Recently completed SBIR programs

In the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program, the US Government, through a variety of agencies, funds companies to develop products or processes that not only meet Government needs but also have commercial potential. Funding is done in a highly competitive, two-step process for an initial Phase I feasibility study and a Phase II demonstration program. In a so-called Phase III follow-on the companies commercialize the results of the Government-sponsored effort, that is, bring the product or process to the commercial market.

Q-Peak, when it operated as SEO Boston and earlier, the Research Division of SEO, had a long and successful history of translating the results of SBIR-funded research into either products or new business areas. Until 1993, products developed under SBIR funding at the Research Division were transitioned into production at different Divisions of SEO in Orlando. After 1993, the emphasis shifted more to having products manufactured and sold directly by the Research Division.

For SEO as a whole, since 1987 company funds have been used to carry product development and marketing through Phase III. Significant product sales, beginning in 1989, have resulted, now totaling over $22 million.

SEO has produced five different laser devices that are used in scientific research, lasers for medical applications including tattoo removal, angioplasty and orthopedic surgery, laser altimeters and rangefinders for airplanes and helicopters, lasers that help control agricultural spraying of herbicides and fertilizers, lasers used for traffic management and data collection, rangefinding lasers useful in a variety of situations including robotic guidance, obstacle warning, and aerial surveying, and lasers used to detect atmospheric aerosols and turbulence.

As a recognition of the success that SEO has had with the SBIR program, the company and CEO, William Schwartz, were granted a Tibbets Award in 1996, the first year of the awards. Named for the person universally acknowledged as father of the SBIR program - Roland Tibbetts - these prestigious, national awards are made annually to those small firms, individuals, organizations and projects judged to exemplify the best in SBIR achievement, the different types of support and related activities.

Q-Peak intends to maintain this strong tradition of success with the SBIR program. Below, we highlight the results of some recently completed SBIR programs, some done or started when we were the Research Division. As programs underway are completed, we will add them to this section. Stay tuned!

Recently Completed SBIR Programs