National Science Foundation

Northern Kentucky University, founded in 1968, is a nonprofit institution located in a vibrant suburban area just across the river from Cincinnati, serving nearly 16,000 students. The university offers a diverse range of graduate and undergraduate programs, contributing to its reputation as a growing metropolitan university. With a commitment to education and community engagement, Northern Kentucky University plays a significant role in the region's development and supports a dynamic student experience. Its investment portfolio reflects a balanced approach, including various asset classes such as equity funds, fixed income, and private equity, among others, ensuring financial stability to support its educational mission.

Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) is a private research university located in Cleveland's University Circle. Established in 1843, it comprises various schools including Medicine, Law, Engineering, Arts and Sciences, Nursing, Social Sciences, Dental Medicine, Management, and Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences. CWRU is renowned for its biomedical discoveries, medical education, and top-ranked programs such as international law, health law, and intellectual property law. It offers practical experiences like real-client work and full-time practice experiences to students across various disciplines. The university is accredited by several professional associations and holds membership in the Association of American Universities.

Baldwin Wallace University, established in 1845 and located in Berea, Ohio, is a non-profit educational institution recognized for its strong regional college ranking by U.S. News and World Report. The university offers a diverse array of undergraduate degrees in fields such as Art History, Criminal Justice, Film Studies, and Neuroscience, along with graduate programs in Business and Education. A notable highlight is its music conservatory, which prepares students for successful careers in various music-related fields, including Broadway and music therapy. Baldwin Wallace emphasizes experiential learning, encouraging students to engage in internships that provide practical application of their studies and enhance employability. The university supports students through personalized Action Plans created in collaboration with career and academic counselors, guiding them in course selection and extracurricular involvement. With over 100 clubs, athletic teams, and residential living options, student life is vibrant and engaging. Additionally, Baldwin Wallace offers health services, personal counseling, and financial aid opportunities to ensure students have access to necessary resources throughout their education.

Founded in 1870, The Ohio State University is a comprehensive public research university based in Columbus, Ohio. It offers undergraduate, graduate, and research programs across various fields including business, social sciences, law, medicine, and public affairs.

Founded in 1983, Environmental Protective Coatings specializes in manufacturing innovative coatings designed to protect surfaces from dust and algae. Their fluorine-free and omniphobic products utilize polymer additives for self-cleaning properties, anti-graffiti features, and residue-free fluid transfer, promoting cleanliness and safety while being environmentally friendly.

RoadPrintz, Inc. is a manufacturer based in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, specializing in robotic equipment designed for comprehensive road painting and pavement markings. Incorporated in 2018, the company produces machines that survey, map, paint, and repaint road markings, including turn arrows and lane separators. RoadPrintz aims to enhance road safety by making effective visual street markings more affordable and accessible. Its robotic street painting systems enable traffic engineers and road painting contractors to efficiently specify and apply paint schemes on roads, thereby reducing the risk of accidents and improving overall road safety.

Biochip Labs is a company based in Cleveland, Ohio, founded in 2019. It specializes in providing laboratory testing services focused on blood disorders, particularly sickle cell disease and thalassemia. The company offers a range of proprietary microfluidic biomarker assays, including tests for blood cell adhesion, red blood cell deformability, whole blood rheology, and endothelialized microfluidics. These assays are designed to evaluate the effectiveness of emerging targeted and curative therapies, allowing clinicians to monitor patients' responses to treatment accurately.

PolyLux is an advanced materials company that develops light-switchable adhesive platforms and photo-responsive wound dressings. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Akron, Ohio, the company creates adhesive technologies that alter bonding properties with light and non-stick bandages designed to heal wounds faster by maintaining strong adhesion when needed while allowing removal and reapplication on demand by medical professionals.

Scalar Magnetics is a company that specializes in developing nuclear magnetic resonance-based technologies for chemical analysis. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, the company focuses on creating innovative solutions that utilize reduced potency magnets. This approach allows for spectroscopy to be performed at moderate magnetic field strengths, thereby eliminating the challenges associated with the use of large superconducting magnets. Scalar Magnetics aims to enhance the accessibility and efficiency of chemical analysis through its advanced technologies.

Founded in 2016, ZeoVation specializes in manufacturing nanozeolites and hierarchical zeolites. These materials enhance consumer products such as skincare lotions, sunscreens, laundry detergents, water softeners, and filtration systems by improving efficiency.

