CISTAR NSF Engineering Research Center

What CISTAR NSF Engineering Research Center does

CISTAR (Center for Innovative and Strategic Transformation of Alkane Resources) is a National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center founded in 2017 and hosted at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. It operates as a coalition of five partner universities - Purdue University, University of New Mexico, Northwestern University, University of Notre Dame, and The University of Texas at Austin - and functions through four integrated pillars: research, engineering workforce development, industry and innovation, and societal impact. CISTAR's research mission is to develop catalytic, separation, and process-design technologies that convert light hydrocarbons (alkanes) into lower-carbon-footprint chemicals and transportation fuels via decarbonization of manufacturing, modular design, and electrification powered by renewable energy.

CISTAR's principal technical outputs include the Electric Reaction-Towers (ERTs) reactor architecture, developed at Purdue and supported by an ARPA-E grant with industry partner Susteon, which enables continuous chemical production on fluctuating renewable power; and a more economical process for converting natural gas liquids to liquid fuel. The center sustains an Industry Membership Program that enrolls enterprises across the chemical, energy, and agricultural value chains - including Dow, Braskem, Evonik, Corteva, SABIC, Air Liquide, Susteon, Precision Combustion, Swift Fuels, and Diamond Infrastructure Solutions - providing collaborative research access, talent pipelines, and technology-transfer pathways via the Innovation Academy. Workforce programs include CISTAR Graduate Fellows across all five sites, REU, RET, Young Scholar, and Undergraduate Fellows programs.

As a federally funded research center, CISTAR does not sell commercial products or services. Its operating budget is built on NSF ERC charter funding, DOE/ARPA-E research grants (including a $5.5M ARPA-E GREENWELLS award for sustainable aviation fuel), industry membership fees, and targeted industry contracts such as the Air Liquide Scientific Challenge Prize. Revenue mechanics are therefore grant- and membership-driven rather than transactional. CISTAR is in its ninth operating year as of 2026 and is actively pursuing international collaboration via Center-to-Center grants with Brazilian research centers CINE and RCGI.

Name

CISTAR NSF Engineering Research Center

Legal name

CISTAR - Center for Innovative and Strategic Transformation of Alkane Resources

Website

https://cistar.us

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CISTAR is an NSF Engineering Research Center, hosted at Purdue University and operating across five partner universities, that develops catalytic, separation, and electrification technologies to convert light hydrocarbons into lower-carbon-footprint chemicals and fuels for an industry consortium.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Engineering Research Services

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Third-Party Certification, Code Compliance & Regulatory Inspection (ASME/API/ISO) (EUAEAHAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Engineering & Technical Professions (PE, Engineering CPD) (EDAAALAF)

Keywords

• Engineering research services
• Hydrocarbon conversion research
• Catalysis and separations
• Sustainable aviation fuel
• Decarbonization technologies

Headquarters

HQ city

West Lafayette

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. NSF Engineering Research Center Funding: Primary funding from National Science Foundation as one of NSF's flagship Engineering Research Centers. ERCs bring together industry, academia, and government to cultivate engineering discovery in research areas critical to nation's strength.
2. Industry Membership Program: Industry partners pay membership fees to join the industrial consortium, gaining access to research, talent pipeline, and collaborative innovation opportunities
3. ARPA-E and DOE Research Grants: Federal research grants from Department of Energy and ARPA-E for specific research initiatives such as sustainable aviation fuel and decarbonization technologies

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

CISTAR is an NSF-funded Engineering Research Center that conducts collaborative research, technology development, and workforce training focused on creating engineered systems to convert light hydrocarbons into lower carbon-footprint chemicals and transportation fuels. Its core deliverables include proprietary process technologies (such as Electric Reaction-Towers), industry-sponsored research through an industrial consortium membership program, and graduate/undergraduate education and training across five partner universities.

Product overview

CISTAR (Center for Innovative and Strategic Transformation of Alkane Resources) is a NSF-funded Engineering Research Center (ERC) focused on creating transformative engineered systems to convert light hydrocarbons into lower carbon footprint chemicals and transportation fuels. The center operates four pillars: research, engineering workforce development, industry and innovation, and societal impact. The core research product is the Electric Reaction-Towers (ERTs) technology. CISTAR offers multiple programs including graduate and undergraduate fellowships, Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU), Research Experience for Teachers (RET), Young Scholar Program, an Industry Membership Program, and Innovation Academy. The center is a coalition of five universities: Purdue University, University of New Mexico, Northwestern University, University of Notre Dame, and The University of Texas at Austin.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Electric Reaction-Towers (ERTs) A novel chemical reactor technology designed to operate efficiently on fluctuating renewable power, enabling continuous production of fuels and chemicals from variable renewable energy sources. Targeted at industrial decarbonization and sustainable aviation fuel applications.
• Industry Membership Program (Industrial Consortium) A paid industry consortium membership program bringing together companies across the oil, gas, and chemical value chains to collaborate on research, access cutting-edge decarbonization and hydrocarbon conversion research, recruit talent, and engage in technology transfer opportunities.
• Natural Gas Liquid (NGL) to Liquid Fuel Conversion Process A novel, more economical process developed by CISTAR researchers for converting natural gas liquids into liquid transportation fuels. Targeted at industry partners in the oil, gas, and chemicals sectors.

