The National Science Foundation has awarded UbiQD a 12-month, $225,000Â grant to advance research and development on luminescent solar-concentrating glass windows with quantum dot coatings under the Small Business Innovation Research Phase I program.
The Los Alamos National Laboratory and University of Milano-Bicocca in Italy originally helped create the solar energy technology, and UbiQD included the technology’s proof-of-concept work in the company’s license in July, UbiQD said Monday.
Hunter McDaniel, UbiQD founder and president, said the SBIR grant works to help the company pursue a market opportunity for its quantum dot technology.
“Our vision is to turn ubiquitous, everyday windows into sunlight harvesters,” he added.
UbiQD has explored other potential markets such as lighting, security and safety applications for the technology but will now focus on the solar energy market.
The nanotechnology company’s operations is currently based at a 9,000-square-foot facility in Los Alamos, New Mexico.