Accelerate Biotechnological Innovations in Dairy (ABID) Grant Program

The Accelerate Biotechnological Innovations in Dairy (ABID) grant program is administered by the Center for Dairy Research (CDR) and supported through a $1.2 million award from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA). The program is designed to advance scalable biotechnology solutions that transform dairy co-products—such as permeate and acid whey—into higher-value commercial products like bioplastics, organic acids, and food ingredients. Matching contributions totaling an additional $1.2 million, through cash and in-kind support from partner organizations, further bolster the program's capacity to support entrepreneurial innovation. ABID serves as both a grant program and an accelerator, inviting entrepreneurs, scientists, and established companies from across the United States to apply. Successful applicants gain access to CDR’s state-of-the-art pilot plant, where they can scale their bench-tested technologies within a licensed dairy facility. The program supports development activities with CDR staff expertise, specialized equipment, and infrastructure tailored for dairy bio-fermentation and purification processes. One of the central features of the program is access to a newly installed 400-liter stainless-steel bioreactor with SIP (Sterilize-in-Place) capabilities and advanced automation. This bioreactor enables applicants to perform precision-controlled fermentation and scale-up activities. Potential applications include biotransformation of lactose-rich waste, production of lactic acid bacteria, and synthesis of prebiotic and postbiotic compounds, all within a tightly regulated and reproducible processing environment. CDR provides not only technical support but also business development services, including connections to commercialization resources at the University of Wisconsin, WARF, and D2P. In addition, grant awardees benefit from assistance in regulatory evaluation, intellectual property (IP) management, and referrals to key dairy industry stakeholders. CDR facilitates collaboration by subsidizing pilot-scale trials, while applicants are required to contribute matching funds from their own sources. Applications for the current cycle are being accepted between February 2 and March 12. Notifications of award decisions will be issued by April 1. Applications are submitted through CDR’s online portal and must include an abstract, technical narrative aligned with evaluation criteria, external funding summaries, and letters of support or CVs. Interested applicants should contact Sonali Mohapatra at [email protected] for more information. To qualify, applicants must be U.S.-based entities or have a significant U.S. presence. Projects must demonstrate technical feasibility—bench-level work completed, developed scale-up processes, and biological components clearly established—as well as commercial viability and regulatory considerations. Additionally, participants must agree to utilize dairy byproducts as feedstock, conduct intermediate trials at CDR facilities, and ensure that their products do not compete with the dairy industry. Intellectual property developed in the scale-up process may be subject to further discussion.

Focus on technical feasibility, commercial potential, and use of dairy byproducts.