Qualterra’s USDA SBIR Phase I grant award will serve to accelerate the commercialization of its biomass processing technology at scale.
Cheney, WA – [September 23, 2025] – Qualterra, a leader in agricultural technology innovation, has been awarded a new USDA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I grant to accelerate the development of its next-generation Biomass Processing Unit (BPU). This marks the company’s fifth overall SBIR award, which further underscores Qualterra’s commitment and proven track record of scientific innovation and execution.
The USDA SBIR/STTR program supports small businesses in transforming scientific discovery into products and services with significant commercial potential and societal benefit. Qualterra’s latest award reflects the USDA’s commitment to fostering disruptive technologies that can improve agricultural productivity and environmental stewardship.
Building on its prior success, Qualterra’s Phase I project will focus on designing and demonstrating a 4x testbed BPU, an essential step toward developing the company’s high capacity 12x BPU. This scalable, modular system is designed to process large volumes of agricultural biomass waste, converting it into high-quality biochar and renewable energy. The innovation aims to address one of agriculture’s most pressing challenges: managing biomass waste at scale, while unlocking new opportunities for soil health, resource recovery, and carbon benefits
“We are honored to receive another USDA SBIR award. I want to thank the entire Qualterra Team for the careful thought and hard work that went into preparing this proposal,” said Mike Werner, CEO at Qualterra. “This SBIR grant will accelerate our capability to bring new advancements in biomass processing technology to the market. Our goal is to deliverer meaningful technologies that strengthen agricultural, economic, and environmental resilience for our partners and customers.”
The Phase I project will refine critical subsystems, including gasification, thermal management, and oxygen distribution, to ensure the 12x BPU meets the performance, reliability, and efficiency needs of large-scale agricultural operations. Insights gained during Phase I will directly inform Phase II development and commercialization efforts.
Interest in the technology is already strong among agricultural producers seeking advanced, cost-effective, and environmentally responsible solutions. With this USDA SBIR Phase I award, Qualterra is positioned to accelerate commercialization of its new BPU platform production capabilities, bringing meaningful innovations to market that reduce waste management costs, improve soil productivity, generate renewable energy, and contribute to long-term agricultural, economic, and environmental resilience.
About Qualterra
Qualterra delivers innovations for agriculture and sustainability, with technologies spanning molecular plant testing, propagation, biomass waste processing, and biochar production. Headquartered in Washington State, Qualterra operates three commercial facilities serving the biomass processing and agriculture industries. Learn more at www.qualterraag.com.