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August 30, 2022 | Tom Ballard

ORNL announces TIP funding to accelerate commercial readiness of five technologies

Five technologies invented by scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have been selected for targeted investment through the lab’s Technology Innovation Program (TIP).

“Getting new lab technologies into the U.S. marketplace is critical to protecting the nation’s economy and security,” said Mike Paulus, ORNL’s Director of Technology Transfer at ORNL. “Our TIP program accelerates that transfer by enhancing commercial readiness and raising visibility.”

Since 2012, ORNL has invested more than $11 million in 49 projects, resulting in 35 commercial licenses and options with partners ranging from Fortune 100 companies to early-stage start-ups.

The five technologies and their inventors are:

  • Ultraclean condensing furnace: Zhiming Gao, Building and Transportation Science Division, and a technology that recently received an R&D 100 Award;
  • Rapid droplet sampling interface: Vilmos Kertesz, Biosciences Division;
  • Closed-cell insulation foams enabled by coated and evacuated nanoporous materials: Meghan Lamm, Manufacturing Science Division;
  • Mixed plastic recycling by a tailored organocatalyst: Tomonori Saito, Chemical Sciences Divisio; and Accelerating the development of orally bioavailable therapeutics for beta-coronaviruses with structure-based molecular design: Brian Sanders, Biosciences Division. 

More information about each can be found in this ORNL news release.


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