Zin Technologies, Inc. is a Cleveland-based company specializing in the design, fabrication, assembly, and operation of integrated products and spaceflight hardware for clients, including NASA and major corporations. Founded in 1957, the company provides a wide range of products and services, including data acquisition, space systems engineering, and specialized power conversion solutions. Zin Technologies develops space flight hardware for applications such as mission planning, complex systems integration, and both flight and ground software development. The company also offers engineering, modeling, simulation, and testing services across various sectors, including aerospace, healthcare, electronics, and manufacturing. Additionally, Zin Technologies supports the entire life-cycle development of aerospace hardware and software, focusing on dynamic analysis and vibration isolation to meet the needs of its diverse clientele.

Cloud services have become ubiquitous to all major 21st century economic activities. However, cloud services and technologies can be significantly more powerful than they are now. A persistent barrier to further advancement has been the lack of a large-scale and open cloud research platforms. With funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Chameleon project will provide such a large-scale platform to the open research community allowing them explore transformative concepts in deeply programmable cloud services, design, and core technologies. Chameleon will allow users to explore problems ranging from the creation of Software as a Service to kernel support for virtualization. This broad range of supported research includes many other areas such as developing Platforms as a Service, creating new and optimizing existing Infrastructure as a Service components, investigating software-defined networking, and optimizing virtualization technologies. The Chameleon testbed, will be deployed at the University of Chicago and the Texas Advanced Computing Center and will consist of 650 multi-core cloud nodes, 5PB of total disk space, and leverage 100 Gbps connection between the sites. While a large part of the testbed will consist of homogenous hardware to support large-scale experiments, a portion of it will support heterogeneous units allowing experimentation with high-memory, large-disk, low-power, GPU, and co-processor units. The project will also leverage existing FutureGrid hardware at the University of Chicago and the Texas Advanced Computing Center in its first year to provide a transition period for the existing FutureGrid community of experimental users. To support the broad range of experiments experiments described above, the project will support a graduated configuration system allowing full user configurability of the software stack, from provisioning of bare metal and network interconnects to delivery of fully functioning cloud environments. A special feature of Chameleon is that it provides for an exceptionally close integration of clouds and networks, which substantially enhances the capabilities of both. In addition, to facilitate experiments, Chameleon will support a set of services designed to meet researchers needs, including support for experimental management, reproducibility, and repositories of trace and workload data of production cloud workloads. The project is led by the Computation Institute at the University of Chicago and partners from the Texas Advanced Computing Center at the University of Texas at Austin, the International Center for Advanced Internet Research at Northwestern University, the Ohio State University, and University of Texas at San Antonio, comprising a highly qualified and experienced team. The team includes members from the NSF supported FutureGrid project and from the GENI community, both forerunners of the NSFCloud solicitation under which this project is funded. Chameleon will also form a set of partnerships with commercial and academic clouds, such as Rackspace, CERN and Open Science Data Cloud (OSDC), and will partner with other testbeds, notably GENI and INRIA's Grid'5000 testbed.

Onederings Lavender Farm, located in Clarksville, Ohio, specializes in the cultivation of lavender and the production of high-quality lavender-based products. The farm focuses on creating boutique skin and home care items crafted from its homegrown lavender, utilizing evidence-based natural ingredients. This commitment allows Onederings to offer customers premium beauty products that emphasize quality and effectiveness. The company aims to provide a unique selection of dried lavender and fine lavender products, catering to individuals seeking natural and luxurious options for personal care and home use.

RoadPrintz, Inc. is a manufacturer based in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, specializing in robotic equipment designed for comprehensive road painting and pavement markings. Incorporated in 2018, the company produces machines that survey, map, paint, and repaint road markings, including turn arrows and lane separators. RoadPrintz aims to enhance road safety by making effective visual street markings more affordable and accessible. Its robotic street painting systems enable traffic engineers and road painting contractors to efficiently specify and apply paint schemes on roads, thereby reducing the risk of accidents and improving overall road safety.

Founded in 1983, Environmental Protective Coatings specializes in manufacturing innovative coatings designed to protect surfaces from dust and algae. Their fluorine-free and omniphobic products utilize polymer additives for self-cleaning properties, anti-graffiti features, and residue-free fluid transfer, promoting cleanliness and safety while being environmentally friendly.

Mstatt develops photonic technologies for the healthcare, aerospace, manufacturing, and defense industries. The company was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio.

