DHS event to spotlight national security technologies

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) has planned a two-day, in-person event next month to highlight technology addressing DHS challenges and homeland security needs.

The Demo Week initiative funded by DHS’s Silicon Valley Innovation Program (SVIP) will be conducted on May 18-19, in Washington, DC.

“S&T is responsible for identifying operational gaps, conceptualizing solutions, and delivering results that improve the security and resilience of the nation,” DHS Under Secretary for Science and Technology Dimitri Kusnezov said. “SVIP is a core program performing this function for S&T. Demo Week reaches industry disruptors and innovators that have tremendous technologies to lend to DHS’s mission goals.”

The SVIP Demo Week event will feature technology solutions adapted from the commercial market by startups.

“We’re going directly to innovators and giving them the ability to partner directly with government end users to address real operational challenges,” SVIP Managing Director Melissa Oh said. “We’re willing to simultaneously fund those companies, shape the product, get it to the commercial marketplace, with the expectation of eventually being a customer. Demo Week has become an important annual event that will hopefully inspire and encourage startups to contribute their talent and ingenuity to the safety and security of our country.”

Startup technology demonstrations during SVIP Demo Week are expected to focus on computer vision, cybersecurity, data analytics, healthtech, identity, language translation and sensors while featuring panel discussions and breakout sessions led by S&T and SVIP.