CU project greases the wheels of high-tech processes
Mar 19th
Ultracold matter technology from CU and SRI
International licensed to Boulder’s ColdQuanta
International licensed to Boulder’s ColdQuanta
ColdQuanta Inc. of Boulder and the University of Colorado have finalized an agreement allowing ColdQuanta to commercialize cutting-edge physics research developed by CU-Boulder and SRI International. The licensed technology centers on Bose-Einstein Condensate, or BEC, a new form of matter created just above absolute zero.
Ultracold matter such as BEC can be used to dramatically increase the performance of devices such as gyroscopes, accelerometers, gravimeters and magnetometers because of its strong interaction with gravity and magnetic fields as compared with laser-based devices. BEC also has potential applications in a wide range of research and commercial settings, ranging from atomic clocks to improved navigation of submarines and spacecraft, and even quantum computing.
“We are delighted that this license agreement has been finalized,” said ColdQuanta CEO Rainer Kunz. “It’s a great example of the university’s strong support for commercializing BEC and cold atom technology born out of CU and SRI International, and will ultimately boost advances in the ultracold applications field.”
“Cold atom research has great potential for fields such as instrumentation and cryptography,” added Chris Lantman, senior director of business development at SRI International of Menlo Park, Calif. “We are pleased that ColdQuanta will commercialize this important technology and look forward to new applications of our physics R&D.”
Initially theorized by Satyendra Bose and Albert Einstein in the 1920s, BEC was achieved for the first time at JILA — a joint institute of CU-Boulder and the National Institute of Standards and Technology — by Eric Cornell and Carl Wieman, who received a Nobel Prize in 2001 for their work. ColdQuanta was founded in 2007 to commercialize work by CU-Boulder physics professor and JILA Fellow Dana Anderson to develop streamlined devices for BEC experiments.
“Startup companies like ColdQuanta play a pivotal part in the transition of an entirely new scientific domain into the realm of practical applications,” said Anderson. “By now we have come full circle, so that they contribute to our scientific progress here at CU as much as our academic research advances their R&D progress.”
“We’re glad to see this forward-looking technology achieve commercial penetration, in addition to the strong academic interest,” added Ted Weverka, a licensing manager at CU. “ColdQuanta is just the adventurous company to make this happen.”
After optioning the technology in 2007, ColdQuanta received a $100,000 Proof of Concept investment from the CU Technology Transfer Office to help bring it to market. Since then, the company has been awarded contracts from the Army, Navy, NASA and the National Science Foundation, which have helped expand its array of products and core competencies beyond ultra-high vacuum, or UHV, design and opto-mechanical and atom chip design, to include UHV processing, systems controls, and diverse glass and silicon bonding expertise. The company sells to research labs and industry nationally and overseas. The company also has partnered with CU-Boulder and SRI International to provide critical UHV components for a major quantum computing project led by the University of Wisconsin.
The CU Technology Transfer Office, or TTO, pursues, protects, packages, and licenses to business the intellectual property generated from research at CU. The TTO provides assistance to faculty, staff and students, as well as to businesses looking to license or invest in CU technology. For more information about technology transfer at CU visit http://www.cu.edu/techtransfer.
ColdQuanta focuses on the development of BEC and cold atom generating devices and systems, allowing them to be accessible to a wide range of research, educational, and industrial institutions. Its products are intended for use in scientific and industrial applications requiring high performance and reliability. ColdQuanta’s products now include the miniMOT range developed for educational institutes and researchers working on cold atoms as well as the RuBECi designed for BEC and ultracold atom labs. The company also provides custom engineering solutions to the cold atom and ultracold atom community. For more information visit http://www.coldquanta.com.
Silicon Valley-based SRI International, a nonprofit research and development organization, performs sponsored R&D for governments, businesses and foundations. SRI brings its innovations to the marketplace through technology licensing, new products, and spinoff ventures. SRI is known for world-changing innovations in computing, health and pharmaceuticals, chemistry and materials, sensing, energy, education, national defense and more. For more information visit http://www.sri.com/.
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CU-Boulder to host Military Student Day March 21
Mar 19th
The University of Colorado Boulder will host Military Student Day on March 21 to assist military service members interested in transitioning from military service to life as a college student.
Co-sponsored by CU-Boulder’s Office of Admissions and the Office of Veteran Services, the daylong event is aimed at supporting Colorado’s service members who are interested in pursuing college degrees, specifically those who are close to military retirement and separation, according to Michael Roberts, program manager of CU’s Veteran Services office.
