Arlington, Virginia – FedTech, a deep tech venture firm that supports federal labs, research institutions, universities, and corporations, recently kicked off its Homeland Security Startup Studio 2023 (HSSS23).  This is the third annual cohort of the HSSS, which was launched in 2021 as a partnership between the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) and FedTech. HSSS23 will run from March to July 2023.

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HSSS is designed to accelerate and deliver commercial applications of federally funded technologies to meet homeland security needs. FedTech recruits and forms diverse teams of entrepreneurs and pairs them with ground-breaking technologies to assess their commercialization potential. The teams work with lab inventors and explore forming companies to license and advance their matched technologies to the commercial market and to homeland security end users.  

FedTech is active in the technology selection process, building relationships with laboratories to source appropriate technologies aligned to DHS missions. FedTech team members interview inventors and perform due diligence to ensure that selected technologies meet the program's stringent requirements, including intellectual property and licensing eligibility requirements. HSSS teams have the opportunity to scale from business ideas to company formation, working with technologies that have immediate potential to enhance homeland security.

The technologies in this year’s program align to the following homeland security R&D focus areas.

• Border Security
• Chemical, Biological and Explosive Defense
• Counterterrorism
• Cybersecurity and Information Analysis
• First Responder Support and Disaster Preparedness
• Physical Security and Critical Infrastructure Resilience
  

The laboratories and research centers participating in HSSS23 include:

• Aerospace Corporation | https://aerospace.org/
• Brookhaven National Laboratory | https://www.bnl.gov/
• MIT Lincoln Laboratory | https://www.ll.mit.edu/
• MITRE | https://www.mitre.org/
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory | https://www.nrel.gov/
• Transportation Security Laboratory | https://www.dhs.gov/science-and-technology/transportation-security-laboratory
• University Hospitals | https://www.uhhospitals.org/
• University of Central Florida | https://www.ucf.edu/
• University of Maryland | https://www.umd.edu/
• University of Nebraska (NCITE) | https://www.unomaha.edu/ncite/index.php

After technology selection and team formation, FedTech provides entrepreneurs with knowledge, coaching, and resources to enable successful technology transfer efforts that lead to company formation. All programming is virtual to allow prospective entrepreneurs across the country to participate in the Studio. The program culminates in a public showcase event called Converge, where teams pitch their technologies and commercialization strategies to fellow entrepreneurs, agency leaders, innovators, VCs, and a panel of judges.

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