DPP’s Erica Crell, Dr. Dennis Prather of PSI, DPP’s Noah Olson and Dr. Ahmed Sharkway of PSI following the April 22 CDF meeting.

April 24, 2024

WILMINGTON, Del. – Phase Sensitive Innovations – a veteran-owned, University of Delaware spinoff that specializes in radio-frequency components, devices and systems – has chosen to expand operations in its hometown of Newark, Delaware, to support its continued growth within the domestic defense and global semiconductor industries.

PSI will occupy an approximately 12,000-square-foot site along with its current 20,000-square-feet facility, both of which are located in Sandy Brae Industrial Park in Newark. Along with the physical expansion, PSI plans to expand staff from its current roster of 80 – all but three of whom are engineers – to more than 100 by the end of 2024 and add 30 to 40 more jobs in subsequent years

All of the new jobs will be highly skilled technical positions that provide a high degree of on-the-job training. PSI plans to continue recruiting locally from the University of Delaware and Delaware Technical Community College to fill these roles.

“It’s rewarding to see a Delaware-born company expand in its hometown, adding highly skilled jobs to our workforce and increasing manufacturing and lab space in Newark,” said Governor John Carney. “I’m pleased by Phase Sensitive Innovations’ work to recruit employees from our institutions of higher education. Those relationships and support from the Delaware Prosperity Partnership create a vibrant workforce and strengthen our economy in the First State.”

“I am thrilled Dr. Prather is going to continue expanding in Delaware,” said U.S. Senator Chris Coons. “Phase Sensitive Innovations is a remarkable innovative company that manufactures the next generation of technology which translates radio signals into optical signals in no small part because of their patent portfolio and great employees. Dr. Prather and his team of innovators have taken an incredible idea and turned it into a technology that is now contributing to the vibrancy of the Newark economy, the security of the United States and our global competitiveness. From my first meeting with Dennis in the basement of Evans Hall at UD, to my recent visit where I saw his facility in Newark bursting at the seams, PSI is one of the better examples of how strong IP, a great team of people and initial help from SBIRs and STTRs can help research move from the early development to rapidly scaling.”

PSI’s new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility will include more than 8,000 square feet of lab space and will focus on thin-film lithium niobate wafers and devices. This technology enables next-generation communications and radio frequency systems, and PSI is believed to be the only domestic supplier positioned to manufacture these items domestically. The expansion also will free up space in the original building that will be used to expand research and development operations.

PSI has received $110 million in ongoing Department of Defense contracts – extending across Army, Navy, Air Force and Office of the Undersecretary of Defense programs as well as related work with the National Air and Space Administration and the Department of Energy – and other transactional agreements since its founding in 2007. The company expects to book more than $20 million in additional contracts over the next year.

PSI also works directly with prime contractors and other commercial partners to manufacture state-of-the-industry photonic components. The company recently signed a transition agreement to manufacture and supply original equipment manufacturer components to a global leader in photonic components and aims to grow further in the commercial sector with advanced technologies for wireless communications, broadband, smart devices and other applications.

“Congratulations to Dennis Prather and the entire PSI team on the expansion of their facility in Newark,” said New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer. “It’s critical to Delaware’s job market to retain successful homegrown businesses and to ensure success by creating more high-paying jobs right here in our community.”

DPP has consulted with PSI for several years and worked with the company since mid-2023 to explore growth opportunities. DPP supported PSI’s request to the Council on Development Finance for a Jobs Performance Grant of up to $139,800 and a Graduated Lab Space Grant of up to $566,090 from the Delaware Strategic Fund. Distribution of these grants is dependent upon the company meeting commitments as outlined to the CDF, which reviewed and approved PSI’s request for up to $705,890 in total funding.

“Delaware is so well-placed – with a prime location in the Mid-Atlantic region – and it’s an untapped resource when it comes to technical talent,” said PSI President Dennis Prather, who is also a professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Delaware and a veteran of the U.S. Naval Reserve and who founded PSI with fellow faculty member Christopher Schuetz. “We are very grateful to the State of Delaware for supporting the expansion of our manufacturing facility, which will enable PSI to become a major provider of a key technology to the defense and commercial sectors for years to come.”

