Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, announced Wednesday that Launchpoint Technologies Inc., headquartered in Goleta, has been awarded a nearly $150,000 National Science Foundation Small Business Innovation Research Phase 1 grant.

These federal dollars will provide seed funding for Launchpoint to develop hybrid electric and full electric propulsion systems for manned and unmanned aircraft.

“Launchpoint Technologies is developing innovative solutions to help solve our energy problems right here on the Central Coast,” Capps said. “We all know that creating a sustainable energy future requires developing cleaner and more efficient forms of energy. As we see with this award, Launchpoint Technologies is a driving force behind the cutting edge technological advances that are shaping our clean energy future.”

“We are excited to receive this National Science Foundation SBIR grant,” said Michael Ricci, P.E., vice president of engineering for Launchpoint Technologies. “The increasing popularity and success of hybrid and full-electric automobiles shows that this is a viable market and a successful way of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and making transportation greener. Our technology will bring the benefits of hybrid electric technology to aviation and air travel.”

The SBIR program is a highly competitive federal grant program that provides funding for businesses engaged in research and development that has the potential to be commercialized into new products and technologies.

“The SBIR program is a fantastic example of our government supporting small business and innovation in the United States,” Ricci said. “Without SBIR, we would be spending a tremendous amount of time and effort seeking a small amount of seed funding to prove out our ideas instead of actually developing the technology.”

— Ashley Schapitl is press secretary for Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara.