ObeeWAN Technologies Awarded Competitive Grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation

Pittsburgh, PA, 07/07/2025 – Obeewan Technologies Inc has been awarded a U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Innovation Research

(SBIR) grant for $305,000 to conduct research and development (R&D) work on revolutionizing hive management with a bio-acoustic luring device that can lures queen bees to a specific location through a mobile app.

The ObeeWAN technology solution will empower beekeepers with data-driven decision-making, reducing labor costs and optimizing hive management. Additionally, the technology’s potential applications in livestock management, and pest control will contribute to a more sustainable agricultural landscape, promoting environmental health and biodiversity.

“NSF accelerates the translation of emerging technologies into transformative new products and services,” said Erwin Gianchandani, NSF Assistant Director for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships. “We take great pride in funding deep-technology startups and small businesses that will shape science and engineering results into meaningful solutions for today and tomorrow.”

“This federal support from the NSF reflects the kind of forward-looking investment that strengthens sustainable agriculture, rural economies, protects pollinators, and creates a healthier future.”, says Joe Zgurzynski, CEO of Obeewan Technologies. 

“We’re honored to found ObeeWAN Technologies here in Pennsylvania, where innovation is grounded in community. As a 2nd generation beekeeper I have lived in the Greater Pittsburgh Area, mentoring beekeepers and providing local honey to families across the region through farmers’ markets and local grocers like Giant Eagle for two decades. This venture has been a few years in coming, and I am happy that we are bringing a cross-disciplinary founding team together, partnering with Pradeep U.N. and Sridhar Ramachandran, to bring science, sustainability, and technology to the heart of apiculture.”

All proposals submitted to the NSF SBIR/STTR program, also known as America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF, undergo a rigorous merit-based review process. Once a small business is awarded a Phase I grant, it becomes eligible to apply for Phase II funding and additional supplements totaling up to $2 million. To get started, startups or entrepreneurs submit a written Project Pitch to see if their technology idea could be a good fit for the program. To learn more about America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF, visit: https://seedfund.nsf.gov/

NSF has several programs that help accelerate the translation of research results to practice and provide pathways for researchers, startups and aspiring entrepreneurs to move their ideas from the laboratory to the market and society. To learn more about how NSF helps unlock future technologies for national and societal impact, visit: https://beta.nsf.gov/tip/latest.

Logo of the National Science Foundation, featuring the initials "NSF" over a globe, surrounded by a gold circular pattern.

About the U.S. National Science Foundation's Small Business Programs: America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF awards more than $200 million annually to startups and small businesses, transforming scientific discovery into products and services with commercial and societal impact. Startups working across almost all areas of science and technology can receive up to $2 million to support research and development, helping de-risk technology for commercial success. America’s Seed Fund is congressionally mandated through the Small Business Innovation Research program. The NSF is an independent federal agency with a budget of about $9.5 billion that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering.