The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science & Technology Directorate’s (S&T) Homeland Security Startup Studio (HSSS) is seeking experienced entrepreneurs for the 2022 HSSS Cohort. S&T’s HSSS program brings together entrepreneurs, mentors, and inventors to form companies that accelerate and deliver commercial applications of DHS-relevant technologies from U.S. laboratories and research centers.
Conducted in partnership with FedTech, HSSS pairs the next generation of entrepreneurs with cutting-edge technology sourced from the nation’s leading labs. Each team has two or three budding entrepreneurs who bring diverse expertise in technology, engineering, and business. Participating teams receive expert training, coaching, and mentorship. FedTech provides each Startup Studio cohort with a rich foundation in entrepreneurship and access to the world’s leading deep tech innovations.
The upcoming cohort will run from February 2022 – July 2022. Entrepreneur participants are expected to spend twenty hours a week (weekends and evenings) on the program. First-round interviews will occur shortly after receipt of applications, and the technology-specific final interview will take place approximately one month before the start of the program. Applications are due January 29, 2022, and can be found here.
In the inaugural HSSS ’21 cohort, FedTech assessed over 450 technologies from federal labs and academia to identify 10 commercially promising technologies that align with homeland security missions. From there, 30 entrepreneurs were selected to participate in Phase I. Featuring a broad array of distinguished experts across various fields, 81% of whom were women or people of color, five teams capped off Phase II by pitching their technologies to venture capitalists, homeland security experts, and other innovators at the HSSS ’21 Converge event in July 2021.
For more information on S&T’s innovation programs and tools, visit: https://www.dhs.gov/science-and-technology/work-with-st.
