Santa Fe tech firms get federal research grants

Three Santa Fe technology companies have each received more than $1 million in federal Small Business Innovation Research grants to enhance development of climate-related technology.

Mesa Photonics received a $1.65 million grant, the largest award of five New Mexico companies that landed the competitive innovation research or Small Business Technology Transfer grants, each at over $1 million.

Mesa and Southwest Sciences, which received a $1.5 million grant, are both located in the Plaza de Comercio business complex on Pacheco Street. EnviTrace, which got $1.15 million, operates around the corner from the governor’s mansion. Two Albuquerque companies also got grants.

“New Mexico is in the news again for innovation, as we are home to five of the award recipients, receiving more awards in this round of funding than any of our neighboring states,” Mark Roper, acting secretary of the New Mexico Economic Development Department, said in a news release announcing the grants. “This positive news illustrates that New Mexico prioritizes innovation and a positive business environment.”

Mesa Photonics develops and manufactures advanced, ultra-fast laser pulse measurement systems used for measuring pulses shorter than electronics can measure. With this grant, Mesa seeks to measure biofuel-relevant plants with sensitivities enhanced by using squeezed lights. This will help improve next-generation biofuel leads.

“This grant will allow us to keep moving into new areas,” Mesa Photonics research scientist Keith Wernsing said in an interview. “We will be exploiting some of the principles in quantum mechanics to make measurements with higher sensitivity.”

Southwest Sciences’ grant is a continuation grant from the U.S. Department of Energy for Phase 2B of the company’s laser-based, open-path nitrous oxide analyzer that measures the gas in the atmosphere.

“This phase has more emphasis on commercialization,” company President Alan Stanton said in an interview. “We anticipate being able to sell very limited numbers of units by the end of the year. It will be a beta version of the analyzer.”

Southwest Sciences’ analyzer uses a lower amount of power and is more conducive for remote locations than existing nitrous oxide analyzers, Stanton said.

EnviTrace develops artificial intelligence and machine learning for planning and optimizing geologic engineering projects.

“This award will allow our company to further develop our innovative artificial intelligence technology that characterizes geologic repositories,” CEO Trace Kliphuis said in a news release.