NSF Award

New York City, June 28th – Vianair Inc. has been awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant for $225,000 to conduct research and development (R&D) work on airspace design and planning.

The Vianair Airspace Information Model (AIM) platform combines the functions of Design, Performance Evaluation and Optimization in a single parametric model addressing the airspace design and planning process from a holistic perspective and making the instant evaluation of all performance trade-offs possible, while accounting for design rules and criteria. The proposed innovation will enable airport authorities, airlines and air navigation service providers in the US and worldwide to more efficiently plan, design and manage airspace and airports systems, facilitating the seamless sharing of information between stakeholders, ultimately enabling the transition of the air traffic management system into the future and entailing significant benefits for the traveling public and the local communities.

“NSF is proud to support the technology of the future by thinking beyond incremental developments and funding the most creative, impactful ideas across all markets and areas of science and engineering,” said Andrea Belz, Division Director of the Division of Industrial Innovation and Partnerships at NSF. “With the support of our research funds, any deep technology startup or small business can guide basic science into meaningful solutions that address tremendous needs.”

“Vianair bridges the gap between airspace design proposals and their implementation by enabling the holistic evaluation of such proposals at design-time, while taking into account aircraft performance, fuel burn, delays, and environmental considerations, such as emissions and noise impact. Vianair AIM transitions the airspace design and planning process into the future and has the potential to lead to significant benefits for society”, said Stavros Sidiropoulos, Vianair’s Founder and CEO.

Once a small business is awarded a Phase I SBIR/STTR grant (up to $225,000), it becomes eligible to apply for a Phase II grant (up to $750,000). Small businesses with Phase II grants are eligible to receive up to $500,000 in additional matching funds with qualifying third-party investment or sales.

NSF accepts Phase I proposals from small businesses twice annually in June and December. Small businesses with innovative science and technology solutions, and commercial potential are encouraged to apply. All proposals submitted to the NSF SBIR/STTR program, also known as America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF, undergo a rigorous merit-based review process.

To learn more about America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF, visit: https://seedfund.nsf.gov/

About the National Science Foundation’s Small Business Programs: America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF awards $200 million annually to startups and small businesses, transforming scientific discovery into products and services with commercial and societal impact. Startups working across almost all areas of science and technology can receive up to $1.5 million in non-dilutive funds to support research and development (R&D), helping de-risk technology for commercial success. America’s Seed Fund is congressionally mandated through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. The NSF is an independent federal agency with a budget of about $8.1 billion that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering.