Nerac Is Your Research Partner

In today’s data-rich environment, the challenge isn’t finding information, but filtering the right data for R&D. Nerac offers fast, expert research services at an affordable cost, giving clients high-quality, organized results. Our work consistently adds value, as our clients can attest. This includes:

  • Information rich and relevant reports

  • Reliable, on-time and cost effective

  • Access to global databases not broadly available

  • Flexible, specialized searches by technical research specialists

Who We Are

Nerac, Inc. is a research and advisory firm for companies developing innovative products and technologies. Nerac employs a skilled and multi-disciplinary workforce with access to the world’s most authoritative sci-tech data resources.

Nerac analysts serve as advisors and deliver custom assessments of product and technology development opportunities, competitive threats, intellectual property strategies, compliance requirements, and scientific review and problem-solving.

The company began operating in 1966 as the New England Research Application Center, an experimental collaboration between the University of Connecticut and the National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA). An article by NASA Exploring the Unknown talks about the benefits of NASA “Spinoff” technology.

Nerac demonstrated great success in its NASA-sponsored mission. Access to additional data resources and a much expanded research offering fueled market growth enabling Nerac to separate from its university host in 1985 and spin out as a private research company.

5,000+

Users Worldwide

23,000+

Research Reports

57+

Years in Business

Data-Driven Research with Human Expertise

Nerac delivers the reliable information you need to make critical business decisions. We provide accurate results for services that range from patent searches to R&D assessment. By evaluating and monitoring a variety of industry resources and developments, Nerac offers a complete research solution.

Why Nerac?

High-impact research services tailored to client scope, timing and budget requirements.

Based on client-specific needs and objectives, Nerac provides technical literature and patent reviews, analysis of the results and custom research projects.

Analysts work closely with clients to help address their critical research needs, from everyday problems to larger, strategic corporate challenges.

The answers you need delivered by people who care.

Nerac provides expertise and insights that equip clients with the knowledge to develop or refine a technology, explore market growth opportunities, evaluate intellectual property strategies and respond to medical device regulatory compliance challenges. Nerac has a long, successful consulting history in a wide-range of industries with significant expertise and extensive data resources supporting client requests in the areas of technology scouting, IP, medical device, engineering, chemistry and advanced materials.

Technical expertise behind every project.

Nerac analysts help our clients identify emerging trends and technologies, innovative product and technology development opportunities, competitive threats, intellectual property strategies and regulatory compliance requirements.

Nerac analysts have earned advanced degrees (BSME, M.S., MBA, MPH, PH.D) in a variety of disciplines including:

  • Biology
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Biophysics
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Chemistry/Physics
  • Clinical Research
  • Human Services
  • Materials Science
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Medical Physiology
  • Neuroscience
  • Polymer/Organometallic Chemistry
  • Public Health
  • Pyschological Sciences

Nerac analysts come from industry and academia with experience in technical disciplines that include:

  • Advanced Materials
  • Aerospace
  • Applied chemistry
  • Automotive
  • Bioengineering
  • Biological Sciences
  • Biology
  • Biomaterials
  • Ceramic Materials
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Class D Infectious Diseases
  • Coatings & Adhesives
  • Construction
  • Consumer Products
  • Corporate Sustainability
  • COVID-19
  • Drug Development
  • Drug Safety
  • Electronics
  • Energy
  • Energy/Power
  • Engineering

  • EU IVDR 2017/746

  • Green Innovation
  • Haptic Devices
  • Healthcare
  • HIV/AIDS
  • Inorganic Chemistry
  • Intellectual Property
  • Laboratory Research Techniques
  • Management
  • Manufacturing
  • Materials (Polymers & Ceramics)
  • Materials Characterization
  • Materials Chemistry
  • Medical Devices
  • Medical Writing
  • Microelectronic Materials
  • Military/Government
  • Neuroscience
  • Oncology
  • Organic Chemistry
  • Organometallurgy
  • Outcomes Research
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Pharmacology and Neuropharmacology
  • Psychology
  • Public Health
  • Semi-Conductors & Thin Films
  • Smart Buildings & Equipment
  • Tech
  • Tissue Engineering

NERAC TIMELINE
Over 50 Years of Research Excellence

1966
1966 – NERAC is Established

New England Research Application Center “NERAC” is established by NASA as an Industrial Application Center (IAC) at the University of Connecticut and charged with the mission of disseminating the results of space exploration research to business and industry in the private sector.

1968
1968 – Nerac Search Engine

Nerac pioneers the development of an innovative bibliographic data retrieval system “search engine” for use on the NASA data files and delivers NASA search results in response to industry queries.