Xact Medical develops robotics-based healthcare equipment for needle delivery. Founded in 2016 and based in Cincinnati, Ohio, it is developing FIND (Fast Intelligent Needle Delivery), a system that automates precision needle placement under ultrasound guidance. The hand-held instrument combines robotics, ultrasound guidance and algorithms to enable clinicians to place a needle tip with high accuracy in ultrasound-visible areas, aiming to shorten procedure times, reduce complications and lower long-term costs. By democratizing precision needle placement, FIND seeks to enable intralymphatic access for injections and diagnostics and improve safety and efficiency in procedures.

Founded in 2016, ZeoVation specializes in manufacturing nanozeolites and hierarchical zeolites. These materials enhance consumer products such as skincare lotions, sunscreens, laundry detergents, water softeners, and filtration systems by improving efficiency.

Sinclair Community College is a college in Dayton, Ohio, established in 1887. It offers programs across disciplines including engineering, business, and aviation, and provides course options and timetables with online offerings in addition to on-campus classes. The institution serves a regional student population and emphasizes accessible higher education and workforce development through a flexible learning model.

PolyLux is an advanced materials company that develops light-switchable adhesive platforms and photo-responsive wound dressings. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Akron, Ohio, the company creates adhesive technologies that alter bonding properties with light and non-stick bandages designed to heal wounds faster by maintaining strong adhesion when needed while allowing removal and reapplication on demand by medical professionals.

Tech4Imaging specializes in developing non-invasive imaging technology for commercial and industrial use. It focuses on creating instrumentation that optimizes and automates processes, even in extreme conditions where standard methods fail. The company's proprietary Electrical Capacitance Volume Tomography (ECVT) technology enables it to deliver advanced sensing solutions, backed by over 15 patents and numerous peer-reviewed publications.

TeraProbes specializes in fully automated non-contact on-wafer probing systems. The company was founded in 2014 as a result of our research at The Ohio State University's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. We believe that our non-contact probing technology can help alleviate the pains associated with contact probe wear and tear, contact repeatability, and the extremely high hardware and operation costs associated with the on-wafer device and IC characterization in the high-speed electronics industry.

Ashland University, located in Ashland, Ohio, is an educational institution rooted in the Brethren Church tradition, dedicated to providing a quality education that fosters academic and intellectual development. The university offers a diverse range of undergraduate and graduate programs across various disciplines, including arts, business, education, and nursing. In addition to its degree offerings, Ashland University provides extensive student support services, such as academic advising, counseling, peer tutoring, and career development, to ensure student success. The institution also promotes global learning through study abroad opportunities and encourages involvement in a variety of student organizations. The university's commitment to excellence is reflected in its dedicated faculty and staff, who strive to create a challenging yet supportive learning environment for all students.

K&A is continuing its development of an innovative wireless spectrum intelligence technology in support of next-generation Internet of Things/Everything (IoT-IoE) applications. This will improve spectrum utilization and surety of data in the presence of many other connected users and devices. Market focus is IoT-IoE pollution mitigation in the transportation and smart city segments. McKinsey estimates smart city IoT will have an economic impact of $0.9T to $1.7T (trillion) by 2025. Utilization of spectrum intelligence as part of the IoT-IoE infrastructure improves not only the performance and reliability of the entire system, but also creates a new Natural EcoSystem™ that is unattainable without it. The combined efforts will identify polluting vehicles, create new revenue streams, support regulations and improved driver behavior, provide operational efficiencies, contribute to cleaner air and lower healthcare costs, and enable a better quality of life. K&A’s commercialization partner is SensorComm Technologies, Inc. who is mass-customizing a state-of-the-art NOx emission sensor. SensorComm has engaged K&A to develop the wireless IoT-IoE infrastructure for the NOx sensor, which focuses on smart monitoring of NOx emissions from the exhaust pipe of a vehicle as part of an air quality monitoring system. Active pilot programs are in place in the U.S. with additional pilots being implemented globally. K&A provided foundational IoT/IoE development. Sensor development was originally funded through DoE grants (including SBIR) to, and licensed from, both The University of Florida and The Ohio State University. The SensorComm and K&A team have a combined patent portfolio of eight (8) issued patents (worldwide), two (2) applications and two (2) provisional patents filed, including one related to creating incentive structures for pollution mitigation.

Corelight, Inc. is a provider of network visibility solutions aimed at enhancing cybersecurity for enterprises, government entities, and educational institutions. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, the company develops a suite of products that includes Corelight sensors and a fleet management system. Its flagship offering is based on Bro, an open-source network analysis framework that delivers actionable, real-time data, enabling security professionals to comprehensively understand network traffic and effectively detect and mitigate cyber threats. In addition to its headquarters, Corelight maintains offices in Santa Clara, California, and Columbus, Ohio, further supporting its commitment to improving network security across various sectors.

