The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) announced on Friday it awarded 13 small businesses $1.3 million to develop new cybersecurity technology.
Each small business was awarded approximately $100,000 in preliminary funding through the DHS S&T Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program to develop new cybersecurity technology related to one of four research topics. The DHS S&T SBIR program, initiated in 2004, is a competitive contract awards program with a goal to increase the participation of innovative and creative U.S. small business in Federal research and development initiatives, and to increase private-sector commercialization of SBIR-funded solutions.
Created by Cyber Security Division program managers, the topics address the research and development needs of DHS components and the homeland security enterprise. The research topics and awarded small businesses are as follows:
- Applicability of Blockchain Technology to Identify Management and Privacy Protection: Celerity Government Solution; Digital Bazaar; Narf Industries; and Respect Network.
- Remote Identity Proofing Alternatives to Knowledge-Based Authentication and Verification: CardSmart Technologies; Pomian & Corella; and PreID.
- Malware Prediction for Situational Understanding and Preemptive Cyber Defense: BlueRISC; GrammaTech; Red Balloon Security; and ZeroPoint Dynamics.
- Real-Time Assessment of Resilience and Preparedness: Datanova Scientific and InferLink.
Each business may be eligible for further development funding based on their initial project results, their scientific and technical merit, and perceived commercialization potential.
