Interlink Electronics Awarded $200,000 FDA SBIR Grant to Advance Electrochemical Sensors for Food Safety and Quality Monitoring

Rhea-AI Summary

Interlink Electronics (Nasdaq: LINK) has secured a $200,000 SBIR Phase 1 grant from the FDA for its Gas and Environmental Solutions division. The funding will support the development of advanced electrochemical sensors aimed at enhancing food safety and quality monitoring in post-harvest products.

The grant will accelerate the company's R&D efforts in creating novel sensor platforms for monitoring food quality parameters throughout the supply chain. Dr. Sreeni Rao, VP of Gas and Environmental Sensing, emphasized the company's focus on developing accurate, low-power, and cost-effective electrochemical gas sensors, while CEO Steven N. Bronson highlighted this achievement as a strategic step toward expanding into high-value markets.

Positive

• Secured $200,000 FDA SBIR Phase 1 grant for sensor development
• Potential expansion into large, high-value food safety market
• Demonstrates success in winning competitive SBIR funding
• Strengthens company's position in electrochemical sensing technology

Negative

• Early-stage development with no immediate revenue impact
• Success of sensor development and market adoption uncertain

Insights

Financial Analyst

FDA grant validates Interlink's sensor technology, potentially opening new growth opportunities in the lucrative food safety market.

The $200,000 FDA SBIR Phase I grant awarded to Interlink Electronics represents more than just additional capital—it's a significant validation of the company's technology from a major regulatory body. While modest in absolute terms, SBIR Phase I grants are highly competitive and often lead to larger Phase II funding (typically $750,000 to $1 million) for successful projects. The food safety and quality monitoring market represents a substantial growth opportunity, with the global food safety testing market valued at approximately $19.5 billion in 2023 and growing at 8% annually.

This strategic expansion leverages Interlink's existing expertise in electrochemical sensing technology while potentially unlocking a new revenue stream in a market driven by increasing regulatory requirements and consumer demands for safety assurance. The company's focus on developing low-cost, high-performance sensors is particularly well-aligned with industry needs for scalable monitoring solutions across complex global supply chains.

For investors, this development signals Interlink's ability to secure competitive government funding and strategically expand its addressable market beyond its traditional focus areas. Management's emphasis on the long-term value potential suggests confidence in commercialization prospects beyond the initial R&D phase, though actual revenue impact remains contingent on successful technology development and market adoption.

Funding supports Interlink’s leadership in developing low-cost, high-performance sensor technology to enhance global food safety

FREMONT, Calif., Oct. 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Interlink Electronics, Inc. (Nasdaq: LINK) (the “Company”), a global leader in sensor technology and printed electronic solutions, today announced that its Gas and Environmental Solutions division has received a $200,000 SBIR Phase 1 grant from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The funding will accelerate the development of advanced electrochemical sensors designed to improve the safety and quality monitoring of post-harvest food products.

Food security is a critical global concern, making it increasingly necessary to monitor and assess the quality of food materials at every stage of the supply chain. Beyond the significant economic impact, ensuring food safety is a public health imperative that governments worldwide are placing at the forefront of their priorities.

“This grant recognizes Interlink’s proven technologies and expertise in developing accurate, low-power, and cost-effective electrochemical gas sensors for critical applications such as food safety,” said Dr. Sreeni Rao, Vice President of Gas and Environmental Sensing at Interlink Electronics. “With FDA support, we can expand our R&D efforts to design novel sensor platforms capable of monitoring a wide range of food quality parameters across the supply chain. This initiative strengthens our leadership in electrochemical sensing and accelerates the delivery of scalable, competitive solutions to meet the global demand for improved food security.”

Steven N. Bronson, Interlink’s CEO and President, added: “This grant underscores our continued success in winning competitive SBIR funding to drive breakthrough innovation. Beyond the technical achievement, the grant highlights how our expertise in electrochemical sensing positions us to expand into large, high-value markets, such as food safety. We see this as another step in broadening our growth opportunities and delivering long-term value for our shareholders.”

About Interlink Electronics, Inc.
Interlink Electronics is a leading provider of sensors and printed electronic solutions, boasting 40 years of success in delivering mission-critical technologies across diverse markets. Our customers, including global blue-chip companies, trust our products and solutions, which span various markets, including medical, industrial, automotive, wearables, IoT, and other specialty markets. Our expertise in materials science, manufacturing, embedded electronics, firmware, and software enables us to create custom solutions tailored to our customers’ unique needs. We serve our international customer base from our corporate headquarters and proprietary gas sensor production and product development facility in Fremont, California (Silicon Valley area); our Global Product Development and Materials Science Center and distribution and logistics center in Camarillo, California; and our advanced printed-electronics manufacturing facilities in Shenzhen, China; Irvine, Scotland; and Barnsley, England. For more information, please visit www.InterlinkElectronics.com.

Company Contact:
Interlink Electronics, Inc.
Steven N. Bronson, CEO
LINK@IESensors.com
805-623-4184

Investor Relations Contact:
Gateway Group, Inc.
Matt Glover and Clay Liolios
LINK@IESensors.com
949-574-3860

FAQ

What is the value of the FDA SBIR grant awarded to Interlink Electronics (LINK)?

Interlink Electronics received a $200,000 SBIR Phase 1 grant from the FDA for developing electrochemical sensors for food safety monitoring.

How will Interlink Electronics (LINK) use the FDA grant funding?

The funding will be used to accelerate the development of advanced electrochemical sensors designed to improve safety and quality monitoring of post-harvest food products.

What market opportunity is Interlink Electronics (LINK) targeting with this FDA grant?

Interlink is targeting the large, high-value food safety market, focusing on monitoring and assessing food quality throughout the supply chain.

Who is leading the sensor development project at Interlink Electronics (LINK)?

Dr. Sreeni Rao, Vice President of Gas and Environmental Sensing, is leading the development of accurate, low-power, and cost-effective electrochemical gas sensors.