Professor Liza Wilson Durant is the NoVa Node's executive director. (photo by Creative Services)
The CCI NoVA Node announces a call for proposals for the Cyber Advanced Translational Research Development Grant (CATRDG) competition. The competition will enhance Virginia’s cyber innovation economy by providing funding to qualified teams. Participating teams must focus on the commercialization of a cybersecurity technology or process. Team proposals must be submitted by May 15.
The CATRDG program defines cybersecurity technology or process broadly and includes technologies and processes designed to protect the following, but not limited to—networks, devices, software, IoT, cyber-physical systems, unmanned vehicles or systems, cyber resilience, autonomous cyber defense, configuration security, vulnerability analysis, manufacturing processes, power grid, infrastructure, programs, and data from cyber mediated attack, damage, or unauthorized access.
“NoVA Node partners are committed to working together to accelerate the translation of academic cybersecurity innovations to the marketplace through the development, management, and marketing of intellectual property (IP); incubation support provided to small businesses; and the provision of entrepreneurship training to faculty and students,” says Liza Wilson Durant, executive director of the CCI NoVa Node. “The fund is an essential tool in the node’s innovation toolbox.”
The grants will help innovation teams pay for key materials and supplies, as well as the personnel and activities that are necessary to test products and gather initial market feedback critical to participating in accelerators or obtaining seed or angel funding.
The NoVa Node will select three or four competitive proposals for funding at levels up to $50,000 for 12 months. Teams must provide a one-to-one match for a budget of up to $100,000. These matching resources may include equipment, personnel time, indirect from university faculty related effort, or monies from other sources but may not be matched with Commonwealth resources.
To be eligible for support, proposing teams must include at least one investigator from one or more of the public institutions of higher education participating in the NoVA Node. Teams may be led by a principal investigator from a small business or a NoVA Node academic partner institution. The NoVa Node encourages teams to leverage student participation. Small businesses can either contact faculty members directly or seek assistance to connect with faculty by emailing ott@gmu.edu.