10 High-Impact Technologies Commercialized Through FedTech Startup Studios

For over a decade, FedTech has partnered with federal labs, university research teams, and entrepreneurial talent to transform groundbreaking research into thriving ventures.
These technologies represent the very best outcomes of that mission: breakthrough innovations with the potential to reshape industries, strengthen national security, and solve critical societal challenges.

Each of these technologies began as advanced R&D inside a federal lab or defense innovation hub. Through our startup studio programs, they were matched with entrepreneurs who could bring them to market, supported by a network of program leads, technology transfer partners, and government collaborators.

1. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) RY Sensors Directorate – Resilient RF Communications

Commercialized By: Tiami Networks (NSIN Foundry 2022, Army TABA Phase I FY24)
Entrepreneurs: Tyrell Junius, Amitav Mukherjee
Industry: Telecommunications
Technology: RF Photonics Antenna System — isolation of RF signals using Optical Single Side Band Modulation combined with Optical Filtering.
Impact: AFRL’s pioneering RF research enables secure, resilient communications supporting satellite communications, radar sensing, and next-generation 5G/6G connectivity.
Inventor(s): Preetpaul Devgan
Technology Transfer Partner(s): Jason Sopko, Robert Barnes
Partner Organization: Defense Innovation Unit (DIU)
Program Leads: Abigail Desjardins, Ngoc Lund

2. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) – Visionary Sensing™ for Greenhouse Gas Detection

Commercialized By: Aether (Homeland Security Startup Studio 2022)
Entrepreneurs: Shaman Ajmani, Don Stasiowski, Dirk Vandervaart
Industry: Environmental Services
Technology: Bio-inspired infrared sensors that mimic human color vision to identify greenhouse gases.
Impact: NRL’s innovation provides a new standard in methane and chemical detection. Aether’s commercialization enables accurate, remote monitoring of emissions with future applications in agriculture, oil & gas, smart cities, and national security.
Inventor(s): Kevin J. Major
Technology Transfer Partner(s): Holly Ricks Laskoski
Partner Organization: Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (DHS S&T)
Program Leads: Kalpana Reddy, Corin Hindenach, Jennifer Peters

3. Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Port Hueneme – Corrosion Detection Systems

Commercialized By: FibrX (Homeland Security Startup Studio 2022)
Entrepreneurs: Kamel Greene
Industry: Defense & Space Manufacturing
Technology: Non-disruptive fiber optic corrosion detection system offering real-time predictive analytics.
Impact: NSWC Port Hueneme’s technology helps extend the lifetime of mission-critical infrastructure in aviation, aerospace, and defense—improving safety, reliability, and readiness.
Inventor(s): Armen Kvryan
Technology Transfer Partner(s): Alan Jaeger
Partner Organization: Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (DHS S&T)
Program Leads: Kalpana Reddy, Corin Hindenach, Jennifer Peters

4. DOE Sandia National Laboratories – Advanced Lithium-Sulfur Battery Systems

Commercialized By: GridFlow (DOE Boost 2023)
Entrepreneurs: Charles Call, Blake Ridgeway Industry: Electric Power Generation
Technology: Mediated Metal-Sulfur Flow Battery for grid-scale storage.
Impact: Sandia’s work in next-generation storage enables scalable, sustainable energy solutions. GridFlow is pushing this technology forward to redefine power storage and advance energy resilience.
Inventor(s): Leo Small, Melissa Meyerson
Technology Transfer Partner(s): Bob Sleeper
Partner Organization: Sandia National Laboratories
Program Leads: David Kistin, Mary Monson, Kelli Howie, Ish Singh

5. DOE NNSA Sandia National Laboratories – Wearable Radiation Dosimetry

Commercialized By: Wearable Dose (DOE Emerging Tech Studio 2023)
Entrepreneurs: Adam Godbey, John Sanwo, John Mendis
‍Industry: Biotechnology
Technology: Advanced dosimetry technology for personalized radiation therapy and early detection of radiation exposure.
Impact: Sandia’s innovation is revolutionizing cancer treatment by enhancing patient care and improving survival rates. Wearable Dose is bringing this breakthrough to market to protect both patients and workers in radiation-intensive industries, raising safety standards and advancing healthcare outcomes.
Inventor(s): Isaac C. Aviña
Technology Transfer Partner(s): Tristan Mahyera
Partner Organization: NNSA Technology Transfer Program
Program Leads: Jahleel Hudson

