Phase, Inc., on path to commercialization of 3D printed microfluidic devices with grant from North Carolina Office of Science, Technology & Innovation

Phase, Inc., headquartered in Cornelius, N.C., was recently awarded a grant from the One North Carolina Small Business Program that will help the company commercialize and launch its novel 3D printing technology for microfluidics.

Charlotte, N.C.—Phase is partnering with Virginia Tech on a project funded by the National Institutes of Health to further the use of microfluidics, which are test tubes of the digital age and can facilitate the development of next-generation therapeutics and diagnostic breakthroughs using “organ-on-achip” models. Phase’s technology allows for the fabrication of microfluidic devices that are multilayered and have features such as electrodes and gels embedded into the devices. Such features that can advance bioinnovation are not feasible with current 3D printing technologies.

“This grant from North Carolina will help us quickly scale up and start to produce microfluidic devices for widespread commercial adoption,” said Jeff Schultz, co-founder of Phase.

The grant is part of the One North Carolina Small Business Program, which is run through the North Carolina Office of Science, Technology & Innovation with the aim of helping businesses develop and commercialize innovative new technologies by matching funds on existing federal Small Business Innovation Research grants.

Phase is headquartered in First Turn Innovations, Charlotte region’s newest engineering and hardware business incubator, where entrepreneurs have access to capital and seasoned investors who can help commercialize ideas. The incubator is located in Cornelius, North Carolina, and taps into the network of investors and innovators in the Lake Norman region.

For more information contact Co-founder Zeke Barlow at zeke@phase.am or 540-750-6317.