News

    Cornerstone Research Group (CRG), a leader in aerospace systems and advanced materials, has been awarded U.S. Patent 12,084,203 for a breakthrough method of manufacturing composite aircraft primary structures. This innovation reflects CRG’s commitment to advancing aerospace manufacturing by offering a rapid, cost-effective solution for building high-performance, load-bearing aircraft components. CRG’s patented method utilizes … Read more

  Cornerstone Research Group (CRG) achieved a significant milestone in developing its High-Fidelity Drone Audio System, known as Bellbird. The system was successfully tested by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) during an operational field assessment organized by the National Urban Security Technology division of DHS at Mississippi State University’s … Read more

  DAYTON, Ohio — Cornerstone Research Group has received notification of a $1.1 million award from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop a new type of battery that could make electric vehicles more affordable and efficient. This funding supports CRG’s work on a technology that uses sulfur, a common byproduct of oil and gas … Read more

  Cornerstone Research Group, Inc. (CRG) has been awarded a $1.9 million Tactical Funding Increase (TACFI) contract from AFWERX, aimed at advancing the development, testing, and certification of its groundbreaking Ballistic Conformal Battery (BCB). Engineered as a centralized, wearable power source, the BCB is designed to integrate seamlessly into body armor vests, delivering reliable energy … Read more

  Archbishop Carroll High School received a generous donation of office supplies this past week to support teachers in the upcoming school year. Sam Barnhart, an aerospace engineer at Cornerstone Research Group (CRG), and his wife, Alex, personally delivered several carloads of supplies to the school. “Educators are constantly looking for supplies to help enrich … Read more

  Cornerstone Research Group (CRG) has been named a Best Place to Work in the Dayton region by the Dayton Business Journal. CRG is one of the 33 companies honored in the 2024 Best Places to Work awards and one of only nine mid-sized companies recognized. The Best Places to Work awards program celebrates companies … Read more

  Cornerstone Research Group (CRG) is proud to be part of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) X-prime program, SHEPARD, the XRQ-73. Excerpt from the June 6, 2024, DARPA news release: SHEPARD is an “X-prime” program, leveraging the series hybrid electric architecture and some of the component technologies from the earlier AFRL/IARPA Great Horned … Read more

  As the International Space Station (ISS) streaks through the night sky at five miles per second, it carries an array of Dayton ingenuity: Cornerstone Research Group’s (CRG) shape memory polymer (SMP) composite samples. Mounted on the exterior of the ISS, these locally engineered materials are braving the harsh environment of space in an experiment … Read more

  In a recent episode of Bizarre Beasts, the popular YouTube series hosted by Hank Green and Sarah Suta, viewers were introduced to the peculiar battle between ravens and desert tortoises in the Mojave Desert. Titled “We Made These Ravens a Problem,” the episode showcases the Techno-TortTM, an innovative solution from Cornerstone Research Group (CRG) … Read more

  Cornerstone Research Group is one of 50 finalists in the Army xTechSearch 8 competition. The recognition comes in light of CRG’s groundbreaking pitch titled “Ultra-Low Temperature Rechargeable Li-Metal Battery,” showcasing the company’s innovative advancements in battery technology. The core of CRG’s submission lies its cutting-edge lithium metal (Li-metal) battery cell chemistry, specifically engineered for … Read more

  In a March 14, 2024 article titled, “This Dayton defense firm isn’t just serving our country, it’s saving endangered turtles too,” the Dayton Business Journal talks about CRG’s Techno-Tort™ product, developed in partnership with Hardshell Labs in California. The system trains ravens, the number one predator of young desert tortoises, to leave the tortoises … Read more

  AFWERX, the DAF’s innovation arm and a functional directorate within the Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, has awarded a Small Business Innovation Research, or SBIR, Direct to Phase II contract of approximately $1M to Miamisburg, Ohio-based company CRG to fund the development of more sustainable and affordable maintainer fabricated enclosure kits, or MFEKs, … Read more

  Leap Day will mark a significant leap forward for the Rushlight Assets enterprise as it prepares to break ground on its new headquarters on Washington Church Road in Miami Township. Scheduled for February 29, this event celebrates a transformative journey nearly 30 years in the making. The groundbreaking ceremony will occur in two parts … Read more

