Permittivity Wins Global Innovation Challenge
Expanding Frontiers is proud to share important news from within the Expanding Frontiers family. Accelerator client Permittivity, LLC has won the grand prize in the global challenge “Imperfection Detection: Detect Me If You Can,” organized by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in collaboration with the Army Corps of Engineers through the HeroX crowdsourcing platform.
On August 24th, Permittivity’s winning solution was showcased during a virtual ceremony hosted by the Bureau of Reclamation, where the team was awarded a total of $100,000 for its innovative leak-detection technology. Among all participating teams worldwide, Permittivity was the only one to advance to the third and final phase of the competition, demonstrating the strength of its approach and the expertise of its team.
Dr. Louis Dartez, co-founder of Permittivity, described the achievement as follows:
“This recognition by the Bureau of Reclamation is an important milestone for Permittivity as we advance a NASA sensor technology toward commercialization. We are excited to continue working with the Bureau and the Army Corp of Engineers to develop solutions to enhance our nation’s transportation infrastructure and access to clean water.”
Permittivity’s work combines licensed NASA sensor technology with a team of experts to create a non-disruptive leak-detection system for industrial applications. The solution has the potential to save billions of dollars and protect the environment by enabling remote, non-destructive monitoring of critical infrastructure.
Permittivity’s journey began in the Acceleration Program at Expanding Frontiers, where the startup received mentorship, resources, and opportunities to connect with the broader innovation community. Along the way, the company has also distinguished itself locally, winning competitions such as the UTRGV Rafael Munguia Business Plan Competition and the Startup Texas Pitch Competition hosted by the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation.
This recognition by the Bureau of Reclamation and the Army Corps of Engineers highlights the importance of programs like the Expanding Frontiers Accelerator in nurturing new technologies and ventures. Permittivity’s success is a clear example of how South Texas innovators can take NASA technologies and transform them into solutions that benefit both the local community and global industries.
Expanding Frontiers looks forward to continuing to support Permittivity as it advances toward commercialization and contributes to the growth of the space and energy innovation ecosystem in South Texas.
