Commerce funds leading-edge tech

The Advanced Technology Program's 2000 Project Awards

The Commerce Department on Wednesday announced that it will help fund 54

high-risk research projects this year under its Advanced Technology Program.

The department's National Institute for Standards and Technology runs

the ATP program, which supports commercial high-risk research and development

projects on a cost-shared basis.

If carried through to completion, the 54 projects will receive about

$130 million from private industry, matched by about $144 million from the

ATP.

NIST received more than 400 proposals for the ATP awards program this

year. The winning projects cover technologies including pharmaceutical design,

tissue engineering, industrial catalysts, energy generation and storage,

manufacturing technologies, electronics manufacturing, and computer software.

Most of the winners — 40 — were small businesses. They received awards either

for single-company projects or as the lead company in an joint venture.

At least 30 universities are involved as joint-venture partners or subcontractors.