National Security Organization Announces Business Plan Contest
Roger London, chairman of the National Security Initiative, an organization devoted to promoting America’s long-term national security interests, has announced the inaugural American Security Challenge, a business plan competition for innovators with ideas and technologies aimed at bringing leading edge technology to market to secure America’s long-term physical and economic security.
The challenge seeks to bring the power of American innovation together with the power of the free market by providing critical bridge capital to start-up companies. “Our free market economy is the foremost accelerator in the world for innovation. We believe that providing a forum for great minds to bring their ideas to fruition by providing access to that market will contribute greatly to our nation’s long term security,” says London. “The market ultimately decides what technologies are adopted and what companies get funded. The American Security Channel makes cutting edge technology more visible to the market of customers, investors and strategic partners.”
The challenge invites innovators to submit executive summaries of their technology for the opportunity of an award of $100,000 or more in investor financing. The deadline for executive summaries is April 10, 2008. Six finalists are chosen to present their full business plans at the American Security Challenge event, June 5, 2008 at The Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center in Washington D.C. The challenge is held in conjunction with the annual U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science & Technology Directorate’s Annual Stakeholder conference June 2-5, 2008.
Supporting organizations include: Investor financing from Nobska Ventures, the Greater Baltimore Technology Council; the Entrepreneur Center@NVTC; the Northern Virginia Technology Council; the Center for Business & Technology Development of Howard County, MD; the Center for Innovative Technology among others.
Submissions are not limited to tactical security products but encourage innovations that address America’s long-term security interests such as technologies that reduce the country’s dependence on foreign oil, protect the nation’s financial systems, transportation systems, food supply, commerce and other innovations that would mitigate the effect of a terrorist attack on the economy and way of life.
Participants in the challenge include universities, incubators, entrepreneurs, researcher labs, early stage investors and others interested in taking their company or innovation to the next level. Beyond the initial great idea, the Challenge allows emerging technology firms high visibility among customers like the U.S. Government, integrators, licensors and manufacturing partners. It also provides exposure for further funding.
Attendees, judges and sponsors will include early stage angel and venture capitalists seeking additional deal flow; prime contractors and integrators looking for interesting technology to license, acquire or insert into a program; critical infrastructure owners and supporting members of our economy such as large financial, energy, communication, transportation, shipping or healthcare stakeholders; service providers including law firms, investment bankers, accounting and management consultants; Senior members of the federal government such as the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security or the Department of Energy.
Eligible companies encouraged to apply include but are not limited to SBIR winners; angel funded companies; companies with $1 million or less annual revenue; incubator companies; university researchers with innovative IP and entrepreneurs.
Interested innovators, sponsors and others are encouraged to visit www.americansecuritychallenge.com for full information on eligibility, submission deadlines and other rules.