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About Delaware Prosperity Partnership

Created in 2017, Delaware Prosperity Partnership (choosedelaware.com) is the nonprofit public/private organization that leads Delaware’s statewide economic development efforts to attract, grow and retain businesses; build a stronger entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem; and support private employers in identifying, recruiting and developing talent.

About Phase Sensitive Innovations

Phase Sensitive Innovations (PSI) is a small, high-technology company specializing in radio-frequency (RF) photonic devices, components and systems, with a particular focus on the millimeter wave (mmW) region of the electromagnetic spectrum. PSI produces high-quality and high-performance RF photonic devices, components and systems with applications that include mmW imaging and wireless communications systems such as 5G/B5G cellular, communications, radar and vision enhancement markets.

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February 26, 2024

WILMINGTON, Del. – FFI Ionix Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Fortescue, a global green technology, energy and metals company, has chosen Dover, Delaware, to base its operations to support global decarbonization and establishment of the hydrogen economy.

FFI Ionix, which focuses on hydrogen technologies, will relocate from its approximately 15,000-square-foot site in Harrington to 60 Starlifter Avenue within the city limits of Dover. More than 22,000 square feet of the new facility’s almost 57,000 square feet will be lab space.

The physical expansion at the new location also builds capacity for future job expansion, with the potential for new professional and semi-skilled positions, including engineers, lab technicians, chemists, quality control personnel and production and warehouse associates.

“FFI Ionix’s decision to stay and grow in our state is great news for Delaware and our leadership in the hydrogen economy,” said Governor John Carney. “We recently announced investments in downtown Dover, and this expansion will bring even more activity to our state’s capital. This is what the Graduated Lab Space Grants and Strategic Fund are for: keeping and growing innovative companies here in the First State.”

FFI Ionix is part of Fortescue, a company that ranks 414th on the Forbes Global 2000 list, but its origins were founded in Delaware as Xergy. Xergy won more than $10 million in research and development funding and patented more than 100 of its membrane and device innovations before being acquired by Fortescue and transformed into FFI Ionix in 2021.

FFI Ionix is a leader in next-generation electrolysis technology, such as anion exchange membrane (AEM), and is a commercial supplier of membranes for water electrolysis, electrochemical compression, water transmission and fuel cells. The company’s advanced ion-exchange membranes enable more efficient and cost-effective electrolysis, a crucial process for producing green hydrogen from water, and represents continued leadership in membrane research, development and production that benefits customers around the world.

Its focus on innovation in the hydrogen economy aligns with green hydrogen production goals set by the recently designated and federally funded Mid-Atlantic Hydrogen Hub (MACH2), in which Delaware companies will play key roles.

Over the last two years, Delaware Prosperity Partnership – assisted by Kent Economic Partnership and the City of Dover – helped FFI Ionix explore potential Delaware sites while the company also considered out-of-state options. DPP supported FFI Ionix’s request to the Council on Development Finance for a Graduated Lab Space Grant of up to $1,604,960; a Jobs Performance Grant of up to $70,400; and a Jobs Retention Grant of up to $42,500 from the Delaware Strategic Fund.

Distribution of these grants is dependent upon the company meeting commitments as outlined to the CDF, which reviewed and approved FFI Ionix’s request for up to $1,717,860 in total funding. This marks the first time that a Graduated Lab Space Grant has been awarded for a site in Kent County (Central Delaware) since the program was piloted in 2021.

“This is very exciting for Dover and the greater Dover community,” said Dover Mayor Robin R. Christiansen. “Developing here reassures more jobs and more opportunities for our younger generations, in an industry with the potential to grow, all while decreasing our carbon footprint.”

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Created in 2017, Delaware Prosperity Partnership (choosedelaware.com) is the nonprofit public/private organization that leads Delaware’s statewide economic development efforts to attract, grow and retain businesses; build a stronger entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem; and support private employers in identifying, recruiting and developing talent.

