NSIN - National Security Innovation Network

We are excited to announce Athenium as the winner of our Global Fishing Forecast Grand Challenge, presented in partnership with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency! The company took first place and $500,000 of the $1 million total prize pool for their solution to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Second and third places went to the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence (AI2) and Sync Layer, Inc. “We saw some promising CONOPS and forecasts in the challenge. The challenge winners’ forecasts outperformed the historical Global Fishing Watch baseline by up to 25%,” said Michael Brady, Ph.D., NGA research scientist and program manager for the challenge. “With regular feedback and refinements, these forecasts could be beneficial for operational uses in the future.” Get the full story: https://lnkd.in/eF3Sdip2

Our latest Funding Opportunities Newsletter has two fresh opportunities and reminders for those whose deadlines are fast approaching! This week's new opportunities are from the U.S. Navy and U.S. Space Force.   Find funding, prize challenges, and more below.   #Newsletter #Opportunity #Funding

📆 Tomorrow - join us to see 20 companies present their tech for advanced sensing, data sharing, command and control, resilient position navigation and timing, and contested communications as they compete for $50,000 at the 2024 NSIN Vector final showcase! The event also includes a special VC Panel with Pete Mathias of Alumni Ventures, Tess Hatch of Bessemer Venture Partners, and Garuth Acharya of 8090 Industries. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eDEbbzyM #DefenseInnovation #Vector #Showcase

Congratulations to the teams from the University of Maryland National Consortium of Terrorism and the Study of Terrorism (START), UC San Diego, and the University of Colorado Colorado Springs who were each awarded $150,000 for winning their respective categories in the NSIN Cyber Innovators Challenge! The challenge, held in partnership with UC2- Department of Defense University Consortium for Cybersecurity, saw the academic institutions deliver solutions in modeling and predictive analytics, persona and influence, and data and permeability. “Every university that participated provided unique ideas, insights, and research that pushed our cyber defense capabilities further to ensure we remain equipped for the challenges of today and the future,” shared NSIN Venture Portfolio Director and DIU Deputy Chief of Global Partnerships Abigail Desjardins. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eUTNbZmx

Guardians are invited to join NSIN, Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), and the United States Space Force for a hybrid hackathon, the Space Force Gen AI Challenge! Participants will craft generative AI-based solutions for Space Force problems. The event also includes training opportunities in Human Centered Design, AI fundamentals, and more. The hybrid event will launch in-person on Sept. 12 simultaneously in three Space Force ecosystems across the country in Los Angeles, CA, Colorado Springs, CO and Washington, DC with the option to attend virtually. Teams with the best ideas will have the ability to continue developing their solutions in a guided program and will have the ability to pitch USSF senior leaders. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/e8vnidzb

NSIN Alum Raven Space Systems has quickly emerged as one of Kansas City’s most innovative companies with their solution to counter high costs, long lead times, and design limitations in the field of aerospace-grade composite materials. Since participating in NSIN Vector 2023, the company has received $1.5 million in non-dilutive funding from the NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration, AFWERX, and the National Science Foundation (NSF). Read more from our interview with Raven CEO and Co-Founder Blake Herren: https://lnkd.in/efdKaxrZ

A great launch to #FedSupernova 2024! Ecosystems around the country like #Austin are incredibly important to accelerate the adoption of commercial technologies across the @ DoD. “Being a good partner and solving problems at speed and scale is what DIU is all about. We cannot waste this moment. The responsibility and imperative we have to make a difference is now… for all of us across the Defense Innovation Community;  it’s who our nation is counting on us to be,” explained DIU Director Doug Beck Partner during a fireside chat on the first morning. From retirement ceremonies to connecting with DIUx alums, and from startup crawls to office hours to tech panel discussions to roundtables — this maturing and growing dual-use community is doing exciting things. Check out the photos below to see Team DIU in action today! And check out our schedule to connect with Team DIU tomorrow: 1pm - 2:30pm CT The JointX Ask-Me-Anything Session, where panelists from DIU, AFWERX NavalX Army Applications Laboratory United States Marine Corps Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) will discuss their programs and pathways for industry to get in contact with the DoD to accelerate innovative and emerging defense technology. 3pm - 5pm CT DoDx Office Hours — DIU is hosting office hours throughout the day at Capital Factory to connect with startups. 4pm - 4:40pm CT DICE on Stage — Hear from DIU Policy Director Sunmin Kim with innovation on how the Defense Innovation Community of Entities (DICE) is reshaping military innovation by uniting innovation hubs across the DoD. Click here to view our detailed schedule and connect with our team: https://lnkd.in/esGzpx6J

Next Tuesday - join us for the 2024 Vector Showcase to see the 20 cohort companies pitch their solutions and catch a special VC Panel during the event! The panel includes Pete Mathias of Alumni Ventures, Tess Hatch of Bessemer Venture Partners, and Garuth Acharya (Garuth A.) of 8090 Industries. Register now for this virtual event, happening 8/27: https://lnkd.in/eDEbbzyM #DefenseInnovation #VC #Event | Josh Carter

Military groups from across the nation continue to leverage NSIN Bootcamp to learn innovative methods for problem-solving and to put those methods into action to deliver organizational change. Hanscom Air Force Base (Mass.) recently leveraged Bootcamp to decide how they might use technology forecasting to make more informed decisions. Four teams comprised of individuals from across the organization pitched solutions including adopting automation to increase capacity, developing a virtual assistant to act as a force multiplier, leveraging homomorphic encryption for secure calculations, and implementing a “checkmate” acquisition method to ensure emerging technologies and active threats are proactively considered. Read more: https://lnkd.in/ed-QE7aC #DefenseInnovation #HumanCenteredDesign | Kelly Schulte, Mary Kate Bell

This week there are four new opportunities for innovators in the fields of biomedical engineering, AI and machine learning and quantum sensing from the Defense Health Agency and Chemical and Biological Defense Program - find them here ⬇ #FundingOpportunities #Funding #DefenseInnovation