Three area companies receive FuzeHub grants

Arc of Monroe/ArcWorks; the Rochester Institute of Technology, College of Science, Center for Imaging Science/Aktiwave LLC; and Rochester Institute of Technology, Department of Packaging Science/Cinterest LLC all received awards of nearly $50,000.

These grants came from The Innovation Fund, which is supported by Empire State Development Division of Science Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR). Nearly $6 million has been awarded from the NYSTAR fund, which focuses on technology development in New York State. Through this fund, grants are offered to nonprofit organizations that are proposing innovative initiatives with a NYS manufacturer. Categories include: new technology to enhance a process and/or product, prototype development, design for manufacturing, proof-of-concept manufacturing, certain equipment purchases, manufacturing scale-up and other projects to advance manufacturing capabilities. The fund is also used to provide support to new companies through an annual competition.

The first grant, for Aktiwave, along with RIT’s Chester F. Carlson Center for Imaging Science, will be creating a Femtosecond-Laser-Based Welding System prototype, which delivers a unique bonding of optical, electronic, medical devices, and mechanical components.

In another section of RIT, researchers are collaborating with Cinterest to create alternatives to existing packaging by implementing various plant-based and bioplastic materials. The result of these packaging options will be to significantly reduce cost and net greenhouse gas emissions.

A division of the Arc of Monroe titled ArcWorks, will be partnering with NextCorps to develop a Low Volume Contract Manufacturing Lab (LVCM). This is a low volume assembly facility that’s flexible, to allow quick assembly of pre-EP and EP (Engineering Prototype) hardware.