The Rushlight Assets enterprise, the overall holding company that includes CRG, was represented by Christopher Hemmelgarn, president of Cornerstone Research Group (CRG), when he took part in the Congressional Briefing on “SBIR: Powering Innovation and Paying Dividends” on February 6, 2024. Hosted by Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA), the event featured a distinguished panel moderated by … Read more

  CRG introduced a new wearable technology at the SAFE Association’s 61st Annual Symposium in Virginia Beach, held from October 10-12, 2023. Elaine MacAslan, a research engineer at CRG, was invited to speak about the revolutionary Heated Boot Liners (HBLs) and shared insights into their development and rigorous field testing in Alaska and Vermont. Attendees … Read more

  Lectratek was featured in a Dayton Business Journal article titled, “Dayton-area startup Lectratek plays long game in e-aviation market.” Andy Cothrel, vice president of corporate strategy at Lectratek, says they are creating technologies that will make e-aircraft fly further and quieter, carry more weight and with a cost savings. Lectratek is a Tier 1 … Read more

  CRG has been recognized as one of the Best Places to Work by the Dayton Business Journal. The prestigious award was presented at the Best Places to Work Awards ceremony held at the Presidential Banquet Center in Kettering. Thirty-five Dayton-area companies were honored for their commitment to fostering a positive and engaging work environment, … Read more

  Technology developed by CRG has been prominently featured in a new episode of The New Yorker’s highly acclaimed documentary series, “Eco-Hack!” The documentary, created by Brett Marty and Josh Izenberg, showcases the significant impact the Techno-Tort™ Training System could have in safeguarding the desert tortoise population. In the July 19, 2023, episode of “Eco-Hack!,” … Read more

  The Dayton Daily News published an article about the next project in the Rushlight Assets ecosystem, which is to build a new ~26,000 sq ft facility on the grounds of 8821 Washington Church Rd., a location shared with CRG. The new building will create a place for Rushlight Assets that is separate from day-to-day … Read more

  Sentinel Occupational Safety, Inc. and Cornerstone Research Group, Inc. (CRG) have announced a partnership to enhance Sentinel’s SafeGuard® platform with advanced features that improve worker safety and provide valuable data for employers. CRG will incorporate multiple federal research contract technologies into a premium offering of the SafeGuard solution. This new feature set is expected … Read more

  Cornerstone Research Group, Inc. (CRG) recently announced a new strategic relationship with sister company Rushlight Ventures. Under the terms of the agreement, Rushlight Ventures will have first rights of offer to commercialize all intellectual property generated by CRG. This significantly expands the relationship between the two entities, which are sister companies under Rushlight Assets, … Read more

  Cornerstone Research Group, Inc. (CRG) has applied for significant funding for an eAviation project. CRG is applying to fully fund the $7 million project’s planning and studies processes through the Priority Development and Advocacy Committee (PDAC). PDAC, which is staffed by the Dayton Development Coalition, allows the community to set priorities when seeking funding … Read more

  CRG was named to the annual Inc. 5000 list, considered one of the most prestigious rankings of the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. The rankings are based on percentage revenue growth from 2018 to 2021, and companies must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independent. CRG saw 98% growth during this period, despite … Read more

CRG’s eAviation spinoff, Lectratek, was one of 19 finalists in the Urban Air Mobility Challenge selected to pitch their capabilities on September 28 in Washington D.C. This will be an opportunity for Lectratek to pitch to representatives from government agencies, Vertical Lift Consortium representatives and members, and leading corporate partners for a chance to earn … Read more

  Cornerstone Research Group, Inc. (CRG), with support from licensing partners Kineticure, LLC and Heatcon Composite Systems, Inc., launched the Rapid Cure System (RCS)™ to accelerate the cure of bonding materials throughout production and sustainment life cycles. This makes the RCS a must-have for OEMs and MRO organizations performing in-field and depot repairs. Successful development … Read more

  Karman Space & Defense, backed by Dallas-based private equity firm Trive Capital, has partnered with CRG to acquire the MG Resin family of technologies formerly marketed through Mach 5 Materials. The acquisition of MG Resins represents a significant expansion of Karman’s core competencies in integrated composite systems for space and defense applications and assures … Read more

  CRG has landed $206K in federal funding to develop a new solid-state transformer that aims to improve the resiliency of the nation’s power grid. CRG is one of 259 grant recipients to receive a portion of the $53M total funding awarded by the Department of Energy (DOE) last week through its Small Business Innovation … Read more

