NYSTAR Innovation Matching Grants

The Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) mission is to advance nuclear energy science and technology to meet U.S. energy, environmental, and economic needs. NE has identified the following goals to address challenges in the nuclear energy sector, help realize the potential of advanced technology, and leverage the unique role of the government in spurring innovation: - Enable continued operation of existing U.S. nuclear reactors - Enable deployment of advanced nuclear reactors - Develop advanced nuclear fuel cycles - Maintain U.S. leadership in nuclear energy technology NE strives to promote integrated and collaborative research conducted by national laboratory, university, industry, and international partners under the direction of NE’s programs, and to deploy innovative nuclear energy technologies to the market and to optimize the benefits of nuclear energy.

Innovate ND is a voucher-based reimbursement program designed to help North Dakota entrepreneurs advance their businesses by supporting customer and market research. Each participant may receive up to $50,000 in reimbursable expenses, administered through the Entrepreneur Centers. The program is divided into two phases, each offering up to $25,000 in reimbursements. Participants have six months per phase, with a maximum of 12 months to complete the full program.

The Small Business Mobility Fund Launch Grants, offered by the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), are designed to help businesses access flexible start-up and scale-up capital to support their business launch and growth. It is part of the County’s broader mission under the Economic Mobility Initiative (EMI) to provide education, technical assistance, mentorship, access to capital, and pathways to sustainable business growth. Launch Grants range from $5,000 to $10,000 to help new entrepreneurs and small businesses in Los Angeles County cover essential start-up and business expansion costs.

North Carolina’s Customized Training Program is the state’s premier workforce development initiative, helping businesses build and sustain a highly skilled, competitive workforce. The program, now branded as NCEdge, offers businesses workforce development strategies that align with a company’s unique needs and goals. NCEdge supports new, expanding, and existing businesses, providing flexible, up-to-date training solutions valid for up to three years. The cost of the training is covered by the state of North Carolina through the North Carolina Community College System. With 58 community colleges across North Carolina, NCEdge ensures businesses in all 100 counties have access to high-quality training resources.

This funding opportunity aims to support the development of in vivo high-resolution structural and functional imaging technologies for the living human inner ear. Proposed projects should focus on improving the resolution of current imaging techniques or developing new imaging techniques that can visualize inner ear structures in vivo with significantly greater detail and accuracy than currently possible. Both structural and functional aspects, including visualizing dynamic elements are important to development of new and improved techniques. Projects may also focus on developing new imaging probes or contrast agents that can enhance visualization of the inner ear structures. Ultimately, research supported in response to this RFA is to encourage technologies that allow, for example, structures such as hair cells, otoliths, membranes, ions, and vasculature to be viewed in detail in awake patients in a clinical setting using non-invasive techniques. To achieve this goal, a multi-disciplinary team approach that takes advantage of the expertise of each team member is highly encouraged. Studies in humans and intermediate studies in animals, but not non-mammalian species, may be proposed to develop or advance the needed technology. Any intermediate studies must articulate a clear path of the proposed methodology to application in awake humans or define the limitations and the usefulness in anesthetized humans.