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 1st Detect as the recipient of a Commercialization award funded through the Texas Emerging Technology Fund (ETF). This company, which plans on producing portable mass spectrometers, will receive a $1.8 million award for the commercialization of its technology.

“The Miniature Chemical Detector is a potential breakthrough technology with critical applications, including protecting our soldiers on the battlefield and keeping civilian air travel safe by rapidly and cost-effectively detecting chemical warfare agents and explosives,” said Jack McDonald Chairman of Perficient, Inc. and Chairman of the CenTex RCIC. “This investment by the ETF will not only create jobs right here in Texas but will also help to secure our troops and the homeland.”

1st Detect Corporation was formed by Astrotech Corporation to commercialize miniature-mass spectrometer technology first developed for the International Space Station. 1st Detect created the Miniature Chemical Detector, a product that revolutionizes the chemical detection market by combining the performance of a mass spectrometer in a small, easily portable package.

The Miniature Chemical Detector combines rapid analysis time with the capability to detect residues and vapors from a wide range of chemicals including explosives, chemical warfare agents, toxic chemicals and volatile organic compounds, all in a portable device.

"With this investment from the ETF, we will continue to develop a technology that has the potential to make a great impact in the safety of our troops and our nation," said John Porter, CEO 1st Detect. “With this technology we will greatly enhance the military`s ability to detect chemical threats by increasing the accuracy of chemical detection by orders of magnitude.”

The commercialization award will be used to finalize product design of the chemical detector and market it to the security, healthcare, and industrial sectors. 1st Detect plans on converting their early prototype into a working field model that can be deployed in a wide variety of applications.

1st Detect expects to create 45 jobs by 2010 with the possibility of over 600 employees in Texas within five years. 1st Detect is currently partnered with The University of North Texas. The University of North Texas will supply expertise in product miniaturization, as well as developmental testing support.

“This technology allows us to put what was once a cumbersome piece of scientific equipment into a portable device that is useful in many applications,” said Dr. Guido Verbeck of The University of North Texas. “Otherwise, field use of mass spectrometry is just not practical.”

1st Detect 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.

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.