Kent Displays is a technology company focused on research, development, and manufacture of no-power liquid crystal writeable surfaces based on its eWriter technology. It designs and produces LCD modules, writing tablets, and related films, along with engineering services for applications in consumer electronics, education, security, healthcare, and industrial markets. Its flexible, functional materials enable inkless, paperless writing that retains an image without power and provides a natural writing experience with no lag. The company serves OEM customers through global sales channels in North America, Europe, Asia, and other regions. Founded in 1993 and based in Kent, Ohio, Kent Displays pursues advanced display solutions that enable writable, low-power communication across various markets.

K&A is continuing its development of an innovative wireless spectrum intelligence technology in support of next-generation Internet of Things/Everything (IoT-IoE) applications. This will improve spectrum utilization and surety of data in the presence of many other connected users and devices. Market focus is IoT-IoE pollution mitigation in the transportation and smart city segments. McKinsey estimates smart city IoT will have an economic impact of $0.9T to $1.7T (trillion) by 2025. Utilization of spectrum intelligence as part of the IoT-IoE infrastructure improves not only the performance and reliability of the entire system, but also creates a new Natural EcoSystem™ that is unattainable without it. The combined efforts will identify polluting vehicles, create new revenue streams, support regulations and improved driver behavior, provide operational efficiencies, contribute to cleaner air and lower healthcare costs, and enable a better quality of life. K&A’s commercialization partner is SensorComm Technologies, Inc. who is mass-customizing a state-of-the-art NOx emission sensor. SensorComm has engaged K&A to develop the wireless IoT-IoE infrastructure for the NOx sensor, which focuses on smart monitoring of NOx emissions from the exhaust pipe of a vehicle as part of an air quality monitoring system. Active pilot programs are in place in the U.S. with additional pilots being implemented globally. K&A provided foundational IoT/IoE development. Sensor development was originally funded through DoE grants (including SBIR) to, and licensed from, both The University of Florida and The Ohio State University. The SensorComm and K&A team have a combined patent portfolio of eight (8) issued patents (worldwide), two (2) applications and two (2) provisional patents filed, including one related to creating incentive structures for pollution mitigation.

Predictronics develops predictive analytics solutions that enable industries to anticipate equipment failures and optimize maintenance schedules. Its PDX platform collects and analyzes data from multiple sources, providing insights to minimize downtime and enhance product quality. Established in 2013, Predictronics serves global clients across manufacturing, energy, transportation, and other industrial sectors.

Nexceris is a company based in Lewis Center, Ohio, specializing in the development, manufacture, and supply of advanced materials and components for clean energy technologies. Founded in 1994, Nexceris produces a range of products including oxidation catalysts, tar reforming catalyst, coatings, hydrogen sensors, and alarm systems. The company is known for its solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), which convert hydrocarbon fuels into electric power, as well as related powders, inks, and test fixtures. Additionally, Nexceris offers heat exchange and reactors, hydrogen generators and storage products, and custom material development services. In 2018, the company shifted its focus from research and development to commercial energy transition products under new leadership.

Folio Photonics Inc. specializes in the development and manufacturing of advanced optical data storage solutions aimed at enterprise archiving. Founded in 2012 and based in Solon, Ohio, the company produces optical data storage discs with a capacity of two terabytes, utilizing a patented data film disc technology. This innovative method is designed to be highly scalable and cost-effective, providing a modern alternative for archival data storage. By integrating polymer co-extrusion and magnetic storage technologies, Folio Photonics enables organizations to reduce energy costs and improve data management by transferring inactive data from traditional hard disk drives to optical discs, thereby enhancing both capacity and archival longevity.

Founded in Wooster, Ohio in 2013, EnergyEne specializes in developing and manufacturing natural rubber derived from locally grown guayule plants. The company focuses on producing high-quality rubber for industrial applications.

Kent Displays is a technology company focused on research, development, and manufacture of no-power liquid crystal writeable surfaces based on its eWriter technology. It designs and produces LCD modules, writing tablets, and related films, along with engineering services for applications in consumer electronics, education, security, healthcare, and industrial markets. Its flexible, functional materials enable inkless, paperless writing that retains an image without power and provides a natural writing experience with no lag. The company serves OEM customers through global sales channels in North America, Europe, Asia, and other regions. Founded in 1993 and based in Kent, Ohio, Kent Displays pursues advanced display solutions that enable writable, low-power communication across various markets.