  On Thursday, September 30, 2021, at a “Collider Event,” from 2:00-4:00 PM, at the Wright Brothers Institute, Cornerstone Research Group will be sharing their success story and strategies and helping other small businesses interested in succeeding in the SBIR (small business innovative research) contract process. CRG is a nationally recognized technology leader in the … Read more

CRG was excited to be a part of the Dayton Ohio STEM Ecosystem (DO STEM) Virtual Career Week, May 10-14, 2021, hosted by our community’s newest STEM champions at the Dayton Ohio STEM Ecosystem. The newly formed DO STEM is a collaboration of regional partners committed to leveraging resources and opportunities to engage students in … Read more

  CRG teamed with Battle Sight Technologies to develop and mass produce a special crayon for warfighters, first responders and disaster-relief workers. Dubbed CrayTac, this device allows troops to write messages or draw complex figures on walls, sidewalks and other surfaces. The markings are invisible except to someone wearing night-vision goggles. Troops can use CrayTac … Read more

  Inc. magazine revealed that CRG was one of three Dayton-based businesses to make the Inc. 5000 Regionals: Midwest 2021 list of 250 fastest growing companies. The Midwest region covers a 12-state territory that includes Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. The Inc. 5000 rating looked … Read more

The FAA is coming out with new rules requiring that drones have no exposed rotating parts — good news for Lectratek’s ducted fan propulsion systems. The final rules will be released in January. Under the Operation of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Over People rules, drones will be required to have no exposed rotating parts that … Read more

Launch Dayton, Dayton’s on-line startup community of entrepreneurial “ecosystem builders,” announced the top 10 startups to watch in 2021. Lectratek was listed among them. “Lectratek LLC is looking to power the world’s first flying cars. The startup is focused on powering eAviation technologies for an industry poised for dramatic growth in the coming years. A … Read more

  The Dayton Business Journal published an article titled, “CRG Venture Studio launches new electric aviation company” about the formation of Lectratek LLC.  An excerpt below: “Cornerstone Research Group Inc. (CRG), a privately held aerospace and defense firm based in Miami Township, announced Monday its new company — Lectratek LLC. The new business, launched by … Read more

  The Dayton Daily News published an article on the formation of Lectratek by CRG’s Venture Studio, titled “Miami Twp. defense contractor announces new aviation spinoff.” An excerpt is below: “Creating new businesses and divisions is all in a day’s work for Cornerstone. Lectratek will take advantage of CRG-developed technologies, including engineering services and aircraft … Read more

CRG’s Venture Studio today has launched an electric aviation (eAviation) technology company, Lectratek LLC. This new company is focused on powering eAviation technologies for an industry poised for dramatic growth. Lectratek leverages core proprietary technologies developed over the years by CRG. Initial offerings will include engineering services and aircraft components related to electric propulsion, advanced … Read more

NASA has selected 17 U.S. companies for partnerships to mature industry-developed space technologies for the Moon and beyond through the Space Technology Mission Directorate’s 2020 Announcement of Collaboration Opportunity. CRG will evaluate a 3-D printing method that makes use of slurry-based thermoset resins to fabricate thermal protective systems. CRG will partner with NASA centers to … Read more

  The Dayton Business Journal posted an article about CRG’s zoning approval to commence a battery manufacturing process at its new facility at 8821 Washington Church Road. CRG acquired the property in January, 2020, and it added 126,000 square feet of manufacturing or production space, 36,000 square feet of warehouse space and 12,000 square feet … Read more

  CRG announced today the formal launch of its Venture Studio. The CRG Venture Studio will be in charge of identifying and prioritizing commercial opportunities coming out of CRG’s innovations and then creating new startup companies. CRG has established a successful track record of commercializing new technologies, spinning off five companies over the past 15 … Read more

  HEATCON®, Inc., a world market leader in composite repair solutions and material supply, has entered into an agreement with Cornerstone Research Group to license CRG’s Deployable Isolation Repair Technology (DIRT BagTM) products for manufacture and distribution. “This new product is a game changer for those working in repair technology, and we are excited to … Read more

Cornerstone Research Group is under contract with the Missile Defense Agency to manufacture high-temperature, carbon-carbon composite materials that enable advanced hypersonic technologies. This $7 million contract was made possible by provisions Congressman Mike Turner (OH-10) included in the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and in FY 2020 Defense Appropriations. Congressman Turner said, “This … Read more

