BANGOR – Three Bangor-area companies were recently awarded seed grants from the Maine Technology Institute, according to Dr. Janet Yancey-Wrona, director.

“The seed grant awards, which can be from $1,000 up to $10,000, are offered to Maine companies six times per year,” said Yancey-Wrona. “In this latest round, we approved a total of 21 grants out of 55 applications that were reviewed.”

Bangor-area companies receiving grants and the scope of each project, include:

. Aquaculture and Marine Technology: Sensor Research and Development Corp. of Orono will develop a handheld sonographic imager to measure the size and structure of sea urchins.

. Composite Materials Technology: The Advanced Engineered Wood Composites Center of Orono will develop prototypes, manufacturing process analysis and marketing strategies for a composite boat oar product.

. Environmental Technology: Access Technology Corp. of Bangor will continue the development of a superinsulated recycled foam building system begun with the funds from a prior seed grant.

The application deadline for the next set of seed grants is April 17, with grant awards to be announced May 13. A complete list of seed grants awarded this round and program information is available at www.mainetechnology.org.

MTI seed grants are offered on a competitive basis to support early activities for product development, commercialization or business planning and development. Each grant requires a 1:1 match consisting of actual cash, salaries, staff time or equipment directly attributable to the proposed project.