalsburg, PA
Finalist, 2018 Cycle I
H2 Energy Now is developing technology that utilizes electromagnetism to separate the water molecule into hydrogen and oxygen gas. Hydrogen is a perfect energy storage medium and when recombined in a fuel cell, electricity and water are the outputs. Water is a perfect solution for energy storage in space using solar energy.
HE3DA USA Inc.
Reno, NV
Finalist, 2019 Cycle II
The architecture of HE3DA Li-ion batteries is based on 3D electrodes using nanomaterials. Unlike thin-film technology, HE3DA’s several millimeters thick electrode construction provides high capacity cells with unlimited cell size, establishing a higher level of safety, cheaper manufacturing process, and 99% recyclability.
Hyperloop Transportation Technologies
Los Angeles, CA
Finalist, 2018 Cycle I
Hyperloop Transportation Technologies has developed an augmented window technology to mimic traditional travel experiences, while mitigating psychological issues that passengers may have with enclosed transportation systems, and layering their visual experience with information and entertainment.
iFeather
Boulder, CO
Winner, 2018 Cycle II
iFeather invented a transparent insulating film to significantly improve energy efficiency. The film can be manufactured in-situ, allowing NASA or others to bring a miniature "factory" aboard a space flight and make as much area of the aerogel as needed.
iFirst Medical Technologies
Honolulu, HI
Finalist, 2018 Cycle I
The iFirst in vitro diagnostics platform helps save lives by pushing critical patient information from the field to the treating facility, reducing treatment times, and facilitating precision medicine.
InnaMed Inc.
Anaheim, CA
Winner, 2016 Cycle I
Ronald AngSiy
Co-Founder and Senior Advisor
InnaMed Inc.'s "Sensing Blood" testing device can run a complete blood count, is fully portable and is capable of performing diagnostic functions with six droplets of blood and 93 percent accuracy, transmitting data in approximately five minutes.
Lazarus 3D
Houston, TX
Winner, 2018 Cycle III
Currently saving lives here on Earth with their 3D printed materials for doctors, Lazarus 3D is well positioned to provide training and models for space medicine.
Liberty Biosecurity LLC
Arlington, VA
Winner, 2016 Cycle I
Gregory Keeley
Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer
Liberty Biosecurity LLC is developing TMSMs — molecules to safely protect against DNA damage caused by ionizing radiation in space.
LOOMIA Technologies Inc.
New York, NY
Finalist, 2019 Cycle I
LOOMIA’s Soft Circuit Systems can be used across industries. Their Electronic Layer can add functionalities to expandable spacecraft structures and Extravehicular Mobility Units (EMUs) while maintaining a lightweight and flexible form factor. It can be designed to heat, light, sense, act as data and power busses, or as control surfaces.
Million Concepts
Lemont, PA
Finalist, 2018 Cycle I
Million Concepts is continuing development of the Arisian Lens, a hardware technology that can quickly turn many existing digital cameras into very high magnification microscopes with significantly less bulk, complexity, and expense than existing compound microscope solutions.
Momentus Inc.
Santa Clara, CA
Winner, 2019 Cycle I
In-space transportation services for satellites between various orbits out to deep space. Water-powered, in-space rockets provide last mile logistics, taking satellites from the orbits they were launched into to the orbits in which they will operate. At the core of their innovation strategy are microwave electrothermal thrusters (METs) that use water as propellant are fast, efficient, affordable and safe–and are available now to power orbit transfer vehicles.
MyelinS
Munich, Germany
Finalist, 2019 Cycle II
MyelinS is working on an intelligent software layer that will empower space exploration robots with artificial intelligence and autonomy, and provide humanoid robots with a sense of touch – including texture, stiffness and friction.
Nanobionic USA Inc.
New York, NY
Finalist, 2019 Cycle II
Nanobionic is a high-tech technology that harnesses and transforms the natural body’s energy into far-infrared rays and reflects them back to the body. It is intended to temporarily promote increased blood flow at the site of application in healthy individuals.
Naval Postgraduate School
Monterey, CA
Finalist, 2017 Cycle I
The Naval Postgraduate School is automating and optimizing the mission operations component for small satellite constellations that number in the hundreds or thousands.
New Dominion Enterprises Inc.
San Antonio, TX
Finalist, 2018 Cycle III
New Dominion Enterprises Inc., is developing inorganic electrolytes for longer lasting and safer lithium-ion batteries that resist heat-related power loss.
New Frontier Aerospace
Livermore, CA
Finalist, 2018 Cycle I
New Frontier Space is developing affordable, powered recovery for small launch vehicles, and more speed for drone customers. By enabling rockets to land like drones, they can reduce launch costs.
Oceanit Laboratories Inc.
Honolulu, HI
Finalist, 2016 Cycle I
Venkat Kamavaram
Senior Materials Engineer
Oceanit Laboratories Inc., is developing a novel Al-Teflon-GAP nanoenergetic propellant chemical propulsion system.
Oceanit Laboratories Inc.
Honolulu, HI
Finalist, 2016 Cycle I
Jeffrey Watumull
Director of Artificial Intelligence
Oceanit Laboratories Inc., is working to construct and codify the Noetic Mathematical Engine (NoME) to function as a virtual medical staff (Autonomous System).
Omniboros
Washington, DC
Winner, 2017 Cycle II
Omniboros (now ACTIV Surgical) is creating an advanced platform for surgeon-supervised intelligent autonomous robotic surgery, which reduces human error and eliminates complications during minimally invasive procedures.
One Milo Inc.
