The Austin Chamber of Commerce and the Central Texas Regional Center of Innovation and Commercialization (CenTex RCIC) announce that the state of Texas has chosen Stellarray, Inc. as the recipient of a technology commercialization award funded through the Texas Emerging Technology Fund (ETF). The Central Texas company will receive a $750,000 project award for the commercialization of a new type of flat panel X-ray source for use in radioactive isotope replacement in medical product sterilization, medical imaging, including breast cancer screening and cardiac imaging, and industrial applications such as new photolithography systems.

“Central Texas is advancing the development of products that will make a difference in people’s lives,” said Jeff King, Partner Haynes & Boone, LLP and Chairman of the CenTex RCIC. “Stellarray is a perfect fit for Austin’s growing technology edge and is important because it allows us to accelerate not only the growth of a dynamic and vibrant young company but also our Austin talent pool as well.”

Stellarray was formed in 2007 to commercialize flat panel radiation source technology developed at its parent company, Stellar Micro Devices (SMD). SMD developed X-ray and UV radiation source technology in an SBIR project for the Air Force for the decontamination of bioterror agents such as anthrax. The company then won a $2 million award for the development of prototypes for wider applications in the highly competitive Advanced Technology Program (ATP) of the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology. The ETF award will provide indirect cost funding for the ATP award and resources for market development. The radiation sources use vacuum nanoelectronics technology developed since 2001 at SMD, which continues work on terahertz sources, high power amplifiers and cold cathodes for scientific instruments.

“The ETF funding is a strong validation of our vision and will help to bring our revolutionary products to market,” said Mark Eaton, CEO Stellarray. “We’re using nanotechnology-based electronics to create products which will address important needs in medical product safety, public safety, medical and industrial imaging, and other application of this new platform technology. Texas has great resources in nanotechnology and in our major application areas. We were very fortunate indeed to find world-class centers in product sterilization and medical imaging right down the road.”

Stellarray is working closely with the National Center for E-Beam Sterilization Research at Texas A&M University, under the leadership of Dr. Suresh Pillai, and Dr. Chris Shaw’s Digital Imaging Research Lab at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. UHV Technologies in Fort Worth is building a new type of deposition tool for nanoelectronic arrays that Stellarray will use in making large radiation panels. All three organizations are subcontractors in the Stellarray ATP project.

Stellarray was selected by the CenTex RCIC after an extensive due diligence process based on multiple criteria including a stringent analyses of the market and financial opportunity, technology potential, management team and economic impact to Texas.

"We are excited that the ETF Committee selected Stellarray for an award,” said Dr. Juan Sanchez, Vice President for Research at the University of Texas at Austin. “Their deep and valuable synergy with other Texas companies and public institutions has helped in the acceleration of these technologies and will provide for the development of Texas’ technology base in medical imaging."

The CenTex RCIC is a virtual center that operates out of the Austin Chamber of Commerce and serves as a catalyst for emerging technology research, development, commercialization and start-up incubation. In an effort to keep Texas globally competitive, the CenTex RCIC focuses on integrating technology development and commercialization in a 15-county region.

The CenTex RCIC works closely with the Chamber’s AusTech Alliance, a group of technology businesses and organizations working to consolidate efforts that strengthen the regional technology sector and to keep Texas globally competitive. The Central Texas Angel Network (CTAN), which aims to assist local entrepreneurs with investment opportunities, also works with the CenTex RCIC, ETF and the universities to identify capital for start-ups.