Critical Technologies Market Insider - Week of October 21
Raj Sharma
TEDx | Deep market intelligence and smashing barriers are my superpowers | Connecting Public Sector with Emerging/Underserved Companies and Communities is my mission | Helping people is my only measure of success
This Week’s Tech Highlights:
Tech Sector News:
And more!
I. GENERAL EMERGING TECHNOLOGY NEWS
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization has launched the "Pathways to Entrepreneurship Program: Powering Small Businesses in Emerging Transportation Markets" pilot, focusing on empowering small and disadvantaged businesses in emerging transportation markets. The program also engages HBCUs and students, offering resources to support entrepreneurship and economic opportunities in the transportation sector. The full program launch is anticipated in FY2025.
The U.S. Department of Commerce and Wolfspeed, Inc. have signed a preliminary memorandum for up to $750 million in funding under the CHIPS and Science Act. This investment supports Wolfspeed’s construction of a new silicon carbide wafer manufacturing facility in North Carolina and the expansion of its New York plant. These projects aim to boost U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, create thousands of jobs, and strengthen domestic supply chains.
The U.S. Department of Commerce and Edwards Vacuum have signed a preliminary memorandum for up to $18 million in funding under the CHIPS and Science Act. This investment will support the construction of a new facility in Genesee County, New York, producing dry vacuum pumps essential for semiconductor manufacturing. The project strengthens U.S. supply chain resilience by funding the domestic manufacturing and assembly of manufacturing equipment used in the production of microchips and semiconductors.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) and Germany's SPRIND have partnered to accelerate technological innovations. Through a memorandum of understanding, they aim to advance translational research and foster collaboration between the U.S. and European innovation ecosystems. The partnership will leverage SPRIND's challenge model to tackle societal issues and translate discoveries into real-world applications, enhancing both nations' innovation capabilities while contributing to new industries and impactful technologies.
Starting sometime next year, the Defense Department will begin integrating cybersecurity requirements into contracts through its Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program. To support small businesses navigate CMMC, the Army is launching the Next-Generation Commercial Operations in Defended Enclaves (NCODE) pilot program. The program will provide a secure enclave for collaboration and compliance with CMMC and is set to receive $26 million in funding.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has announced a funding opportunity to establish the Southeast Regional Anchor as part of its Convergence Accelerator program. The Southeast Regional Anchor will advance research, innovation, and workforce development by supporting regional collaboration across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and nearby states. This initiative aims to foster innovation ecosystems and address regional challenges.
The Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has awarded $15 million to establish a Standardization Center of Excellence, led by ASTM International , to enhance U.S. participation in international standardization for critical and emerging technologies (CETs). The center will focus on pre-standardization engagement, workforce capacity building, collaborative industry-driven standards development, and creating an information-sharing hub. This initiative aims to support the nation's competitiveness and national security in rapidly evolving technology sectors.
II. PSF ANALYSIS & INSIGHTS
Chart on Dynamic Dual-Use Investor Rankings
We at Public Spend Forum are releasing our Dynamic Investor Rankings model. This allows companies and stakeholders looking to attract dual-use investments to identify investors they should be engaging with, based on the criteria they deem most appropriate. The above chart shows various investor types such as venture capital, corporate venture, and accelerators.?
This is a sample chart and insights on investors as part of the Innovation Ecosystem and the Industrial Base. There's a lot more to uncover. You can access the Public Innovation Ecosystem Dashboard to see more information.
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
The Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Defense (DOD) have partnered to establish the Long-Duration Energy Storage Joint Program , demonstrating innovative technologies at military sites. The first project involves a nearly $19 million investment to install a 500 kW vanadium redox flow battery system at the U.S. Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center in California. This system will provide backup power and long-duration solar energy storage, enhancing energy resilience in extreme weather conditions.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is exploring unmanned aerial systems (UAS) technologies to enhance border surveillance capabilities. A recent demonstration showcased various UAS sensors, focusing on beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations. Eight industry participants tested their solutions, leading to one being selected for further development. This initiative aims to improve situational awareness and operational efficiency for border security agents.
New York's FY 2025 Budget includes a historic $275 million investment to establish Empire AI, a consortium aimed at enhancing artificial intelligence research. This initiative will create a state-of-the-art computing center at the University at Buffalo, fostering collaboration among seven leading institutions.
The DARPA Triage Challenge (DTC) Event 1 showcased innovative teams developing technologies for medical triage, focusing on identifying injury signatures like hemorrhage and airway injuries. DART excelled in the Systems competition, while Coordinated Robotics won in the Virtual and Data competitions. Self-funded teams received prizes totaling between $60,000 and $120,000 for their achievements, with more events planned over the next three years.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded Sikorsky a $6 million contract to integrate its MATRIX autonomy system into the Army's UH-60M Black Hawk for AI-enabled flight experimentation. This initiative aims to enhance pilot workload reduction and flight safety while exploring autonomous capabilities, including solo-pilot and fully unmanned operations, within the Army's future vertical lift program.
The Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate (DHS S&T) is enhancing national cybersecurity through the Cyber Analytics and Platform Capabilities (CAPC) Research Initiative. This initiative focuses on developing innovative technologies, training, and resources to better equip law enforcement and responders against cyber threats. Current projects include Fleet Vehicle Cybersecurity Research and Cybersecurity Training for Law Enforcement, addressing vulnerabilities in federal operations and IoT devices.
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