Miami, FL
Winner, 2018 Cycle III
One Milo Inc., offers revolutionary compact devices that enable rapid diagnostic testing — using samples of blood, urine or saliva — and wirelessly sending results to a smartphone application.
OSOX Medical Inc.
Atlanta, GA
Winner, 2019 Cycle II
OXOS Medical Inc. has developed the Micro C: a hand-held, digital, x-ray and fluoroscopy imaging device. It is hand carried, runs on standard power, minimizes radiation exposure, and operates intuitively.
Oxford Space Systems
Harwell, United Kingdom
Finalist, 2019 Cycle I
Novel deployable membrane surface designed to give rise to a new generation of lightweight deployable antennas for the space environment. The proprietary material, combined with origami engineering techniques, produces a pre-shaped, high stowage efficiency parabolic ‘dish’ antenna. The material is self-supporting meaning that the complexity and mass of typical rib backing structures can be reduced to improve mass, cost, and stowed footprint.
Pacific Scientific Energetic Materials Company
Chandler, AZ
Finalist, 2017 Cycle I
In order to overcome the disadvantages and problems of currently available systems, PacSci EMC is creating a new and novel solid state propulsion and ACS system.
Pennsylvania State University
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
State College, PA
Finalist, 2018 Cycle II
The Pennsylvania State University is focusing on lightweight monolithic microcell concentrating photovoltaics (CPV) that can increase efficiency and reduce the cost of solar power systems in space.
Pennsylvania State University
SLIPS Lab Team
State College, PA
Finalist, 2016 Cycle I
Pak Kin Wong
Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Surgery
A zero-power, biochemical analysis platform for health monitoring, this Pennsylvania State University project will develop a versatile biochemical analysis platform, SLIPS-LAB, which is reusable, reconfigurable and ultra-sensitive, using zero-power consumption.
PolyMaterials App LLC
Tampa, FL
Finalist, 2019 Cycle II
PolyMaterials App LLC is developing a prototype supercapacitor suitable for consumer electronics, medical devices and more. They are also laying the groundwork for a supercapacitor that’s capable of the higher voltages that hybrid motor vehicles, power grids and others may require. These devices can be recharged in seconds instead of hours and deliver higher power than batteries.
QuantumStack
Suffolk, VA
Finalist, 2017 Cycle I
QuantumStack is building and operating a decentralized global computer exchange on the scale of the Bitcoin network, suitable to provide efficient petaflop or greater resources.
Rice Technology LLC
Milwaukee, WI
Finalist, 2018 Cycle I
Rice Technology LLC is creating a smart, real-time, multipurpose sensor with the capability to detect phosphorus, bacteria, viruses, and total dissolved and suspended solids in real-time. It can behave as a “canary in the coal mine,” enabling rapid response to process failure in water treatment systems.
Somatic Labs
Denver, CO
Winner, 2018 Cycle I
Somatic Labs is creating tactile interfaces for augmented reality to enhance communication — a haptic platform that delivers information to you through rich tactile patterns to make information more accessible and intuitive.
Space Industries Pty Ltd.
Perth, Australia
Finalist, 2019 Cycle II
Space Industry Pty Ltd.'s Lunar Resource Extraction Vehicle produces resources by using the sun’s energy in a new resource extraction method. It’s environmentally friendly and sustainable with low impact to the lunar surface compared to conventional mining.
Spectrabotics LLC
Colorado Springs, CO
Finalist, 2018 Cycle III
Going beyond computer vision of the light we see, Spectrabotics offers artificial intelligence analysis of multispectral imagery for material detection and environmental assessments.
Stanford University
Department of Electrical Engineering
Stanford, CA
Winner, 2018 Cycle II
This Stanford University team is developing technology for wireless charging of electric vehicles on Earth, and eventually, Mars.
SurgePower Materials Inc.
San Marcos, TX
Finalist, 2019 Cycle II
SurgePower Materials Inc. has developed a green sustainable process that uses an abundant plant material (cassava) as input and produces extremely pure graphene with superior physical attributes, which could help combat climate change and be the backbone of many new technologies
University of Houston
Houston, TX
Winner, 2017 Cycle I
The University of Houston is working to build biologically-inspired adaptive anti-icing surfaces. These adaptive surfaces perform normally at ambient temperatures but become an anti-icing surface when exposed to extreme cold.
University of Michigan and Unified Solar Corporation Collaboration
Ann Arbor, MI
Finalist, 2018 Cycle II
Al-Thaddeus Avestruz
Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
The University of Michigan Unified Solar Corporation Collaboration is developing photovoltaic cell-level power balancing using intrinsic energy storage for high-efficiency, high-reliability solar power.
V-Glass
Milwaukee, WI
Finalist, 2018 Cycle II
V-Glass is developing affordable vacuum insulating glass, a flat and transparent thermos bottle for windows. It uses a flexible aluminum seal cold-welded directly to glass for an elegant, minimalist design, just ¼ inch thick.
WBGlobalSemi Inc.
Silicon Valley, CA
Winner, 2018 Cycle II
WBGlobalSemi Inc., is developing a new class of high power, wide band gap silicon carbide bi‐polar junction transistors (BJTs) and power modules for use in high power industrial applications such as aerospace, main grid, micro-grid, traction and the military.
WISER Systems Inc.
Raleigh, NC
Finalist, 2019 Cycle I
Instantaneous location and tracking in a variety of environments to include where current and legacy technologies fail to perform. Applications include 3D geofencing for in-space operations; unmanned positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) for planet-side operations in GPS-occluded environments; autonomous inventory and roll call; and perimeter breach detection for secure locations or assets.
The material contained in this document is based upon work supported by a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) grant or cooperative agreement. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of NASA.