“Military Student Day is designed to allow service members the opportunity to ask questions of current CU-Boulder staff and student veterans about the admissions process and what it is like to be a CU Buff,” Roberts said. “We’re committed to supporting Colorado’s military community and are excited about this inaugural event to assist service members in making an informed decision about their educational pursuits.”
The event will include specific information sessions on veteran educational benefits and veteran services, provide personalized counseling advice on how to transition to a college environment, and offer advice on admission, academics and transferring to CU-Boulder. In addition, participants are invited to take a guided campus tour and attend a sample lecture. In the afternoon there will be breakout sessions with campus faculty, staff and student veterans to discuss specific questions about transitioning to campus life.
Service members interested in attending the event should contact Jack Kroll in CU-Boulder’s Office of Admissions at jack.kroll@colorado.edu or Michael Roberts in CU-Boulder’s Office of Veteran Services at michael.roberts@colorado.edu.
Boulder comes out swinging against climate change
Mar 19th
City of Boulder provides $300,000 in Climate Action Plan funds for EnergySmart commercial rebates
The City of Boulder is providing $300,000 in Climate Action Plan (CAP) funds to enable more Boulder businesses and commercial property owners to make energy efficiency improvements through the EnergySmart program. The rebates will only be available for energy efficiency upgrades to existing commercial buildings in Boulder.
Nearly $900,000 in EnergySmart rebates have already helped to fund 450 commercial energy efficiency projects throughout Boulder County since the program began in November 2010.
EnergySmart rebates, in addition to utility rebates, significantly reduce the out-of-pocket expense to businesses and commercial property owners, making energy efficiency upgrades more cost-effective. EnergySmart rebates may be applied to qualified upgrades for commercial building lighting; heating and cooling systems; refrigeration equipment; and more. These limited-time EnergySmart commercial rebates will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis through Dec. 31, 2012 or until the available funds have been allocated – whichever occurs first. Commercial rebate applications are available at: www.energysmartyes.com/business.
In addition to providing rebate assistance, EnergySmart services include expert advisors to help businesses and commercial property owners assess energy-saving opportunities, utilize all available financing, and find qualified contractors to complete the work. For more information, contact an EnergySmart Advisor at 303-441-1300.
W.W. Reynolds Companies leading by example
The W.W. Reynolds Companies, Inc. is one of many Boulder County businesses taking advantage of EnergySmart commercial rebates to improve its bottom line through energy efficiency upgrades.
W.W. Reynolds Companies, one of the largest commercial property owners in Boulder, has leveraged EnergySmart and Xcel Energy rebates and services to retrofit nearly one million square feet of its commercial properties throughout Boulder County.
“This has been an amazing effort on everyone’s part,” said Aaron Schlagel with W.W. Reynolds. “Our green building team is always looking for ways to save energy and this ended up being a great public-private partnership with Xcel, the City of Boulder and Boulder County. These retrofits will help our tenants reduce overhead costs, while also improving our buildings systems’ performance. We couldn’t have made these investments without the support of the EnergySmart Advisor, Xcel and our lighting supplier, Summit Lighting.”
During the past 18 months, W.W. Reynolds Companies has completed upgrades for more than 30 of its commercially leased properties, including 60 lighting projects and 18 rooftop heating and cooling equipment replacements. These lighting and equipment upgrades are estimated to save W.W. Reynolds’ tenants more than two million kilowatt-hours per year and prevent 1,137 tons of annual greenhouse gas emissions1. The upgrades are also estimated to save enough energy to power 235 Colorado homes for one year2. Several tenants have reported that they are saving an estimated 20 to 25 percent on their utility bills as a result of these upgrades. With the help of EnergySmart and Xcel Energy rebates, and equipment from Summit Lighting, W.W. Reynolds was able to reduce its out-of-pocket costs by more than 75 percent.
To learn more about the W.W. Reynolds Companies, visit: wwreynolds.com.
EnergySmart
EnergySmart services are available to businesses and residents in all Boulder County communities. EnergySmart is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) through the Department of Energy’s BetterBuildings Program and is sponsored in partnership with Boulder County, the City of Boulder, the City of Longmont, Platte River Power Authority and Xcel Energy. For more information, visit www.energysmartyes.com.
Climate Action Plan
In November 2006, Boulder voters passed the Climate Action Plan (CAP) tax, the nation’s first tax exclusively designated for climate change mitigation. City businesses and residents are taxed based on the amount of electricity they consume. CAP tax revenues are used to promote energy conservation and assist Boulder businesses and residents with implementing energy efficiency upgrades. For more information on the City of Boulder’s Climate Action Plan, visit: www.bouldercolorado.gov/lead/climateaction.
