NetRise Awarded AFWERX STTR Contract to Enhance Air Force Security

AUSTIN, TX – January 11, 2024 – NetRise, the company providing granular visibility into the world's Extended Internet of Things (XIoT) security problem — encompassing the modern firmware and software component security challenges of IT, OT, IoT, and other connected cyber-physical systems — today announced it has been selected by AFWERX for an STTR Phase I in the amount of $110,000 focused on identifying and managing the risk in firmware and software of connected devices 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 on 15 December 2023, NetRise will start its journey to create and provide innovative capabilities that will strengthen the national defense of the United States of America.

“We are honored to be selected as an AFWERX partner and are committed to our collaboration as we develop transformative technologies that can address the risks of connected devices,” said Thomas Pace, CEO of NetRise. “We understand the government’s critical need for proven solutions to discover and assess firmware and software components within each device, and identify vulnerabilities at the most granular levels. We look forward to working with the Air Force Research Laboratory and other key stakeholders to provide best-in-class solutions that will enable them to understand the makeup and risk of devices that are essential to securing their operations and our country’s defense.”

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 Air Force Research Laboratory (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 www.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: www.afwerx.com.