CitiLogics, LLC specializes in developing advanced models and analytics tailored for the urban water infrastructure sector, focusing on both water and wastewater management. Established in 2009 and based in Cincinnati, Ohio, the company offers a range of services including real-time model integration with SCADA systems, hydraulic and water quality model calibration, and comprehensive data analysis. CitiLogics also provides an innovative tool named Polaris, which combines a SCADA HMI emulator with real-time network forecasts and scenario management capabilities, allowing clients to explore alternative operational strategies. By employing research-level engineering expertise, CitiLogics assists clients in effectively managing their water distribution systems, enhancing their ability to respond to incidents and optimize asset management. The company serves various stakeholders within the water and wastewater industry and operates as a subsidiary of Xylem Inc.

The University of Akron is a comprehensive public university that empowers students from diverse backgrounds to achieve academic, professional, and personal success through inclusive higher education.

Nexceris is a company based in Lewis Center, Ohio, specializing in the development, manufacture, and supply of advanced materials and components for clean energy technologies. Founded in 1994, Nexceris produces a range of products including oxidation catalysts, tar reforming catalyst, coatings, hydrogen sensors, and alarm systems. The company is known for its solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), which convert hydrocarbon fuels into electric power, as well as related powders, inks, and test fixtures. Additionally, Nexceris offers heat exchange and reactors, hydrogen generators and storage products, and custom material development services. In 2018, the company shifted its focus from research and development to commercial energy transition products under new leadership.

Nexceris is a company based in Lewis Center, Ohio, specializing in the development, manufacture, and supply of advanced materials and components for clean energy technologies. Founded in 1994, Nexceris produces a range of products including oxidation catalysts, tar reforming catalyst, coatings, hydrogen sensors, and alarm systems. The company is known for its solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), which convert hydrocarbon fuels into electric power, as well as related powders, inks, and test fixtures. Additionally, Nexceris offers heat exchange and reactors, hydrogen generators and storage products, and custom material development services. In 2018, the company shifted its focus from research and development to commercial energy transition products under new leadership.

ABS Materials designs, develops, and delivers solutions for ground, surface, and municipal water contamination. Its solutions include VoC-Eater system, which destroys pharmaceuticals, chlorinated solvents, herbicides, endocrine disruptors, PCBs, dyes, and phenols to outflow clean water; Osorb, a solution to destroy persistent organic pollutants in the groundwater; and Iron-Osorb, an inert sand-like glass used on TCE/PCE/DCE/PCBs. The company’s solutions are used to clean solvents, pesticides, and other persistent organic pollutants from the water, soil, and air. It offers its systems on a rental and long term lease basis. The company was founded in 2008 and is based in Wooster, Ohio with an additional office in Houston, Texas.

K&A is continuing its development of an innovative wireless spectrum intelligence technology in support of next-generation Internet of Things/Everything (IoT-IoE) applications. This will improve spectrum utilization and surety of data in the presence of many other connected users and devices. Market focus is IoT-IoE pollution mitigation in the transportation and smart city segments. McKinsey estimates smart city IoT will have an economic impact of $0.9T to $1.7T (trillion) by 2025. Utilization of spectrum intelligence as part of the IoT-IoE infrastructure improves not only the performance and reliability of the entire system, but also creates a new Natural EcoSystem™ that is unattainable without it. The combined efforts will identify polluting vehicles, create new revenue streams, support regulations and improved driver behavior, provide operational efficiencies, contribute to cleaner air and lower healthcare costs, and enable a better quality of life. K&A’s commercialization partner is SensorComm Technologies, Inc. who is mass-customizing a state-of-the-art NOx emission sensor. SensorComm has engaged K&A to develop the wireless IoT-IoE infrastructure for the NOx sensor, which focuses on smart monitoring of NOx emissions from the exhaust pipe of a vehicle as part of an air quality monitoring system. Active pilot programs are in place in the U.S. with additional pilots being implemented globally. K&A provided foundational IoT/IoE development. Sensor development was originally funded through DoE grants (including SBIR) to, and licensed from, both The University of Florida and The Ohio State University. The SensorComm and K&A team have a combined patent portfolio of eight (8) issued patents (worldwide), two (2) applications and two (2) provisional patents filed, including one related to creating incentive structures for pollution mitigation.