Brownsville, TX, October 08, 2024 - Aetherworks today announced that it was awarded $30,000 through the Department of Energy (DOE) American Made Challenge: Lab MATCH prize. Aetherworks will use the funding to develop cutting-edge technology that will revolutionize how commercial buildings reduce their carbon footprint, lower energy costs and create healthier indoor environments.
“We are excited to use the Lab Match Phase II prize which will help fund further develop of our innovative Direct Air Capture (DAC) system, to integrate with HVAC systems in commercial buildings,” stated Brandan Neece,” Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for Aetherworks. “This technology, originating from Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and NASA, is intended to capture CO2 directly from the air circulation in HVAC systems to reduce a building's carbon footprint and to provide healthier indoor air quality.”
Consumers are becoming more health-conscious, and regulations around indoor air quality are becoming more stringent. According to the US Department of Labor, poor indoor air quality (IAQ) has been tied to symptoms like headaches, fatigue, trouble concentrating, and irritation of the eyes, nose, throat and lungs. In addition, high levels of CO2 correlate with increased drowsiness and lower cognitive ability.
The DOE Office of Technology Transitions Lab MATCH (Laboratory Making Advanced Technology Commercialization Harmonized) Prize is a three-phase competition aimed to accelerate national laboratory intellectual property (IP) licensing and commercialization.
Lab MATCH, which is funded by the Technology Commercialization Fund, is part of the American-Made Challenges suite of prizes. It provides an opportunity for innovators and entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds to work directly with national labs and their researchers to accelerate technology commercialization.
Aetherworks, Inc. is a Brownsville, TX startup company specializing in Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology. Founded by Hector Valdez (CEO) and Brandan Neece (CTO), Aetherworks aims to improve indoor air quality and reduce the carbon footprint in commercial buildings and provide a sustainable source of CO2 for indoor farms. Aetherworks holds a NASA license for carbon dioxide removal technology and are developing a prototype DAC system for CO2 supplementation in indoor farms. Aetherworks is part of Expanding Frontiers' Acceleration Program and collaborates with organizations like DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).
Expanding Frontiers (ExF) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to foster the commercial space ecosystem in South Texas. ExF is dedicated to advancing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, as well as promoting entrepreneurship and innovation in underrepresented and disadvantaged communities in South Texas.
Contact
Aetherworks Inc.
Brandan Neece
956-832-4505
aetherworks.us
