Stony Brook, SWFT Labs Expand Partnership to Industrialize Sustainable Cellulose Nanomaterials as Alternatives to Plastics and Petroleum-Based Materials

Master Research Agreement advances commercialization of breakthrough materials platform developed at Stony Brook University

Stony Brook University and biotechnology company SWFT Labstoday announced an expanded research partnership through a newly executed Master Research Agreement (MRA) with the Research Foundation for the State University of New York, accelerating the commercialization of a breakthrough materials platform originally developed at the university and further strengthening the growing SWFT-Stony Brook partnership. The agreement positions Long Island at the forefront of the emerging bio-based materials economy and reinforces the region's role as a hub for advanced materials, biotechnology, and sustainable manufacturing.

The partnership builds on a patented technology developed at Stony Brook University by Distinguished Professor of Chemistry Benjamin S. Hsiao and collaborators and licensed exclusively worldwide to SWFT Labs. Known as the Nitro-Oxidation Process (NOP), the technology enables scalable production of highly functional carboxylated cellulosic nanofibers (CNF) - a nanomaterial derived from cellulose, the most abundant biopolymer on Earth.

Through the Nitro-Oxidation Process, SWFT Labs produces highly tunable nanofibers whose chemistry can be engineered for specific applications, enabling materials capable of replacing petroleum-derived materials, reducing plastic and microplastic pollution and helping address persistent contaminants such as PFAS. In doing so, the platform opens new possibilities for materials performance while aligning with a global push toward safer, more sustainable alternatives.

"History shows that when breakthrough manufacturing processes emerge, entire industries follow," said David W. Clausen, CEO and co-founder of SWFT Labs. "The Bessemer process industrialized steel. The PAN process helped unlock carbon fiber. We believe the Nitro-Oxidation Process unlocks something even more fundamental-nature's most abundant polymer, cellulose."

"Our mission is to unlock nature in ways that improve the lives of people everywhere - and to do it with technology that is scalable, economically compelling, and built for real-world adoption," Clausen added.

With the support of Stony Brook's Intellectual Property Partners (IPP)team, and the Office of Sponsored Programs, these efforts help translate faculty discoveries into commercial technologies - strengthening the connection between academic research, startup formation, venture investment and regional economic development.

"This partnership reflects the full arc of Stony Brook's innovation enterprise, from fundamental discovery to global market impact," said Stony Brook Chief Innovation Officer Michael Kinch. "Technologies like these demonstrate how sustained federal investment, entrepreneurial leadership, and strong university-industry collaboration can converge to address global challenges while building economic opportunity here on Long Island. Our role is to ensure that transformative research moves decisively toward commercialization, scale, and societal benefit."

"We're grateful to Stony Brook University, and the Office for Research and Innovationfor creating an environment where breakthrough research can move from the laboratory into real-world impact," said Clausen. "Under the University's leadership, and with the support of teams like Intellectual Property Partners, and the Office of Sponsored Programs Stony Brook is strengthening the bridge between research, entrepreneurship, and economic development."

The collaboration reinforces SWFT Labs' ties to Stony Brook's broader innovation ecosystem, including the Long Island High Tech Incubator (LIHTI), the Strategic Partnership for Industrial Resurgence (SPIR), and the Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center (AERTC). Together, Stony Brook University and SWFT Labs aim to attract strategic partners, support entrepreneurship and further establish Long Island as a center of excellence for innovation in the emerging bio-based materials economy.

With more than a decade of research, multiple competitive federal grants and successful industrial validation, SWFT Labs is now entering the commercialization phase of its cellulose nanomaterials platform. The company's first commercial product launch is scheduled for April 23, supported by a focused agriculture go-to-market strategy built around four core products designed to improve nutrient delivery efficiency, enhance water retention and increase the performance of crop protection and fertilizer inputs.

While agriculture represents SWFT Labs' initial commercialization pathway, the company is already engaged in strategic discussions with global companies across agriculture, industrial materials, water filtration, beauty and personal care, medical technologies and aerospace. To support continued expansion and traction, SWFT Labs plans to launch a Series A financing round in the third quarter of 2026 to scale manufacturing capacity, deepen strategic partnerships, accelerate commercialization and advance development through the use of AI.

"We believe this represents a once-in-a-generation materials transition - an exciting moment for SWFT Labs, Stony Brook University, the Long Island economy and the global industries we aim to serve," Clausen said.