SynMatter, a company based at Space Florida’s Space Life Sciences Lab near Kennedy Space Center, is using NASA technology to address the widespread issue of corrosion. The National Association of Corrosion Engineers estimates that corrosion costs the global economy $2.5 trillion each year due to its effects on infrastructure, including near misses, forced shutdowns, and accidents.
The company has developed surface coatings containing smart particles that can sense and respond to environmental changes. These coatings are designed to reduce corrosion and biofouling on important structures. In 2019, SynMatter received the TechConnect National Innovation Award for the potential impact of its technology.
In addition to coatings, SynMatter is working on smart particles for use in fertilizers, personal care products, and household cleaners. These innovations aim to increase efficiency and reduce environmental impact by lowering the amount of material needed.
In February 2024, SynMatter won the Synapse Innovation Award for Emerging Tech at the Synapse Summit. This recognition followed nearly ten years of work by a team led by CEO and Chief Scientist Jun Zhang, Ph.D.
The startup has secured funding through several sources. It received a NASA Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award of $200,000 with support from The Corridor on its proposal. It also obtained a National Science Foundation Phase II SBIR award of $1 million to help commercialize its products. Additional support came from the Florida-Israel Joint Innovation Partnership’s joint fund and participation in pitch competitions hosted by Florida Venture Forum and the Cade Museum.
SynMatter has benefited from resources such as membership in the Cenfluence Energy + Environmental Sciences Cluster, support from FL FAST for its NASA SBIR proposal, involvement in UCF’s I-Corps Program and Advanced Materials Processing and Analysis Center (AMPAC), as well as connections with organizations like Space Florida and Synapse Florida.
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It marked the culmination of nearly a decade of work and determination by a small team of chemical engineers led by CEO and Chief Scientist Jun Zhang, Ph.D.
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