FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, October 19th 2023
Hydroplane to Receive Minority Emerging Technology and Industries Firm of the Year Award from the U.S. Department of Commerce
Hydroplane Ltd., along with its Founder and CEO Dr. Anita Sengupta, was selected to receive the 2023 National Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week Minority Emerging Technology and Industries Firm of the Year Award. The award is granted by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA).
“The National MED Week Awards serve as a testament to the minority business community’s invaluable impact on our economy and communities,” wrote Donald R. Cravins, Jr., the Under Secretary of Commerce for Minority Business Development at the MBDA in his award announcement letter to Dr. Sengupta. “Your leadership and dedication to your industry and community exemplify the values that the MED Week Awards stand for. Your dedication, innovation, and resilience embody the spirit of entrepreneurship that drives our nation forward. You have not only achieved success but have also paved the way for others to follow.”
The Minority Emerging Technology and Industries Firm of the Year Award is given to a minority entrepreneur and their business that have demonstrated success in high-growth industries through the utilization and delivery of services based on new technologies.
“We are honored to receive this award and it is a testament to our commitment to innovation powered by diversity,” Sengupta said. “I am very grateful to the MBDA and the U.S. Department of Commerce for the recognition of Hydroplane’s ground-breaking work to decarbonize aviation and mobile energy transport with our hydrogen fuel cell based electric propulsion.”
Dr. Sengupta is an aerospace technology leader, innovator, and disruptor. As the Founder and CEO of Hydroplane Ltd., she is leading the charge to decarbonizing aviation by driving development of a novel hydrogen fuel cell powerplant for smaller aircraft including eVTOL, UAS, helicopters, and single engine aircraft with electric propulsion systems. Hydroplane is the recipient of two US Air Force research and development contracts to develop Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology for vertical lift platforms and cargo drones for the USAF Agility Prime program. Hydroplane is also a recipient of the California Energy Commission CalTestBed program.
MBDA will honor awardees during the 40th anniversary celebration of the 2023 National Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week Conference, which is held in collaboration with the National Minority Supplier Development Council’s annual conference October 22-25, 2023, in Baltimore, Maryland.
About Hydroplane
Founded by former NASA engineer Dr. Anita Sengupta, Hydroplane Ltd. is a minority woman-owned small business focused on eliminating aviation carbon emissions. Sengupta’s team of space program-trained engineers is developing a modular hydrogen fuel cell powerplant for a range of aircraft and mobile energy storage applications. Hydroplane is a winner of two U.S. Air Force Agility Prime contracts to develop the novel technology for a range of government and commercial aviation uses.
About the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)
MBDA is the only Federal agency dedicated to the growth and global competitiveness of U.S. minority business enterprises through the mobilization and advancement of public and private sector programs, policy, and research. Its services better equip minority-owned firms to create jobs, build scale and capacity, increase revenues and expand regionally, nationally and internationally. In 2023, MBDA commemorates 50 years of economic empowerment through entrepreneurship and recommits to Winning the Future for all U.S. minority-owned businesses. For more information visit www.mbda.gov.
Contact:
Jen Boyer, Flying Penguin Communications
206-250-3209
jen@theflyingenguinpr.com
https://hydroplane.us
Social Media:
@HydroplaneAero
#eMissionH2O
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