1972
1972 – Additional Data Added

Additional scientific and engineering data from academic publishers is added to the data repository and made available via the search engine to Nerac researchers, augmenting coverage of search queries and improving bibliographic data results.

1980
1980 – Tech Tracks

In response to customer interest, weekly alerts “Tech Tracks” are developed to provide data updates on research topics of ongoing interest.

1985
1985 – Nerac Separates from UCONN

Nerac separates from UCONN, the only 1 of 10 original NASA IAC to spin out of its university host setting.

1987
1987 – Groundbreaking

Groundbreaking for Nerac’s Tolland, CT HQ (10,000sq ft.).

1989
1989 – Privatization

Nerac finalizes contract obligations with NASA, becomes private corporation.

1990
1990 – Quick Answer

Nerac develops “Quick Answer” a real-time single file database search engine and continues to increase the size and scope of the scientific and engineering bibliographic data resource collection.

1991
1991 – Run-I

Nerac improves Quick Answer and develops “Run-I” an on-line system for multi-database searching.

1995
1995 – Over Our Shoulder

Nerac IT staff modify a standard modem and 9 pin connector. This “hack” dubbed “Over Our Shoulder” enables remote viewing of real-time searches performed by Nerac Analysts.

1997
1997 – Storage Array

Nerac installs a large optical disc storage array and utilizes it to store and search USPTO patent images.

1999
1999 – Software Bridge

Nerac pioneers the development of a software bridge to connect its IBM mainframe system to the Internet. The novel solution was later touted by IBM at its user conferences.

2000
2000 – Nerac Becomes Global

Nerac incorporates the use of video in its sales process and enables “remote access” for its sales and analyst staff. Nerac becomes global, extending its service offering outside of North America.

2001
2001 – Webex

Nerac is featured in a June 2001 Wall Street Journal article for its adaptation and use of an early version of “Webex” a precursor to the video conferencing movement.

2003
2003 – Employee Stock Ownership Plan

Nerac implements an Employee Stock Ownership Plan “ESOP” that shifts ownership of 50% of the Company to an ESOP Trust for the direct benefit of the employees.

2006
2006 – Advanced Research Environment

Developed a new XML and XQuery based search system using the Marklogic content repository platform. This allows the creation of the Advanced Research Environment “ARE” which is the first strategic step in the planned migration away from the legacy IBM mainframe-based search system.

2007
2007 – ARE Improvement

Nerac further extends the research capabilities of the ARE with the adoption and use of emerging scientific data publisher search platforms.

2008
2008 – Adapting Business Model

Nerac adapts its business model and pivots to more research-intensive services focused on responding to increasingly complex customer queries not able to be successfully resolved via a simple “Google” search.

2012
2012 – Regulatory Practice Group

Nerac introduces the Regulatory Practice Group focused on supporting the compliance requirements and needs within the medical device manufacturing market sector with clinical literature evaluation “CLE” reports.

2016
2016 – Innovation and IP Group Enhancement

Nerac enhances its Innovation and IP Group offering with premium services delivered via the Questel Orbit “Q-Pat” platform. This shift follows the earlier adoption and use of the Chemical Abstracts “STN” platform enabling “structure searching.”

2017
2017 – Regulatory Practice Group Enhancement

Nerac transitions its data content relationship with Elsevier Science to take advantage of the “Embase” and “Scopus” platforms. These enhancements enable improvements in the Regulatory Practice Group services to include the preparation and delivery of Clinical Evaluation Reports “CER” and additional regulatory support services for medical device manufacturers.

2018
2018 – Elastic Search

Nerac develops a new Search and Alert system based on the “Elastic Search” platform which facilitates the final steps in the migration away from the legacy search system. Nerac utilizes the new platform to create a more robust and rich data extension of the legacy alert offering described as “Mediated Alerts.”

2020
2020 – 100% Remote Work Force

Nerac responds to the COVID lockdown by enabling the implementation of 100% remote access for its employees, effectively pivoting to a completely virtual work environment as a response to the COVID pandemic.

2022
2022 – IPDex

Nerac applies proprietary analytics to IP content creating “IPDex” which produces report results highlighting an “innovation ranking” of a target technology and an assessment of technology and market “risk.”

2023
2023 – 4-Day Workweek

Improved productivity realized the virtual work environment supports the adoption of a reduced hour 4-day workweek, while remaining open 5 days a week. This move, in addition to supporting remote work, has proved to be advantageous in retaining and attracting a very skilled and talented workforce.