A company working to make NASA spacesuits stronger and safer and another providing data to millions of drivers to help them avoid traffic jams are both growing in Delaware.

Assistance from the state Division of Small Business, Development & Tourism is helping STF Technologies and TrafficCast take their businesses to the next level.

“Growth in Delaware’s economy through projects like these stems from an ecosystem created in the state,” said Linda Parkowski, Acting Director of the Division of Small Business, Development & Tourism. “Delaware has a business environment that encourages research and innovation and has programs in place to provide the ready space and produce a well-trained workforce for high-tech companies.”

STF Technologies, which is based at the University of Delaware STAR Campus in Newark, develops advanced thickening materials that can change form between liquid and solid to improve the protective abilities of NASA spacesuits, making them more puncture- and impact-resistant.

Last year STF began manufacturing and selling shear thickening fluids.  Previously a material mostly confined to research labs, these materials are now being used by a number of different companies to create next-generation protective materials and motion-control devices.

At its February meeting, the Council on Development Finance recommended a $50,000 Technical Innovation Program grant for STF to help provide a bridge between Phase I and Phase II Small Business Innovation Research funding from NASA.

“This technology could protect and save astronauts venturing to Mars,” said Richard Dombrowski, Co-Founder of STF Technologies. “It is gratifying to see the state showing confidence in the company by helping us find Earth-based markets for our materials. We are also grateful for the TIP grant, which helps us to maintain our research and product development activities between rounds of NASA funding.”

TrafficCast, which is based in Madison, Wis., is relocating its East Coast Traffic Operations Center to Delaware. The company uses data from 1.5 billion GPS trace points and its own road-based sensors to monitor traffic flow nationwide and provides real-time traffic data to more than three-quarters of all in-dash vehicle navigation systems.

The company is relocating 10 jobs and creating an additional 58 new jobs in a new office at The Mill, a coworking space in downtown Wilmington. At its February meeting, CDF recommended awarding TrafficCast a $171,600 Performance Grant from the Delaware Strategic Fund.

Many of the new jobs will involve software development so proximity to Zip Code Wilmington, which is also located at The Mill, is an important selling point for moving there.

Both The Mill and Zip Code Wilmington have benefited from past assistance through the state’s economic development efforts.

“Delaware provides a great opportunity for TrafficCast to grow and create a footprint in a state-of-the-art location in Wilmington,” said Al McGowan, CEO of TrafficCast. “Access to the talent required for that growth attracted us to Delaware, and the support we have found here in the private sector and in state government has shown us it was the right choice.”

Media Contact:
Michael Chesney
Director of Communications
Division of Small Business, Development & Tourism
Michael.Chesney@delaware.gov
(302) 577-8472 (office)
(302) 943-9508 (cell)

Dover, Del. (October 23, 2017) – The state of Delaware wants to hear from small business owners, community leaders and interested citizens as the new Division of Small Business, Development & Tourism charts a path forward.

There will be three listening sessions this week – one in each county – to allow the public to share how the state can support small business development.

The sessions are:

October 24, 5:30 – 8:00 PM: Georgetown, University of Delaware – Carvel Research & Education Center, 16483 County Seat Hwy.

October 25, 5:30 – 8:00 PM: Wilmington, New Castle County Chamber of Commerce, 920 Justison St.

October 26, 5:30 – 8:00 PM: Dover, Richardson & Robbins Building, 89 Kings Hwy.

People interested in participating can click here to RSVP.

“Delaware is reinventing its approach to economic development and we’re asking our customers—Delaware’s residents and business owners—to help,” said Cerron Cade, Director of the Division of Small Business, Development & Tourism. “We want to hear from the public, so the chosen approach is one that serves the needs of residents and the business community.”

At each session, discussion leaders will work with attendees through three possible scenarios. They highlight non-mutually exclusive directions the Division could take. Each has benefits and tradeoffs for consideration.

