EPA Awards $3.6M for Small Businesses Developing Environmental Technologies

July 20, 2026

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded US$3.6 million in funding to nine U.S. small businesses to further develop and commercialize environmental technologies through EPA’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. EPA is one of 11 federal agencies participating in the SBIR program, a competitive, award-based initiative that helps small businesses explore technological solutions with the goal of bringing successful innovations to market.

These Phase II awards will support solutions to complex environmental challenges, including monitoring water quality, addressing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination, reducing indoor air toxins and pathogens, enhancing recycling systems, and developing safer chemicals.

“Congratulations to these small businesses for their dedication to driving innovation and tackling today’s environmental challenges,” said Teresa Booeshaghi, associate administrator for EPA’s Office of Applied Science and Environmental Solutions. “Their groundbreaking ideas not only address critical needs but also pave the way for a healthier planet and a stronger, more sustainable economy.”

For more than 40 years, EPA’s SBIR program has funded small businesses to develop environmental technologies and bring them to market. Funding is awarded in phases: in Phase I, EPA provides $100,000 over six months to support “proof of concept” for the proposed technology. Small businesses that complete a Phase I award can then compete for a Phase II award of $400,000 to further develop and commercialize the technology—with the potential for up to $100,000 in additional matching funds if the recipient secures an equivalent third-party investment during the project period.

The following businesses are receiving SBIR Phase II awards:

Page Technologies, Boulder, Colorado, to develop a real-time, low-cost nitrate sensor platform for water quality monitoring.
AxNano Inc, Greensboro, North Carolina, to develop a technology to treat and reclaim PFAS-impacted biosolids.
ENF Products, LLC, Edmond, Oklahoma, to develop a nanofiber filter to capture indoor air toxins and pathogens.
EcoaTEX, LLC*, Athens, Georgia, to transform agricultural waste into high-performance, PFAS-free, and degradable fibers and yarns.
Green Options, PBC, dba Bold Reuse*, Portland, Oregon, to develop a Circular Inventory Platform to reduce plastic waste in hospitals.
Pacific Reclaimed Lumber & Supply, SPC*, Sebastopol, California, to scale reclaimed lumber sales and procurement through web, artificial intelligence, and application-based technologies.
Acadian Research & Development LLC, Laramie, Wyoming, to develop biochar-derived graphene products that provide increased concrete strength and sustainability.
KLAW Industries, LLC, Binghamton, New York, to develop a low embodied carbon alternative for stabilization and full-depth reclamation utilizing waste glass.
Prospect Growth, Inc*, Newton, Massachusetts, to optimize and commercialize a nanoparticle phosphorus fertilizer.