  The Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL’s) Manufacturing and Industrial Technologies Division and the contractor team of Cornerstone Research Group, A&P Technology and CRG’s affiliate, Spintech LLC, conducted research to quantify the benefits of replacing legacy manufacturing processes with novel processes for the fabrication of an 11-foot long, S-shaped engine inlet duct. The approach replaces … Read more

In January of 2020, Chrysa Theodore, VP of Community Relations, was invited to deliver a KEEN Talk at the 2020 KEEN National Conference. KEEN is a national partnership of universities with the shared mission to educate engineers with an entrepreneurial mindset so they can create personal, economic, and societal value through a lifetime of meaningful … Read more

For the last decade, CRG has been developing unique subsystem technologies to bring aircraft design and manufacturing back to the Dayton area. Through the hard work of CRG’s newly formed Aerospace Systems Center, they now have multiple aircraft under development. In the past three months, CRG designed and tested two different aircraft platforms, both produced … Read more

In 2019, CRG added 31 new employees, for an increase of 48% to previous staff.  This was a record percentage increase in one year and brought CRG’s total employee count (excluding affiliates and subsidiaries) to 95. The growth in staff was needed to support a variety of new contract awards.  Staff were also added in … Read more

On January 31, 2020, CRG made the front page of the Dayton Daily News as it closed on a 60 acre site in Miami Township. Titled “Defense firm adding 250 jobs, ‘actively hiring’ after land buy,” the article covers CRG’s plans to renovate an empty manufacturing building at 8821 Washington Church Road as part of … Read more

CRG was among the honorees selected for the annual Best Places to Work awards for 2020. The company is now ranked with the best employers of our region. The awards are based on a survey of company employees regarding staff engagement, team effectiveness, manager effectiveness and other workplace best-practices. CRG was nominated within the medium-sized … Read more

Building its already substantial intellectual property portfolio, CRG  and its affiliates were issued five new patents in 2019. These included: Patent No. 1,0167,379, Hybrid Fiber Layup and Fiber-Reinforced Polymeric Composites Produced Therefrom. This is a method patent for a making a fiber reinforced polymer composite using different types of fiber reinforcement and cured with a … Read more

In January of 2020, CRG established its new Power and Energy Center (PEC). This new center lets CRG focus on rapidly expanding technologies such as advanced battery cell chemistries, cell fabrication, hybrid electric systems, wearable power technologies, power generation systems, advanced energy storage systems, power management, and distribution and conversion technologies. The PEC already has … Read more

On January 28, 2020 CRG acquired new facilities located on Washington Church Rd. in Miamisburg Township. Because of the company’s rapid growth last year (48% increase in staff) and growth projected over the next few years, they required more space for offices, production lines and labs. See DBJ Covers CRG’s Plans to Expand. This new … Read more

Cornerstone Research Group’s Aerospace Systems Center (ASC), officially formed in January 2020, is focused on rapidly advancing state-of-the-art aerospace capabilities. Some of these capabilities include advanced aircraft design, concepts and optimization, electric propulsion technologies, rapid development and fielding and production. The center’s partnership with CRG’s Advanced Manufacturing Center gives them the capability to take advantage … Read more

One of CRG’s subsidiary businesses, Advantic, is moving to a new location in Miamisburg, Ohio. After more than doubling sales in 2018 — and growing from 12 to more than 30 employees — Advantic is moving into an eleven-acre, standalone facility at 511 Byers Road in early 2020. The building is near the Byers and … Read more

The Dayton Business Journal published an article on Nov 15, 2019 about CRG’s plans for expansion and growth. The article beings with “Entrepreneur Patrick Hood has created several success Dayton-area companies with the mission to deliver high-tech products and solutions for aerospace and defense. He’ll be adding hundreds of new jobs over the next two … Read more

The Dayton Daily News posted an article about CRG, titled “Company proposes adding 250 new high-skill jobs in Miami Twp.” The company said in a statement that the expansion would “would open new opportunities for a variety of high-skilled jobs in the Dayton region including software developers, aerospace engineers, electrical engineers, composite engineers, chemists, and … Read more

Cornerstone Research Group (CRG) announced a proposal to expand its current operations to a new facility while expecting to create 250 new jobs in the Dayton region, contingent upon the projects state and local incentives.  The TCA approved a 2.101 percent, nine-year Job Creation Tax Credit for this project. The company’s expansion initiative would open … Read more