Governor Carney signed HB226 in June, which led to the creation of the Division of Small Business, Development & Tourism and the Delaware Prosperity Partnership, a public-private partnership that will market the state externally as a place to grow and expand business.

Media Contact:
Michael Chesney                                                                                            
Director of Communications
Division of Small Business, Development & Tourism
Michael.Chesney@delaware.gov
(302) 577-8472 (office)
(302) 943-9508 (cell)

Dover, DE – Governor Jack Markell and Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA) Director Anas Ben Addi announced today the launch of the Downtown Development Districts (DDD) Grant Program. The DDD Grant is now available for investments in recently designated areas of Wilmington, Dover and Seaford that need the rehabilitation, expansion or new construction of commercial, industrial, residential (including multi-family), and mixed-use buildings or facilities located within the boundaries of a District.

Governor Markell said, “Downtown Development Districts will spur private capital investment in commercial business districts, stimulate job growth, help build a stable community of long term residents by improving housing opportunities, and strengthen our neighborhoods.  The DDD Grant Program offers the opportunity to generate a surge of cultural, real estate, and business activity that could reinvigorate declining areas of our cities.”

DSHA Director Anas Ben Addi added, “After many rounds of outreach and gathering feedback, we are excited to launch this program.  In structuring the grant allocation process, we tried to be fair to all projects and Districts, regardless of the size or location. The $7 million funding will allow us to attract at least $35 million worth of private investments to the designated Districts.”

The DDD Act of 2014 was enacted by General Assembly to spur private investment in commercial business districts and other neighborhoods; improve the commercial vitality of our cities and towns; and, help build a stable community of long-term residents in our downtowns and other neighborhoods.  State and local incentives are available to businesses and district investors who invest within the Downtown Development District boundaries.

Examples of eligible activities include:  Exterior, interior, structural, mechanical or electrical improvements; excavations; grading and paving; installing driveways; landscaping or land improvements; and, demolition.

Developers, homeowners, or business owners interested in investing in the DDDs may apply directly to DSHA. Applications, forms and guidelines may be obtained from DSHA’s website. Projects seeking a Large Project reservation must apply by March 20, 2015. Small Project applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis.

(Please see the Downtown Development District Fact Sheet for additional information.)

To view the Downtown Development Districts Grant Program, visit the DSHA’s Downtown Development District web page.  Visit the Office of State Planning Coordination website to learn about additional available programs that may be used in combination with the DDD Grant.

About the Delaware State Housing Authority

The Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA), formed in 1968, is dedicated to providing quality, affordable housing opportunities and appropriate supportive services to low- and moderate-income Delawareans. In addition to its role as the State’s Housing Finance Agency, DSHA is unique in that it is also serves as a Public Housing Authority and acts as a Community Development and Planning Agency. As a Public Housing Authority, DSHA receives funding from HUD to build, own and operate public housing in Kent and Sussex counties, two of Delaware’s three counties. For more information about the Delaware State Housing Authority, please call: (302) 739-4263 or visit our website at: www.destatehousing.com.

Press Contact:

Christina M. Hardin-Dirksen
Chief of Community Relations, DSHA
Phone:  (302) 739-4263
Email:  Christina@destatehousing.com

The Israel-US Bi-National Research and Development (BIRD) Foundation supports US-Israeli joint development projects with matching grants of up to $1 million.  This competitive grant process is designed to bring innovative technologies to market through US-Israel cooperation.

Details regarding the BIRD Foundation, the grant process, and application requirements are available at www.birdf.com.

This is a joint application process by a US and an Israeli company. Project summaries are due on March 14, 2012 and full proposals must be filed by April 24, 2012 for the next funding cycle which will take place in June.

Delaware companies interested in obtaining additional information should contact BIRD’s Delaware representative, Debbie Buchwald at aicc@greaterphilachamber.com or david.mathe@delaware.gov.

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This advisory provided by Delaware’s International Trade and Development Office.  Visit http://itc.sos.delaware.gov/ for more information about international trade and Delaware.