Success Story

LOCATION

OK

Stillwater

TOTAL FUNDING

$4.4M

FUNDING AGENCIES

DHS 

Department of Homeland Security

EPA

Environment Protection Agency

NASA

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

DoW - DHA

Department of War: Defense Health Agency

HHS - NIH

Department of Health and Human Services: National Institute of Health

DOC - NIST

Department of Commerce: National Institute of Standards and Technology

Impact & Achievement

In environments where chemical exposure can pose an invisible threat—from aircraft hangars to hospital rooms—XploSafe is equipping workers and responders with a new kind of protection. Based in Oklahoma, XploSafe has developed the XCel+ line of personal and environmental samplers, a technology that makes near real-time, broad-spectrum detection and quantification of airborne toxic chemicals accessible, portable, and precise.

Traditional chemical monitoring methods are often expensive, stationary, and limited to detecting known compounds. XploSafe’s XCel+ system overcomes these challenges through patented nanoconfinement technology that passively or actively captures a wide range of volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds (VOCs and SVOCs)—including aldehydes, ketones, organophosphates, and amines—without the need to pre-select targets. Adaptable to numerous EPA methods (such as TO-11A, TO-14A, TO-15, and TO-17), the system is designed for use in dynamic and demanding environments, from submarines and disaster zones to industrial sites and mobile medical units.

Supported by SBIR funding from the Defense Health Agency (DHA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), XploSafe brought this innovation from early-stage R&D through rigorous field testing to global deployment. This support enabled the development of the integrated Data Repository Platform (DRP), a cloud-based system that manages digital chain-of-custody records and delivers occupational chemical exposure analytics, threshold alerts, and long-term exposure tracking—all from a mobile-first interface. Together, XCel+ and the DRP provide a comprehensive solution for monitoring, compliance, and rapid response to airborne chemical threats.

Since commercialization, the technology has generated over $3.5 million in revenue and gained traction across multiple sectors. The samplers are sold by XploSafe’s spin-off Airotect and distributed internationally by Assay Technology, a leader in chemical exposure monitoring. Users include the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, industrial hygienists, and emergency response teams operating in both routine and extreme conditions—including subarctic deployments and confined military installations.

The impact of XploSafe’s SBIR-supported work is both economic and societal. Commercial success has fueled job creation in Oklahoma and supported careers in chemistry, engineering, software, and manufacturing. At the same time, the technology is strengthening workplace safety, disaster preparedness, and public health research.

For XploSafe, the SBIR program was not only a funding mechanism—it was a launchpad. Federal investment allowed the company to develop a fully integrated, field-proven solution that is now actively protecting lives and shaping the future of chemical safety worldwide.

https://www.xplosafe.com/