Five startup companies will advance to Phase 2 of the Silicon Valley Innovation Program—and will split $999,780 along the way.
SVIP, a program within the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate, offers funding to fledgling startups that specialize in technology used for homeland security purposes. S&T announced the selected companies, and their respective awards, on Feb. 21.
The five companies that received Phase 2 awards are:
- Factom, Austin, Texas–$199,980 to authenticate devices to prevent spoofing and ensure data integrity using the blockchain.
- Ionic Security, Atlanta–$199,800 to apply a distributed data protection model to solve the authentication, detection, and confidentiality challenges that affect distributed IoT devices.
- Machine-to-Machine Intelligence Corporation (M2Mi), Moffett Field, Calif.–$200,000 to create a deployable open source version of the SPECK cryptographic protocol to address IoT security by making a lightweight crypto package that can be run on IoT devices.
- Pulzze Systems, Santa Clara, Calif.–$200,000 to secure infrastructures by improving visibility and providing detection services as components connect or disconnect from a networked system.
- Whitescope, Half Moon Bay, Calif.–$200,000 to build a secure wireless communications gateway made specifically for IoT devices and compliant with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard.
“This marks an important milestone,” said Melissa Ho, managing director of SVIP. “We’re committed to real investments in startups and connecting them to new operational customers and applications of their technologies that they never imagined.”
The work of these particular companies is awarded under the SVIP Other Transaction Solicitation, which is geared toward “non-traditional performers,” according to a post on S&T’s website. The call for interested companies to apply for the program closed in December 2016.
In Phase 2, these companies will create and demonstrate pilot-ready prototypes.
“I am proud of the success of this program,” said Robert Griffin, acting undersecretary for S&T. “We have made it easier for startups to better understand the DHS mission and challenges so DHS S&T can benefit from the talent and creativity of the innovation community.”