FFI Ionix Inc. is a technology development company focused on global technology leadership and commercialization of hydrogen technologies, including ion-exchange membranes for water electrolysis, electrochemical compression, water transmission and fuel cells. The United States-based company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fortescue, a global green technology, energy and metals company recognized for its culture, innovation and industry-leading development of infrastructure, mining assets and green energy initiatives.

Stay Up To Date With Delaware

WILMINGTON, Del.  – Compact Membrane Systems Inc. (CMS), a 30-year-old Delaware company whose advanced membrane systems address the challenge of decarbonizing heavy industry, has chosen New Castle, Delaware, for a $3.1 million facility and workforce expansion that will help address massive market demand.

CMS formerly operated completely out of a location on Water Street in Newport. The company recently moved much of its operations to a temporary site on Reads Way in New Castle near where construction on its new facility is ongoing. The expansion includes building 10,864 square feet of research and development and manufacturing-focused lab spaces along with more than 4,216 square feet of additional new space. The company also plans to add at least 38 new full-time employees to its current staff of 19 over the next three years.

“We’re grateful that Compact Membrane Systems will build on its 30-year history in our state,” said Governor John Carney. “CMS has an important mission to decarbonize heavy industry. Their decision to grow in Delaware will help make our environment more sustainable and add jobs to our state.”

Founded in Wilmington, Delaware, in 1993 by former DuPont scientist Stuart Nemser and now led by his daughter, CMS delivers technology solutions that capture and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, avert global warming and transform the industry into a long-term sustainable enterprise. With a massive shortage of membrane fiber needed to meet industry demands, CMS is expanding to help fill the growing needs of the carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) market, which has tremendous growth potential in the fight against climate change.

CMS has been shifting from a small, research-based company utilizing federal grants for R&D projects to further its business objectives to a rapidly growing commercial entity with a double bottom line – marrying commercial success with social responsibility – by delivering innovative new products while also capturing and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. As the company has evolved, including raising $16.5 million in a Series A venture capital round in 2023, CMS has investigated where best to continue its growth.

The company considered moving to locations closer to investors and potential customers, including Houston, Texas, and areas further West. However, CMS’s First State roots, history of hiring local talent and commitment to community involvement and sector leadership here helped drive its decision to continue to expand its engineering, manufacturing and sales footprint in Delaware.

“It’s vitally important we keep legacy companies like CMS in our communities growing and thriving,” said New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer. “We have the talent right here in our state, and this expansion presents opportunities for our workforce to stay right here at home.”

Delaware Prosperity Partnership supported CMS’s request to the Council on Development Finance for a Graduated Lab Space Grant of up to $760,480 and a Jobs Performance Grant of up to $115,000 from the Delaware Strategic Fund. Distribution of these grants is dependent upon the company meeting commitments as outlined to the CDF, which reviewed and approved CMS’s request.

“CMS has grown up as a Delaware company and, through this state support, is excited to cement our future in Delaware,” said Erica Nemser, CMS’s CEO, who also chairs the Delaware Sustainable Chemistry Alliance Board. “We love the resources and opportunity Delaware has to offer, from excellent scientific and technical talent to the commitment to manufacturing advanced technology to address climate emissions.”

* Since the publication of this release, Compact Membrane Systems has rebranded as Ardent to reflect the company’s next chapter as an innovative, high-growth company ardently committed to accelerating decarbonization and transforming the global industrial and energy landscape.

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WILMINGTON, Del.  – Applications for Delaware’s fourth annual Startup302 funding competition are now being accepted through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, February 4, from technology-enabled startups with high-growth potential and at least one founding team member from an underrepresented group. Prizes include cash grants from a prize pool of over $130,000 along with mentorship opportunities and connections with potential investors and key influencers.

Coordinated by Delaware Prosperity Partnership and innovation-supporting partners from throughout the Delaware business community and beyond, Startup302 launched in 2020 and has provided $643,000 in funding to 37 ventures since the first finals in 2021. This year’s categories are Early Stage, FinTech, Life Sciences, Environmental Impact and Delaware Impact, reflecting Delaware’s evolving innovation and industry landscape.

