Winter Innovations Awarded $200K NSF TECP Grant
September 23, 2025
12:30 PM
Knoxville, Tennessee – Winter Innovations, Inc has been awarded a $200,000 Technology Enhancement for Commercial Partnerships (TECP) grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). This award marks a significant milestone in advancing commercialization of Winter Innovations’ patented two-part needle system, EasyWhip®, and accelerating widescale adoption of its innovative suturing technology.
The TECP program provides supplemental funding to NSF Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant awardees. TECP grants support research and development efforts in collaboration with a strategic partner, with the goal of accelerating commercialization and fostering commercial partnerships. Through this award, Winter Innovations will fund a collaborative research study evaluating EasyWhip® in novel sports medicine applications. The study will focus on biomechanical and usability testing to demonstrate compatibility with a strategic partner’s portfolio, positioning the technology for broader adoption in advanced orthopedic solutions.
“Our mission has always been to deliver simple tools that can improve surgical outcomes,” said Lia Winter, co-founder and CEO of Winter Innovations. “This grant provides resources to validate EasyWhip® in new clinical applications and strengthen its role in becoming the standard of care for sports medicine procedures.”
Preston Dishner, co-founder and COO, added: “Partnership is critical to scaling innovation in orthopedics. By working alongside a major industry partner under this TECP grant, we’ll be able to evaluate EasyWhip® in new contexts and accelerate its path to market adoption.”
As an NSF Phase II SBIR awardee, Winter Innovations has unlocked access to supplemental funding opportunities like TECP that strengthen commercialization pathways. Beyond this $200,000 TECP award, up to $500,000 in additional Phase IIB funding is available to perform similar collaborative R&D studies aimed at advancing commercialization.
About the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF): The NSF is an independent federal agency that supports science and engineering in all 50 states and U.S. territories. Established by Congress in 1950, NSF’s mission is to promote the progress of science, advance national health, prosperity, and welfare, and secure the national defense. NSF fulfills this mission primarily through competitive grant funding. In addition to curiosity-driven discovery, NSF also invests in solutions-oriented research with the potential to deliver meaningful advancements for society.
About Winter Innovations: Winter Innovations is a medical device company dedicated to commercialization of its patented two-part needle technology and innovative stitching methods. Its flagship product, EasyWhip®, is an FDA-cleared device that simplifies stitching, enhances biomechanical strength, and improves efficiency in ligament and tendon surgeries. Recognized as an award-winning startup, Winter Innovations has secured multiple research grants, prizes in national pitch competitions, and placements in top-tier accelerator programs including the 2025 MedTech Innovator cohort. Building on this momentum, the company is expanding the EasyWhip® product family and accelerating commercialization to improve surgical outcomes at scale.
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