Critical Tech Insider - Week of July 24

Some great stories this week...a couple I want to point out right at the top:

• NSF boosted their Phase I SBIR awards to $305k! That actually makes it worthwhile to put in the effort, of course, with Phase II as the next goal ($1.25m).
• Manufacturing is taking on a bigger and bigger focus...with #Reindustralize conference that just concluded on Wednesday (more to come on this next week)...to new SBIRs focused on manufacturing technology to the DoD's manufacturing technology program (ManTech) holding more showcases.
• Scaling dual-use tech means attracting more private capital...with that in mind, PSF released the Dual-Use Investors Report (download here).

Have a great weekend!

I. GENERAL EMERGING TECHNOLOGY NEWS

NSF Boosts Funding Amounts for SBIR/STTR Phase I and Phase II Programs to Better Support the Nation's Innovation and Entrepreneurship Community

The U.S. National Science Foundation has released new funding opportunities for its Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) programs, increasing the maximum funding for SBIR/STTR Phase I awards to $305,000 and SBIR/STTR Phase II awards to $1,250,000. To get started, entrepreneurs must submit a three-page Project Pitch. If the pitch is accepted, the company receives an invitation to submit an SBIR/STTR Phase I proposal.

Pentagon Exhibit Showcases Cutting-Edge Manufacturing Technologies

The ManTech program showcased advanced manufacturing technologies to enhance DOD's capabilities, featuring innovations like additive manufacturing and sustainable materials. The event highlighted the importance of ManTech's role in scaling lab innovations to military applications, reducing costs, and supporting rapid modernization. Public-private partnerships and collaborative efforts were emphasized as key to advancing U.S. military technology.

Army Releases Five SBIR Contract Opportunities for AI and Manufacturing Solutions

The Army SBIR Program released five new contracts in June to focus on AI, machine learning, sensors, and advanced manufacturing. Small businesses can submit proposals from June 16 to July 30 via the Defense SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal. Projects include high-power diode lasers, robust computer vision, AI-enhanced tool development, AI-driven nitramine production, and laminated metallic armor.

Commerce Department Announces Two New Voluntary Company Commitments to the CHIPS Women in Construction Framework

The U.S. Department of Commerce announced GlobalFoundries and Polar Semiconductor have committed to the CHIPS Women in Construction Framework, part of the Million Women in Construction initiative to double the number of women in construction over the next decade. This framework promotes best practices to increase female and economically disadvantaged individuals' participation in the construction workforce, supporting CHIPS-funded projects and broader workforce diversity.

GSA Sets First AI-Focused Cohort of Technology Fellows

The GSA launched its first cohort focused exclusively on AI. Eleven fellows from top tech companies will serve at eight federal agencies, supporting projects like enhancing access to justice and improving the electric grid. This AI-specific cohort aligns with the Whitehouse AI executive order to harness AI benefits, mitigate risks, and improve government services.

CDAO Solicits Proposals for Commercial Counter-UAS Sensors

The DOD's Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office released a CSO for sensor technologies to detect one-way attack drones for Central Command’s Desert Guardian initiative. The sensors should identify one-way unmanned aerial systems (OWUAS) within 7 to 25 km of U.S. and allied forces and detect low-altitude Group 2 and 3 drones under 250 kt. The goal is to integrate heterogeneous sensors into a unified interface for enhanced drone detection.

II. PSF ANALYSIS & INSIGHTS

Dual-Use Investor Landscape Brief

Our reports and market briefs provide actionable insights into key industry trends. One of our recent market brief releases looks at the investor landscape and discusses the intersection of the emerging tech and defense/public sectors.

Some of the highlights from our analysis include:

• 47k+ total investors including SBICs, Accelerators, Venture Capital Firms, Corporate Venture Arms, Private Equity Firms, SBICs, and more.
• We have identified 4500+ as dual-use investors (investing in dual-use companies).
• Out of the total dual-use investors, only 267 investors have made 5 or more investments in dual-use companies.

Questions we are deep-diving into:

• At what stage are investors coming in??
• Which sectors are they investing in?
• Which types of investors are most involved?
• Which foreign investors are investing including those from China and other countries on the State Department's Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) list?

Click here to download the report or visit our website to learn more about our market research capabilities.?

Customize the data for your use-case: Contact us if you would like to customize the critical tech datasets for your specific use-cases, through our Rapid Market Intelligence Sprints. Please reach out to us at [email protected].

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III. TECHNOLOGY SECTOR-SPECIFIC NEWS

AI: DOD Successfully Deploys Commercial AI Infrastructure to Support Underwater Target Threat Detection

The U.S. Navy, in collaboration with DIU, addresses challenges in underwater threat detection using machine learning (ML). Project Machine Learning Operations (MLOps) for Maritime Operations (AMMO) introduces MLOps tools to enhance ML model performance post-deployment, ensuring adaptability to evolving conditions. This initiative, highlighted during an Integrated Battle Problem in the Fall of 2023, showcases improved operational efficacy through rapid model updates and deployment, bolstering naval capabilities in dynamic environments.

Clean Energy: DOE Announces Over $41M in Funding to Deliver Clean Energy Solutions to Market

The U.S. DOE's Office of Technology Transitions allocated $41.4 million across 50 projects at 17 National Laboratories through the FY24 CLIMR Lab Call. Aimed at advancing Clean Energy solutions, the funding fosters partnerships with over 78 entities to enhance technology commercialization. This initiative supports DOE's goals of lowering energy costs and achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Cybersecurity: DoT Prepping Release of Cybersecurity Strategy, GAO Says

The Department of Transportation (DoT) aims to finalize its agency-wide cybersecurity plan by September, as reported by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). DoT has made progress on GAO's recommendations, including drafting a cybersecurity strategy due for completion in Q4 of fiscal year 2024. GAO emphasizes the plan's importance in addressing increasing threats through a risk-based approach to cybersecurity management.

Space: NASA Selects Lockheed Martin to Build Next-Gen Spacecraft for NOAA

NASA on behalf of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) selected Lockheed Martin Corporation for a $2.27 billion contract to develop three Geostationary Extended Observations (GeoXO) satellites with options for additional spacecraft. Based in Littleton, Colorado, and with support from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the project spans 15 years per spacecraft, aiming to enhance weather, ocean, and climate monitoring across the Western Hemisphere by the early 2030s.

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