University of Maryland Startups Resensys, FlexEl Receive $25K Grants from SAIC

Funding Received for Self-Powered Structure Sensors, New Battery Technology

COLLEGE PARK, Md., Jan. 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Resensys LLC and FlexEl
LLC, two startup companies spun out of technologies created at the University
of Maryland, were awarded $25K grants from Science Applications International
Corporation through the Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute, or Mtech,
university officials announce today.

The funding, provided by SAIC for 2008, supports university ventures with
promising technologies in alternative energy or threat detection. Funding
recipients are required to be enrolled in or enter the Mtech
VentureAccelerator Program, which systematically guides faculty and student
technology entrepreneurs in starting companies based upon their inventions.

"Early involvement with companies like Resensys and FlexEl via this program
provides SAIC with another avenue for exploring promising new technologies
that benefit national security and serve citizens," says Clement Chen, senior
vice president and group director of strategic planning for SAIC. "We are
excited about our continuing relationship with the University of Maryland and
believe that support of the VentureAccelerator program is a good example of
our cooperative activities."

Resensys develops self-powered, wireless, distributed sensors for monitoring
structures such as bridges, buildings, and pipelines. Its patent-pending
technology, invented by electrical and computer engineering assistant research
scientist and alumnus Dr. Mehdi Kalantari, will detect strain, deformation,
and cracks forming in structures, and provide early warnings when problems
arise. Resensys' sensors attach to existing structures. The company joined
VentureAccelerator in July 2008.

FlexEl develops millimeter-thick, high-density, rechargeable batteries made
from thin films. Remotely rechargeable, the batteries gather energy from the
environment, from sources such as vibrations and existing radio waves. They
can even recharge by simply pointing a cell phone at them. FlexEl's batteries
are flexible, meaning they can conform to nearly any shape and act as part of
an electronic device's packaging. They attach to microchips, sensors, RFID
chips, and small electronic components. The batteries are comprised entirely
of environmentally friendly materials.

FlexEl's patent-pending technologies were developed by electrical and computer
engineering professors Drs. Martin Peckerar and Neil Goldsman, as well as
research associate and alumnus Dr. Zeynep Dilli. FlexEl is accepted into the
VentureAccelerator program pending final approval.

"Our goal at Mtech is to provide an on-campus support infrastructure enabling
faculty and students to commercialize their inventions through
entrepreneurship," says Jim Chung, director of VentureAccelerator. "While our
program provides valuable business expertise and guidance to university
startups, there is still a critical funding gap at the seed stage that this
important initiative by SAIC helps to fill."

VentureAccelerator offers faculty and students hands-on assistance with a
range of new business processes, including: sound business planning;
understanding of markets or customers; proper alignment and timing of efforts;
assistance in establishing management teams; and access to capital financing
sources.

About the Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute (Mtech) (www.mtech.umd.edu)

The mission of the Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute (Mtech) is
tri-fold: educate the next generation of technology entrepreneurs; help
entrepreneurs create successful technology-based ventures; and connect
Maryland companies with university resources to help them succeed. Founded in
1983, Mtech has had a $19.6 billion cumulative impact on the Maryland economy
through its programs. Mtech is a unit of the A. James Clark School of
Engineering at the University of Maryland.

SOURCE University of Maryland

Eric Schurr of University of Maryland, +1-301-405-3889, schurr@umd.edu