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Precision Combustion, Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Company that joined CISTAR as an Industry Member in 2023 as part of the industrial consortium.
• SABICcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 June 2022Chemical company that joined CISTAR's Industrial Membership Program to access collaborative research and innovation.
• EvonikcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 May 2022Specialty chemicals company that joined CISTAR as an Industry Member in May 2022, participating in the industrial consortium.
• CortevacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 May 2022Agricultural and chemical company that joined CISTAR as an Industry Member in May 2022, participating in the industrial consortium.
• DowcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 December 2021Major chemical company that joined CISTAR's industrial consortium as an Industry Member to collaborate on research and access talent pipeline.
• BraskemcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 December 2021Brazilian chemical company that joined CISTAR's industrial consortium as an Industry Member.
• Purdue UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead institution and headquarters for CISTAR, one of NSF's flagship Engineering Research Centers. Integrates research, workforce development, industry partnerships, and societal impact programs.
• University of New MexicocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of five partner universities in the CISTAR coalition, contributing research in catalysis and materials science including work by Abhaya Datye on catalyst technology.
• Northwestern UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of five partner universities, home to Tobin Marks (Thrust 3 Lead) and key researchers in catalysis and polymer chemistry.
• University of Notre DamecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of five partner universities contributing to CISTAR research in chemical engineering and catalysis.
• The University of Texas at AustincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of five partner universities, home to Joan Brennecke and Benny Freeman who received 2025 Hill Prize in Engineering.
• Susteon Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStartup focused on developing and deploying decarbonization technologies joined CISTAR industrial consortium. Leading $5.5M ARPA-E GREENWELLS project with Purdue professors for sustainable aviation fuel production. Also collaborating on Electric Reaction-Towers technology.
• Air LiquidecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding industrial consortium member with ongoing collaboration including scientific prize and three-year research contract with Prof. Can Li for market-ready sustainability technologies.
• Swift FuelsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCISTAR member company that announced exclusive deal with Diamond Infrastructure Solutions for demonstration plant in Louisiana.
• Diamond Infrastructure SolutionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Swift Fuels demonstration plant project in Louisiana as announced by CISTAR member company.
• Center for Innovation on New Energies (CINE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrazilian center partnered with CISTAR through Center-to-Center (C2C) grant for international collaboration on new energies research.
• Research Centre for Greenhouse Gas Innovation (RCGI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrazilian research center partnered with CISTAR through C2C grant. CISTAR leadership visited UFRJ, University of São Paulo, RCGI, CINE, IPEN, Sirius at LNLS, and UFABC.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Air Liquide: Founding CISTAR industry member and global industrial gas and decarbonization technology provider. Operates comparable applied R&D programs in hydrogen, CO2 capture, and sustainable industrial processes, but as a major multinational corporation rather than an academic research consortium.

Broad incumbents

• National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL): DOE national laboratory focused on renewable energy and energy efficiency R&D, including bioenergy, sustainable transportation, and renewable electricity. Much larger scope and budget than CISTAR but overlapping research areas in clean fuels and decarbonization.
• Argonne National Laboratory: DOE national laboratory with major catalysis, chemical engineering, and sustainable transportation research programs. Comparable scale and mission overlap with CISTAR's clean hydrocarbon transformation focus, including large-scale pilot facilities for energy R&D.
• National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL): DOE national laboratory focused on fossil energy research, including carbon capture, utilization, and storage. Directly comparable mission area for hydrocarbon processing and decarbonization research with significantly larger scale and federal funding base.

Regional players

• Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre (IDRIC): UK-based industrial-academic consortium focused on decarbonizing chemical and industrial processes. Comparable mission to CISTAR but operating primarily in the UK/European industrial ecosystem rather than the North American oil and gas value chain.

Emerging players

• Swift Fuels: CISTAR industry member commercializing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) technologies. Direct collaboration partner on the announced Diamond Infrastructure Solutions demonstration plant project in Louisiana, translating CISTAR research into commercial deployment.
• Susteon Inc. Startup focused on developing and deploying decarbonization technologies including carbon capture, utilization, and hydrogen production. CISTAR industry partner and co-recipient of the ARPA-E GREENWELLS award for sustainable aviation fuel research with Purdue.

Direct peers

• RAPID Manufacturing Institute: AIChE-led, DOE-funded university-industry consortium focused on chemical process intensification. Closely comparable to CISTAR in operating model (multi-institutional consortium with industry membership program) and core focus area (chemical process R&D for energy applications).
• Center for Biorenewable Chemicals (CBiRC): Former NSF Engineering Research Center at Iowa State University focused on converting renewable feedstocks into biorenewable chemicals. Direct predecessor in the NSF ERC ecosystem for chemical transformation research, with parallel multi-university structure and industry consortium model.
• Catalytic Center for Energy Innovation (CCEI): University of Delaware/Pitt-led DOE Energy Frontier Research Center focused on catalysis for sustainable chemical and fuel production. Closely comparable research focus (catalysis, separations) and multi-institutional academic-industry collaboration model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/CISTAR_ERC
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCNSrL8Cbaocpv_fdSlW3Onw
• Facebookfacebook.com/CISTAR.ERC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cistarerc
• Instagraminstagram.com/cistar_erc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about CISTAR NSF Engineering Research Center