WASHINGTON (August 24, 2022) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the launch of the Make a Market Tech Challenge, which invites undergraduate and graduate students to develop a market assessment for patented EPA technologies.

“This market assessment challenge is an opportunity for students to showcase their entrepreneurial skill and work collaboratively with EPA to promote patented federal technologies," said Chris Frey, Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “The challenge will encourage the next generation of entrepreneurs to apply their business acumen to identify potential partners and communities that can help grow these targeted EPA innovative technologies to protect human health and the environment.”

The challenge is open to undergraduate and graduate students, 18 years or older, who are enrolled in U.S. accredited colleges and universities. Applicants, made up of individuals or teams, will create a market opportunity assessment to help EPA identify potential market uses for real-world environmental technologies invented by EPA researchers. EPA staff will use these identified opportunities to create partnerships with companies and fellow researchers to use the technologies for public benefit. The goals of the challenge are to expand research capabilities, stimulate new business and economic development, and help improve efforts to protect human health and the environment.

Each individual or team will develop a market assessment for one of the following technologies:

• Water Contamination Detection Kit
  • Detects arsenic and other pollutants in water through electrochemical biosensors.
• Portable Cyanobacteria Detection Kit for Recreation and Drinking Water Supplies
  • Monitors toxic cyanobacterial levels in recreation and drinking water sources.
• In situ Chloramine Sensor for Municipal Water Distribution Systems
  • Generates data to allow municipal water systems to analyze the effectiveness of its treatment of biofilms within pipes.
• Carbon Traps to Deactivate Halogen Containing Pollutants
  • Remediates contaminants in waterbodies and reduces pollutants in food stocks.

• Cyanobacteria Assessment Network App (CyAN app)
  • A mobile application used to measure water quality to detect and forecast harmful algal blooms (HABs) across marine and freshwater systems.

The top five submissions will receive a cash award. The grand prize award amount is $6,000. Two runners up will each receive awards of $3,000 and two third place awardees will each receive $1,500.

The challenge is now open and will close Saturday, December 31. Applicants will have the opportunity to attend the informational webinar held on Wednesday, September 14 from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. ET to ask questions and connect with subject matter experts. Video interviews with the inventors of the technologies will also be posted on the website.

To apply for the challenge, please visit the Make A Market Tech Challenge page.