December 18, 2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Active Defender Selected to Receive Air Force SBIR Phase I Grant Funding for Research and Development
Carthage, NC – Active Defender announces it has been selected by AFWERX for a SBIR Phase 1 contract in the amount of $74,836 focused on continued development of the company’s emergency alerting/communication application to address the most pressing challenges in the Department of the Air Force (DAF). The Air Force Research Laboratory and AFWERX have partnered to streamline the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) process by accelerating the small business experience through faster proposal to award timelines, changing the pool of potential applicants by expanding opportunities to small business and eliminating bureaucratic overhead by continually implementing process improvement changes in contract execution. The DAF began offering the Open Topic SBIR/STTR program in 2018 which expanded the range of innovations the DAF funded and now, as of December 15, 2023, Active Defender will start its journey to create and provide innovative capabilities that will strengthen the national defense of the United States of America.
Quote From Company
“We are extremely appreciative for the opportunity to work with the U.S. Air Force to further develop the capabilities of our Active Defender application through the SBIR grant. School safety and security is our passion and we are excited to explore providing our technology to Department of Defense schools as well as its potential utilization outside of educational institutions.” Jim Boyte, Founder/CEO
(Mandatory Disclaimer) “The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Air Force, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.”
About Active Defender
Active Defender is a company focused on improving safety and security in educational institutions across the country through the utilization of innovation technology. The company’s cutting-edge, mobile, emergency alerting/communications application provides unparalleled situational awareness and communication capabilities that provide accurate information and reduce response times in a crisis. Leveraging state-of-the-art technologies, including live, dynamic, GIS/GPS campus mapping, the application is revolutionizing how educational institutions respond to crises by 1) providing real-time situational awareness; 2) serving as a communication hub; 3) integrating with emergency services/first responders; and 4) providing status updates and accountability for students and staff. Although currently focused on the educational sector, Active Defender has plans to expand its reach into supporting safety and security in other verticals as well.
About AFRL
The Air Force Research Laboratory is the primary scientific research and development center for the Department of the Air Force. AFRL plays an integral role in leading the discovery, development, and integration of affordable warfighting technologies for our air, space and cyberspace force. With a workforce of more than 12,500 across nine technology areas and 40 other operations across the globe, AFRL provides a diverse portfolio of science and technology ranging from fundamental to advanced research and technology development. For more information, visit afresearchlab.com.
About AFWERX
As the innovation arm of the DAF and a directorate within the Air Force Research Laboratory, AFWERX brings cutting-edge American ingenuity from small businesses and start-ups to address the most pressing challenges of the DAF. AFWERX employs approximately 325 military, civilian and contractor personnel at six hubs and sites executing an annual $1.4 billion budget. Since 2019, AFWERX has executed 4,697 contracts worth more than $2.6 billion to strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base and drive faster technology transition to operational capability. For more information, visit: afwerx.com.
Company Press Contact:
Seth Powers, Ed.D.
Active Defender, Chief Operations Officer
seth.powers@active-defender.com
910-948-2667