HARTFORD—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) announced Sonata Scientific, based in Danbury, has been named “Innovator of the Month.” Sonata Scientific, a developer of advanced air purification and antimicrobial products, was established in 2018 to transform science into products that reduce infections acquired in health care settings, eliminate low level volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in critical industrial environments, and reduce spoilage and deliver higher quality fresh fruits and vegetables. 

With a team of chemists, physicists, engineers, and entrepreneurs, they work collaboratively to tackle big problems and to improve the health and wellbeing of communities. Their innovative breakthroughs using light activated nano-engineered products to destroy microbes and harmful gases has received support from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

“In the last year, companies across the country and right here in Connecticut were quick to step up and get to work on creating solutions to challenges caused by COVID-19,” said Murphy. “The team at Sonata Scientific are problem solvers, and they’ve proven it during this pandemic. Their innovative technology that kills the COVID-19 virus and other bacteria that builds up on surfaces will help reduce infections and undoubtedly save lives. I’m proud to highlight the work of Sonata Scientific and am grateful for their ongoing efforts to create tools to make our communities safer and healthier.”

“Sonata Scientific is very pleased to receive this recognition from Senator Murphy,” said Peter Van Buskirk, CEO.  “Our team has deep roots in Connecticut’s high technology companies, having worked in semiconductor, nanotechnology and optics sectors. Connecticut has a strong biotechnology and semiconductor manufacturing base, and it’s a great environment for small companies to access high caliber staff and talent, both from industry and top universities.  We enthusiastically welcome our senator’s initiatives to build on Connecticut’s strengths.”

In 2020, Sonata was awarded a NSF Small Business Innovation Research Grant (SBIR) to conduct research and development work on reducing the transmission of COVID-19 by contaminated surfaces. The company is developing light activated, non-toxic durable coating for novel surfaces that kills both the COVID-19 virus and other bacteria that accumulates on hospital surfaces including bed rails and tables. This technology will reduce infections and save lives. This month the company received a grant from the EPA to develop the technology for trains, buses, and other public vehicles to reduce the risk of surface borne transmission of dangerous pathogens.

Murphy believes entrepreneurship and innovation are the building blocks for a strong economy. In the U.S. Senate, he has introduced two bipartisan pieces of legislation to incentivize angel investors to put more money into startup companies—the Angel Tax Credit Act and the Helping Angels Lead Our Startups (HALOS) Act. Startup companies create an average of 2 million jobs each year.

###