NouvAI Awarded Competitive Grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation
R&D funding accelerates the translation of results to impact.
Los Angeles, CA, 12/14/2023 – NouvAI has been awarded a U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant for $274,915 to conduct research and development (R&D) work on mixed-computation neural network acceleration.
A key goal of this project is to lower the computational expenses and environmental footprint associated with the use of machine learning models in applications like chatbots, object classification and tracking, and generative AI across platforms including CPUs, GPUs, and FPGA devices. The outcomes of the project will enable the integration of advanced machine learning capabilities on edge devices with limited computing and energy resources, leading to significant productivity improvements for end users.
“NSF accelerates the translation of emerging technologies into transformative new products and services,” said Erwin Gianchandani, NSF Assistant Director for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships. “We take great pride in funding deep-technology startups and small businesses that will shape science and engineering results into meaningful solutions for today and tomorrow.”
“We are honored to be selected for this prestigious NSF SBIR award. This recognition speaks to the technical promise and envisioned benefits of NouvAI’s innovative solutions in tackling critical challenges in deep learning training methodology and efficient inference engine design,” said Massoud Pedram, CEO of NouvAI.
“The NSF grant not only provides vital financial support but also validates our innovative approach to mixed-computation deep neural network acceleration. With this funding, we can further advance our research and development efforts, pushing the boundaries of efficiency and performance in deep learning applications. It enables us to stay at the forefront of innovation, ensuring that our solutions continue to lead the way in tackling complex challenges and delivering impactful results,” said Mahdi Nazemi, the Principal Investigator on the project and CTO of NouvAI.
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. Once a small business is awarded a Phase I grant, it becomes eligible to apply for Phase II funding and additional supplements totaling up to $2 million. To get started, startups or entrepreneurs submit a written Project Pitch to see if their technology idea could be a good fit for the program. To learn more about America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF, visit: https://seedfund.nsf.gov/.
NSF has several programs that help accelerate the translation of research results to practice and provide pathways for researchers, startups and aspiring entrepreneurs to move their ideas from the laboratory to the market and society. To learn more about how NSF helps unlock future technologies for national and societal impact, visit: https://beta.nsf.gov/tip/latest.
About the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Small Business Programs: America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF awards more than $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 $2 million to support research and development, helping de-risk technology for commercial success. America’s Seed Fund is congressionally mandated through the Small Business Innovation Research program. The NSF is an independent federal agency with a budget of about $9.5 billion that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering.
https://seedfund.nsf.gov/awardees/phase-1/details/?company=nouvai-inc.