Startups must be tech-enabled with at least one founder from an underrepresented group: women; people of color, including African Americans, Latin Americans and Native Americans; and members of the LGBTQ+ community – all groups whose ventures are underinvested in relative to their demographic’s percentage of overall United States population. Because Startup302 seeks to foster diverse perspectives, promote inclusive and equitable consideration and attract diverse communities of founders to the region, startups don’t have to be Delaware-based to enter. Thanks to sponsors, there is no charge to enter.

“Startup302 helps strengthen Delaware’s innovation ecosystem by supporting entrepreneurs seeking financial and networking boosts for their businesses,” said DPP Director of Innovation Noah Olson. “We’re honored to provide them access to key funding and facilitators that can make a difference in their development and enable them to realize their potential.”

Competitors will be chosen from applications submitted by the February 4 deadline and go through multiple rounds of consideration before finalists are notified of their status on April 16. The live, in-person pitch contest will take place in Wilmington on May 16, and winners will be announced that day.

This year’s Startup302 sponsors include Ashland, Bronze Valley, Delaware Art Museum, Delaware Division of Small Business, Delaware Limo, Delaware Small Business Development Center, Discover Bank, DuPont, FMC, Highmark Delaware, Hyatt, M&T Bank, Potter Anderson, StartOut, The Innovation Space, True Access Capital Women’s Business Center, University of Delaware Horn Entrepreneurship and World Trade Center Delaware.

Additional partners include Delaware Black Chamber of Commerce, New Castle County Chamber of Commerce, Emerging Enterprise Center, Chesapeake Ag Innovation Center, Delaware Sustainable Chemistry Alliance, Delaware State University College of Business and Sara Crawford.

An online information session for prospective entrants was recorded in December and is available for prospective applicants to review at startup302.org. The video, which is led by DPP’s Erica Crell, answers frequently asked questions regarding the competition’s requirements and judging criteria and provides guidance on topics such as presentation ideas.

Full contest details and the application also are at startup302.org. Additional questions may be directed to Crell at ecrell@choosedelaware.com.

Stay Up To Date With Delaware

WILMINGTON, Del. – Novo, the powerfully simple financial solutions platform for small businesses that is a two-time member of the Forbes Fintech 50, has chosen to expand in Wilmington, Delaware.

Novo has built a platform for small businesses that combines a checking account with an ecosystem of financial applications — helping small businesses access their revenue faster, save time on business-critical tasks and manage their money anytime on any device. Since launching in 2018, Novo has surpassed $20 billion in small business transactions and was named to the Forbes Fintech 50 list, which highlights “the top private companies that are transforming finance through technology” in both 2022 and 2023.

Novo is headquartered in Miami and recently opened a U.S. location in Wilmington. In Delaware, the company is operating from the Stat International space on Orange Street. Novo has hired a dozen employees since May and will continue to grow the office in the coming years.

“Novo’s decision to expand to Wilmington is great news for the First State,” said Governor John Carney. “We want to be the place companies consider when starting and growing their businesses. Novo’s move to Wilmington shows that our efforts to make Delaware inviting to corporations are working and that the Delaware Prosperity Partnership is making a difference.”

One of Novo’s recently developed offerings is Novo Funding, a fast and flexible way for small businesses to access working capital. Since its launch, Novo Funding has issued more than $70 million in working capital.

Novo’s decision to choose Delaware for its expansion further confirms the state’s status as a hub for financial services and fintech companies. Wilmington and its environs continue to be the site of significant growth for existing businesses in the financial services and fintech sector while also attracting new firms to the area. Companies with recent Delaware expansions include Ally Financial, City National Bank, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase.

“Small businesses make up more than half of Delaware’s workforce — an incredible testament to the work Delaware has done to make small business creation and growth as accessible as possible,” said Grant Sahag, VP of Operations at Novo. “The Novo team is honored to be a part of Delaware’s thriving small business community.”

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About Delaware Prosperity Partnership

Created in 2017, Delaware Prosperity Partnership (choosedelaware.com) is the nonprofit public/private organization that leads Delaware’s statewide economic development efforts to attract, grow and retain businesses; build a stronger entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem; and support private employers in identifying, recruiting and developing talent.

About Novo

Novo Platform, Inc. (“Novo”) is the powerfully simple financial platform for small businesses. To learn more, visit www.novo.co.

Disclosure

Novo is a fintech, and not a bank. Novo acts as a service provider to Middlesex Federal Savings, F.A., and the deposit and banking products obtained through the Novo platform are provided by Middlesex Federal Savings, F.A. Middlesex Federal Savings, F.A. is a federal savings bank and an FDIC-insured depository institution (FDIC Certificate 28368). Deposits made at Middlesex Federal Savings, F.A. through the Novo platform receive FDIC insurance protection on a pass-through basis up to the applicable legal limit. When determining the amount of your deposits covered by FDIC insurance, please note all deposits you make through the Novo platform will be aggregated with all deposit accounts of the same ownership and/or vesting held at Middlesex Federal Savings, F.A. and Middlesex Federal Savings, F.A. brands. Additional information regarding FDIC insurance coverage is available at www.fdic.gov. Merchant Cash Advance products and services are offered by Novo Funding LLC (“Novo Funding”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Novo. Merchant Cash Advances require a Novo checking account.

Stay Up To Date With Delaware

WILMINGTON, Del. – A 32-year-old precision machine company in Wilmington has received the first grant from a pilot program aimed at helping Delaware businesses evolve and remain competitive within their industries.

High-Tech Machine Company Inc. was approved for up to $219,525 in funding from the Modernization Investment Support Initiative (MISI), which was created earlier this year. The MISI grant will help High-Tech Machine make almost $1.1 million in equipment upgrades that are necessary for the CNC machining and Wire EDM company to retain current contracts, compete for new contracts and maintain its 17 full-time employees.

“This is a homegrown Delaware startup that will use this grant to upgrade equipment,” said Governor John Carney. “This is what the Modernization Investment Support Initiative is designed to do – help companies like High-Tech Machine stay competitive and grow in the First State.”

Demand for CNC and EDM products has grown steadily in recent years, much of it from the aerospace and defense; medical imaging; instrumentation; and oil and gas sectors. Small shops like High-Tech Machine play a key role in the U.S. and global supply chain for these increasingly complex components – for which even miniscule variations in size or shape carry significant consequences – while also providing well-paying industry jobs.

High-Tech Machine offers customers a single source for complete turnkey products and processes for all aspects of projects, including machining, furnace brazing, plating, painting, heat treating, anodizing, silk screening and assembly. The bulk of the company’s revenue is from outside Delaware, with current clients in Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, West Virginia, Massachusetts, Maine, Ohio, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Texas, Arizona and California.

“This is exciting news for New Castle County and the State of Delaware,” said New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer. “High-Tech Machine is a proud Delaware company from a Delcastle High graduate, and we’re proud of their continued success.”

High-Tech Machine owner and President Neal Crosley completed studies at Delcastle High School and Delaware Technical Community College before working as a machinist for 10 years and then founding his company in 1991. Since then, High-Tech Machine has grown into a 10,000-square-foot facility with 20 machining centers, most of which are now 15 to 20 years old. High-Tech Machine’s MISI funding will help support the purchase of 5-axis machining centers, 4-axis horizontal machining centers and quality-control equipment that make them more efficient and are already used by the company’s competitors.

“We knew we had to increase capabilities and modernize our facility to remain competitive,” Crosley said.

Delaware Prosperity Partnership (DPP) connected with High-Tech Machine earlier this year as part of DPP’s existing business engagement program. DPP supported High-Tech Machine’s MISI funding request to the state Council on Development Finance, which voted to recommend support for High-Tech Machine during its December 11 meeting.

DPP had partnered with the state Division of Small Business earlier this year to propose MISI to help existing Delaware companies preemptively avert or reduce future potential risks to jobs and operations. In August, CDF members approved use of up to $5 million from the Delaware Strategic Fund for the MISI pilot program.

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About Delaware Prosperity Partnership

Created in 2017, Delaware Prosperity Partnership (choosedelaware.com) is the nonprofit public/private organization that leads Delaware’s statewide economic development efforts to attract, grow and retain businesses; build a stronger entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem; and support private employers in identifying, recruiting and developing talent.

Stay Up To Date With Delaware