6. DOE National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) – Kelp-Inspired Marine Energy Converter

Commercialized By: HydrokinetX (DOE Boost 2023, NOAA Accelerator)
Entrepreneurs: John Tauriac, Lori Eich
Industry: Climate Data & Analytics
Technology: Ocean observation platform with a regenerative kelp-inspired power converter.
Impact: NREL’s biomimicry-driven technology powers ocean buoys for continuous monitoring. HydrokinetX is applying it to unlock real-time ocean data, transforming marine energy and climate analytics.
Inventor(s): Nicole Mendoza
Technology Transfer Partner(s): Erin Beaumont
Partner Organization: Sandia National Laboratories
Program Leads: David Kistin, Mary Monson, Kelli Howie, Ish Singh

7. OSD MITRE National Security Engineering Center – Remote Optical Screening for Safety & Security

Commercialized By: Signum Technologies (formerly Horizon AI) (Homeland Security Startup Studio 2022)
Entrepreneurs: Sean Freitag, Andrew Gehman
Industry: IT Services & Public Safety
Technology: Remote Optical Screening of Individuals in Entryways (ROSIE) and touchless optical monitoring for threat detection and environmental sensing.
Impact: Developed at MITRE’s National Security Engineering Center, this technology leverages computer vision to detect threats, reduce frontline worker risk, and support applications from vital sign monitoring to contagion prediction.
Inventor(s): Kevin Gemp
Technology Transfer Partner(s): Debi Davis, Poornima Deshpande
Partner Organization: Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (DHS S&T)
Program Leads: Kalpana Reddy, Corin Hindenach, Jennifer Peters

8. OSD MITRE National Security Engineering Center – Digital Copilot for Aviation Safety

Commercialized By: Digital Copilot, Inc. (Homeland Security Startup Studio 2022, NSIN Forge 2023)
Entrepreneurs: Sharad Sharma
Industry: Aerospace & Aviation Technology
Technology: Cognitive assistant for pilots that integrates decision-support algorithms, grammar-based speech recognition, and contextual notifications.
Impact: Built on MITRE’s research, the Digital Copilot reduces pilot workload and enhances flight safety by providing real-time, on-demand information and automating non-flight tasks.
Inventor(s): John R. Helleberg
Technology Transfer Partner(s): Debi Davis, Poornima Deshpande
Partner Organization: Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (DHS S&T)
Program Leads: Kalpana Reddy, Corin Hindenach, Jennifer Peters

9. NavalX Crucible Program – Eco-Friendly Foam Alternatives

Commercialized By: Super Foam Corp (NavalX Crucible Startup Studio 2024, NavalX Crucible Accelerator 2025)
Entrepreneurs: Jatomis Stevenson, Zef Neemuchwala
Industry: Sustainable Manufacturing
Technology: PFAS-free, environmentally friendly foam manufacturing process.
Impact: This innovation reduces the environmental footprint of foam manufacturing by eliminating harmful PFAS chemicals and diverting millions of tons of waste from landfills. With applications across packaging, consumer products, and defense, it represents a safer, greener future for materials science.
Inventor(s): Dr. George Youssef Technology Transfer Partner(s): Tommy Martindale Partner Organization: NavalX, Inland Empire Tech Bridge
Program Leads: Troy Clarke, Scott Bewley, Capt. Joel Uzarski

10. DOE Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) – Rapid Pathogen Detection for Infrastructure

Commercialized By: BioVind, LLC (Startup Studio 2021, NavalX Crucible Accelerator 2025, NOAA Accelerator)
Entrepreneurs: Marc Tiegel, Ebehi Iyoha Industry: Biotechnology
Technology: Portable Bio ID platform for real-time pathogen detection.
Impact: Developed at LLNL, this solution identifies microbial threats that induce corrosion in critical infrastructure systems, enabling industries like oil & gas, defense, and water management to prevent costly damage. BioVind’s platform enhances resilience while promoting sustainability and environmental stewardship.
Inventor(s): Larry Dugan
Technology Transfer Partner(s): Hannah Farquar, Yash Vaishnav
Partner Organization: NNSA Technology Transfer Program
Program Leads: Jahleel Hudson

These ten technologies showcase the profound impact of deep tech innovation when federal research, technology transfer offices, and entrepreneurial vision converge. Through its startup studio programs, FedTech ensures that groundbreaking ideas don’t remain on the shelf. They become real-world solutions driving progress for industries, communities, and the nation.