Ithaca, NY – The Cornell Center for Materials Research JumpStart program, funded by Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR), is designed to assist New York State small businesses develop and improve their products through university collaborations; the ultimate goal is revenue growth and job creation. JumpStart projects receive up to $5,000 in matching funds for project costs that include faculty and research staff, facilities, services, supplies, and materials. Since its inception, 63 companies have benefited from this program. During the upcoming semester, five companies have been awarded funding and will participate in the following collaborations:
Buckingham Manufacturing Co., Inc. of Binghamton, NY, will collaborate with Professor Juan Hinestroza, Department of Fiber Science and Apparel Design, in the development of an innovative tell-tale indicator. This indicator will visually show the effects of UV degradation in Nylon and alert the user to a potentially dangerous condition.
Empire Brewing Company, Syracuse, NY, will collaborate with Professor George Hudler, Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology, to characterize the metabolites produced during fermentation of a green tea infused beer.
Energy Materials Corporation, Rochester, NY, will collaborate with Professor Christopher Umbach, Materials Science and Engineering, in the microstructural characterization of thin conductive polymer film.
North Brook Plastics LLC, Auburn, NY, will collaborate with Professor Anil Netravali, Fiber Science and Apparel Design, to perform accelerated aging tests on plastic plywood sheets made of 100% low grade recycled materials, manufactured using a powder impression molding (PIM) process.
Performax Sports LLC, Buffalo, NY, will collaborate with Professor Huiju Park, Fiber Science and Apparel Design, to develop a cut-resistant neck protection device for ice hockey players that is durable, washable, and wearable.
About NYSTAR
Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR) supports collaborative industry/academic partnerships to foster integrated approaches for developing and commercializing innovative technologies. NYSTAR serves as a resource for small and start-up technology companies. www.esd.ny.gov/nystar/
About the Cornell Center for Materials Research (CCMR)
The Cornell Center for Materials Research is a National Science Foundation and New York State funded interdisciplinary research center at Cornell University whose mission is to advance, explore, and exploit the forefront of the science and engineering of advanced materials. This objective is pursued through fundamental experimental and theoretical studies. Three other complementary functions complete the CCMR’s mission: educational outreach to teachers and students; industrial outreach and knowledge transfer; and the operation of shared instrumentation in support of materials research both on and off campus. www.ccmr.prod.academicsweb.com/industry/
About Buckingham Manufacturing Co
Buckingham is ISO 9001:2008 certified and is primarily responsible for the design and manufacture of climbing and work positioning equipment, fall protection gear, and accessories specifically designed for the electric, telecommunications, cable and professional arborist markets.
www.buckinghammfg.com
About Empire Brewing Company
Empire Brewing Company, est. 1994, is an award-winning brewer of handcrafted ales and lagers.
www.empirebrew.com
About Energy Materials Corporation
Energy Materials Corporation is a 4-year-old startup company developing high-performance, low-cost conductive polymer films for applications in solar energy harvesting.
www.enmatcorp.com
About North Brook Plastics
North Brook Plastics, a division of North Brook Farms is a leading supplier of plastic plywood and other innovative, sustainable building materials for the agricultural, equine and commercial/industrial industries. www.northbrookdairy.com
About Performax Sports LLC
Performax Sports is a 7-year-old distributor of sporting apparel and protective wear.
www.performaxsports.com