SynMatter, a company based at Space Florida’s Space Life Sciences Lab near Kennedy Space Center, is applying NASA technology to address the widespread problem of corrosion. The National Association of Corrosion Engineers has estimated that corrosion costs the global economy $2.5 trillion due to infrastructure damage, operational disruptions, and accidents.
The company produces surface coatings designed to reduce corrosion and biofouling on important structures by using smart particles that can detect and respond to environmental changes. In 2019, SynMatter received the TechConnect National Innovation Award in recognition of its technology’s potential impact.
In addition to its work on anti-corrosion coatings, SynMatter is developing smart particles for use in fertilizers, personal care products, and household cleaners. These innovations are intended to make such products more efficient and environmentally friendly by reducing the amount needed for effective use.
In February 2024, SynMatter was awarded the Synapse Innovation Award for Emerging Tech at the Synapse Summit. This achievement followed nearly ten years of research led by CEO and Chief Scientist Jun Zhang, Ph.D.
SynMatter secured a $200,000 NASA Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award with assistance from The Corridor during its proposal process. The company also received a $1 million Phase II SBIR award from the National Science Foundation to help commercialize its products. Additional support came from the Florida-Israel Joint Innovation Partnership’s joint fund as well as pitch competitions organized by Florida Venture Forum and Cade Museum.
SynMatter has been supported by several entrepreneurial programs and organizations including Cenfluence Energy + Environmental Sciences Cluster as an inaugural member, FL FAST for SBIR proposal support, UCF I-Corps Program, Advanced Materials Processing and Analysis Center (AMPAC) at UCF, Space Florida, Florida Venture Forum, Synapse Florida, and was a finalist for the Cade Prize in 2017.
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