On Thursday, August 15th Cornerstone Research Group (CRG) received a visit from U.S. Congressman Michael R. Turner (OH-10).  CRG Executives met with the Congressman and thanked him for his support in introducing their $7 million project, Advanced Carbon-Carbon Composites Manufacturing for Accelerated Hypersonic Technology Development, into the FY 2020 House Defense Appropriations and Defense Authorization … Read more

In July of 2019, CRG established its new High-Temperature Composites Center (HTC). This new center lets CRG focus on applications for its signature high-temp resin, MG resin. The HTC’s vision is to support carbon/carbon (C/C) manufacturing with materials and process innovation, expand the national industrial base for C/C production, and reduce cost and lead time … Read more

CRG’s intellectual property portfolio grew as it was issued four new patents in 2018. These included: Patent No. 9,622,924, Fluid Absorption and Distribution Enhancement System. This is a a fluid absorption pad product for use in medical, pet, or food industry. Patent No. 9,820,164, Subterranean System Comprising Wireless Communication Network and Syntactic Foam Panels. This … Read more

On November 10, 2017, CRG corporate offices and  its labs and development areas moved to its new location at 510 Earl Blvd., Miamisburg, Ohio. The new facilities offer more production space and integrated lab space, as well as modern offices and conference rooms, with room to expand.   Corporate headquarters are now conveniently located on … Read more

CRG is currently the #1 SBIR awardee in the State of Ohio, based on receiving over $50 million in awards on the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program since being founded in 1997. The company also ranks #1 in the same metric over the last year, the last 3 years and the last decade. These … Read more

Applicants are evaluated on six research-based ingredients for an effective workplace: opportunities for learning; a culture of trust; work/life fit; supervisor support for work success; autonomy; and satisfaction with earnings, benefits and opportunities for advancement. These are all factors associated with employee health, well-being and engagement. The winners were recognized at the Dayton Area Chamber … Read more

In March, 2017 CRG celebrated 20 years of successful business. Over the years its business model has transformed from straightforward R&D to becoming a technology commercialization incubator, forming new start-up companies based on the advanced technologies and products it has come up with, much of the research funded through government SBIRs/STTRs. So far, three new … Read more

CRG received its seventh When Work Works award for 2016. The award, which highlights exemplary workplace practices among employers across the U.S., is given by the Families and Work Institute and the Society for Human Resource Management. Employers are ranked on six factors of effective workplaces: a culture of trust; opportunities for learning; work/life fit; … Read more

On May 8th, 2015, the Dayton Business Journal published a cover story about CRG titled “Innovation Machine.” The article highlighted CRG’s spin-off businesses Advantic, Spintech and NONA Composites and the industries they target. “Patrick Hood spent years trying to perfect a model to commercialize products from his research and development firm. Seems he found the … Read more

On April 13th, 2015, the Dayton Chamber of Commerce FOCUS magazine released an article about NONA Composites, LLC. NONA Composites is this year’s recipient of the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce’s Soin Award for Innovation. The award, created in 2007 and named for its sponsor, local entrepreneur Rajesh Soin, recognizes a company with a unique product … Read more

CRG was named as a finalist for the BBB/s 2015 Eclipse Integrity Awards. These awards are given to Miami Valley businesses and nonprofits that model ethics, honesty and integrity for the community. Read the article in the Dayton Business Journal.

On February 23rd, 2015, the Dayton Business Journal published an article about the success of CRG’s REACH project. Last fall, Cornerstone Research Group Inc. and its subsidiaries made a 95-foot long crane-like structure for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico. A drum burst inside a storage room at the … Read more

  On February 1st, 2015, Composites World published an article about CRG’s REACH project. Commissioned for the US Department of Energy’s (DoE) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in Carlsbad, NM, this very long 32-meter camera boom for the DoE’s appropriately named REACH project was designed for and built with carbon fiber composites, and then tested … Read more

  In February, IARPA released a poster for its Great Horned Owl program that featured CRG propulsor technology. The propulsor is unique for its low noise and high performance. See the full poster here.

  The Dayton Business Journal recently compiled a list of key people in aerospace and defense in the Dayton region, and CRG, Inc. CEO Patrick Hood was on that list. Read more about it here.